Townsend Eclipses 1,000 Career Points, Hill Posts Career High in A-10 win over Rhode Island Sunday

Sunday, January 14

Richmond, Va.

Noon

University of Richmond

15-3,5-0Atlantic 10

Rhode Island

11-7,3-2Atlantic 10

Rhode Island

Richmond

Townsend Eclipses 1,000 Career Points, Hill Posts Career High in A-10 win over Rhode Island Sunday

01/14/2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – With 5:04 left in the game, Grace Townsend netted a wide-open layup to become the 28^thSpider to reach 1,000 career points in the University of Richmond Women's Basketball team's 71-67 win over Rhode Island Sunday afternoon inside the Robins Center. With the victory, the Spiders improved to 15-3 overall and remain undefeated in Atlantic 10 Conference play at 5-0 and a perfect 8-0 on the year inside the Robins Center. Richmond also snapped a seven-game skid against the Rams dating back to 2019 and picked up the team's first win over URI inside the Robins Center since 2/5/17.

Richmond Starters
Budnik, Doogan, Ryan, Hill, Townsend

How it Happened
After a quick bucket from the Rams, Maggie Doogan began the scoring efforts for the Spiders with a triple and Katie Hill followed the play with a layup to give Richmond a 5-2 lead. After URI retook the lead at 6-5, Hill completed the hoop-and -harm, and Townsend posted a layup for a 10-6 UR lead. Hill then recorded a trey for a 13-9 lead, but the Rams marched back and retook the lead at 15-13 before Townsend put Richmond back on top, 18-15, to end the first quarter.

Townsend opened the second 10 minutes with another trey, while Hill posted a layup for a 23-16 Richmond lead. After exchanging a few points, Doogan and Townsend combined for five points to go ahead 30-21. After the Rams scratched back to 34-30, Townsend posted another triple to end the half with the Spiders ahead, 36-30.

URI posted a layup out of the break before Hill posted a pair of free throws to preserve the Richmond lead at 38-32. Hill then sparked a 6-0 run for the Spiders to build a 44-35 lead. The opposition ended the scoring drought with a short 4-0 spurt, but Doogan brought UR back to scoring fashion with a deep three pointer for a, 47-39 UR lead. Rhode Island stormed back to come within two, 47-45, but a triple from Hill and two free throws from Laren VanArsdale would give Richmond a 52-45 lead. A final triple from URI and two points from Hill at the charity stripe would have Richmond leading 54-48 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Siobhan Ryan opened the final 10 minutes with four points on back-to-back buckets to give UR a double-digit lead, 58-48. Townsend then pushed the lead to 11, 60-49 before the Rams posted four points for a 60-53 score line in favor of Richmond. Following the run, Townsend surpassed 1,000 career points off a layup for a nine-point lead, 62-53. After four made free throws and a trey from the Rams to cut the Richmond lead to 68-65, Addie Budnik and Townsend posted three points at the charity stripe to hand UR the victory, 71-67.

Inside the Box Score

Richmond was led by Townsend, who posted 26 points on 9 of 17 from the field, 3 of 9 from deep and 5 of 7 from the free throw line. In addition, the senior posted seven rebounds, three assists and a theft. She became the 28^th Spider to reach the milestone and the first since Addie Budnik on 2/25/23. Following the game, she also surpassed Kate Klimkiewicz (1,002 pts, 2018-22) to become the 27^thleading scorer in the Women's Basketball record book with 1,003 career points.
Katie Hill posted a career-high 19 points and matched a career-high four assists.
Maggie Doogan was the final Spider to finish in double figures with 16 points and led the team with eight rebounds.
As a team, the Spiders shot 23 of 51 (45.1%) from the field, 7 of 24 (29.2%) from deep and 18 of 20 (90%) from the free throw line. In addition, the team posted 39 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards, nine assists, six blocks, seven thefts and 19 points off 17 Ram turnovers.
Richmond snapped a seven-game skid against the Rams dating back to 2019 and picked up the team's first win over URI inside the Robins Center since 2/5/17 (W, 67-51).
The 5-0 start to A-10 action is the best start for the Spiders since the 2004-05 season where Richmond went 5-0 in conference play until falling to George Washington on 1/19/05.
Head Coach Aaron Roussell posted his 80^th win at Richmond, 392^nd overall.
The program posted its 995^th win.

From Head Coach Aaron Roussell, Grace Townsend and Katie Hill

Up Next
The Spiders look to keep the momentum going on Wednesday, as the team travels to Davidson for a matchup against the Wildcats at 7 p.m. The Spiders return to the Robins Center on Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. to welcome Dayton to the Robins Center.