Spiders stuff Fairleigh Dickinson for 77-48 win

Tuesday, December 13

Robins Center

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

5-5,0-0Atlantic 10

Fairleigh Dickinson

6-7,0-0NEC

Fairleigh Dickinson

Richmond

12/13/2022 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Mooney, Bigelow postgame Instant Highlights

RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond's 77-48 win over Fairleigh Dickinson Tuesday can be summarized in two numbers: 16 shots and 11-and-a-half minutes.

The Spiders held FDU without a field goal for the first 11:36 of the game, holding the Knights to 0-16 shooting from the field over that span while racing out to a 24-1 lead.

"I thought we were just so good defensively in every way," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney of the team's start. "Aggressive on the scouting report. Alert. Helping one another."

Richmond never looked back, coasting to a second straight lopsided victory that moved the Spiders to 5-5 on the season.

"We can still improve and get better, but I think we have a chance to be … maybe great defensively," said Richmond coach Chris Mooney. "Our best defensive teams, say 2010, 2020, it felt like we controlled the game to a certain degree on defense. And the Temple game felt like that. Tonight did. Drake did."

Richmond held Drake to a season-low 52 points in an 82-52 win at the Robins Center Saturday and has now won consecutive games by 29 or more points for the first time since the first two games of the 2012-13 season.

"We're a tough, resilient team when we play a certain way. I think that we've got a chance to be really good," said Isaiah Bigelow, who scored a game-high 17 points.

"I think he had his best first half," said Mooney of Bigelow. "He's shown what he can do and what kind of a player he is and it's a luxury to bring him off the bench."

Bigelow and the Spiders led 42-9 at intermission, just the second time in the 50-year history of the Robins Center Richmond has held an opponent to fewer than 10 points in a half. (Richmond held Southern to nine first-half points in an 81-40 win on November 23, 2010.)

In the second half, Richmond emptied the bench, with all 16 Spiders seeing action and no player recording more than 24 minutes.

Tyler Burton joined Bigelow in double figures, collecting 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Jason Nelson, Neal Quinn, and Jason Roche each scored nine points.

The win was Chris Mooney's 317^th at Richmond, moving him in front of former St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island coach Jim Baron for the fourth-most total wins by a coach in Atlantic 10 history. Mooney trails only Gale Catlett (333), Phil Martelli (444), and John Chaney (516).

Mooney and the Spiders will be back in action Saturday when they face Clemson at Bon Secours Arena in Greenville, S.C. in the inaugural Greenville Winter Invitational. Tip time is scheduled for 7 PM.