Defense Leads Spiders to Fifth Straight Home Win

Saturday, December 16

Robins Center

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

6-5,0-0Atlantic 10

Charlotte

5-5,0-0AAC

Charlotte

Richmond

12/16/2023 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Mooney, Bailey Postgame Instant Highlights

RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Spiders relied on their best defensive effort of the season to offset a poor shooting night as UR outlasted Charlotte 64-56 Saturday in the Robins Center. The win moved Richmond to 6-5 on the season, including a perfect 5-0 mark in home games.

The Spiders held Charlotte to a season-worst 34.5 percent from the field and scored 21 points off 14 49ers turnovers. On the offensive end, Richmond made a season-low three three-pointers, started 2-8 from the free-throw line, and shot just 41.4 percent from the field, its second lowest in a game this season.

"If we're not shooting well — they're a good defensive team, they guard the three-point line well – you don't want to have too many possessions where you're just launching shots," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney. "But I think we had a good sense of 'Hey, that's not open. Let's look for the next thing and continue to cut and move and share the ball.'"

The game flipped late in the first half, after back-to-back three-pointers gave Charlotte a 25-14 lead, its largest of the game. Richmond responded with a 15-0 run in the final 4:30 of the half. Neal Quinn started the spurt with an And-1 layup with 4:27 remaining and finished it with a dunk five seconds before the halftime buzzer off a feed from Mikkel Tyne.

"I felt like the most pivotal part was the last five minutes of the first half. I think they had outplayed us to that point.," said Mooney. "I thought our defense really turned. I think that was really a critical time. The crowd, the energy plays that were being made, I thought that really swung the game. I'm really proud of our defense."

In the final 68 seconds of the first half, Tyne registered a layup, a steal, and two assists. He finished the game with eight points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

"He's so talented. I think he's going to be a great player," said Mooney. "For him to have success so early speaks to his talent and ability but also his confidence and work ethic."

The Spiders built their lead to as many as 12 in the second half, but Charlotte chipped away to make it a five-point game at 53-48 with less than three minutes remaining. But Dji Bailey calmly made a pair of free throws and then sealed the win seconds later, getting a steal on one end and a layup on the other to give Richmond a nine-point cushion with 1:41 to play.

Bailey finished with 12 points on 5-7 shooting and four steals, giving him 10 in his last two games.

"He's great combination of a really, really smart player who has a good understanding of where everybody is on the court and who might try something and then great athleticism," said Mooney. "For as tall and long as he is, he's quick."

Jordan King led Richmond with a game-high 14 points, while Isaiah Bigelow added 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The Spiders are now 12-8 all-time vs their former Atlantic 10 rivals and have won four straight home games vs the 49ers.

Richmond will return to action Thursday vs Buffalo in the Robins Center. The game will tip at 7 PM on MASN and ESPN Plus.