Spiders Drop Heartbreaker Against VCU Wednesday Evening

Wednesday, January 11

Richmond, Va.

6 PM

University of Richmond

11-5,1-2Atlantic 10

VCU

4-11,1-2Atlantic 10

VCU

Richmond

Spiders Drop Heartbreaker Against VCU Wednesday Evening

01/11/2023 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 54-51 decision against VCU Wednesday evening inside the Robins Center. The Spiders fell to 11-5 on the year and 1-2 in Atlantic-10 play while the Rams improve to 4-11 and 1-2 in conference action.

UR continues A10 play on the road, taking on Rhode Island on Jan. 16 in Kingston, R.I. before playing host to George Mason on Jan. 21. Both games are slated for a 6 p.m. ET tipoff.

UR was led by sophomore guard Sydney Boone, who posted a season-high 13 points and shot 6 of 12 from the field and added a three pointer. Boone also recorded a season-high four rebounds against the Rams. Junior forward Addie Budnik and graduate forward Emilija Krista Grava each chipped in nine points while Budnik posted a team-high nine rebounds and five blocks. Boone and sophomore guard Katie Hill led the team with two thefts each.

"For the last 15 minutes of the game, I thought we performed really well offensively," said Head Coach Aaron Roussell. "We got a few key stops but unfortunately VCU made some tough shots and handled the ball really well. I think it goes back to the early 7-0 start, when we miss our early chances, it gets a little contagious."

The Rams held Richmond scoreless until junior guard Siobhan Ryan collected a free throw and freshman guard Rachel Ullstrom followed the play with a trey to bring the score to 7-4 in favor of VCU with 4:35 left in the quarter. A layup from Boone allowed the Spiders to come within one, 7-6, but two free throws and a layup from VCU ended the first quarter with the Rams leading 13-8. Out of the quarter, the Rams slowly started to pull away until a layup from Hill and a free throw from Doogan allowed UR to come within four, 19-15 with 3:53 left in the half. A late trey from the Rams brought the Spiders into the locker room trailing 26-17.

Through the first 20 minutes, UR shot 6 of 31 (19.4%) from the field, 1 of 16 (6.3%) from beyond the arc and 4 of 7 (57.1%) from the line in addition to 26 rebounds, five thefts and six blocks. UR recorded four points off seven Ram turnovers along with five second-chance points, while the Spider bench put up eight points.

Ullstrom led the offense with five points, going 2 of 5 from the field and 1 of 3 from deep while Budnik and Grava chipped in three points each. Budnik recorded four blocks in the first 20 minutes while grabbing five rebounds.

In the third quarter, VCU saw its largest lead of the game, 32-17, before the Spiders began chipping away at the lead from efforts courtesy of Siobhan, Budnik, Grava and Doogan to bring the Spiders within two, 35-33 at the quarter. In the fourth quarter a three pointer from Boone allowed UR to tie the game at 40 with 6:59 left in the game, and a layup from Hill a minute later gave Richmond its first lead, 42-40. After VCU regained the lead, another layup from Hill brought UR within one, 52-51, with three seconds left, but a final half-court effort from junior guard Grace Townsend barely missed the mark as VCU took the game 54-51.

"For the most part our rebounding was solid," Roussell said. "Our defense was really good, which kept the game close, and it allowed us to go from being down 15 to being up two. We had plenty of chances to tie the game and take the lead, but it just wasn't our game."