Spiders Defeat Florida Tech in Gulf Coast Showcase Opener

Monday, November 25

Fort Myers, FL

6 PM

University of Richmond

3-3,0-0Atlantic 10

Florida Tech

0-4,0-1Sunshine State

Florida Tech

Richmond

Spiders Defeat Florida Tech in Gulf Coast Showcase Opener

11/25/2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Richmond Spiders won their first of three games at this week's Gulf Coast Showcase, knocking off Florida Tech 67-57 Monday evening. Jason Roche recorded a team-high 22 points and hit seven three-pointers, one off the program record and tied for the sixth most in a game in program history.

Roche's 22 points were his most since Feb. 10, 2022, when he scored 23 at UNC Greensboro as a freshman at The Citadel.

The Spiders (3-3) have won back-to-back games following a three-game losing streak.

DeLonnie Hunt registered his first career double-double, posting 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Jonathan Beagle also scored 12 points and matched a career high with six assists, three more than any other Spider. Mikkel Tyne was the fourth and final Spider in double figures, with 10 points and a pair of steals.

"I was just trying to make it hard for their guards to come up the court and for their offense to start," said Tyne.

"We needed them," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney of his starting guards Hunt and Tyne. "We needed that full-court pressure. We needed them to be steady and apply the pressure as well as their offense ... they were very key for sure."

Florida Tech led 11-9 midway through the first half before an 18-2 Spiders run gave Richmond a 27-13 advantage three minutes before halftime. Richmond's lead ballooned to 18 before Florida Tech's Donovan Brown scored nine straight points to narrow UR's lead to 41-34 with 13 minutes remaining. Five minutes later, the game was tied at 46 following a 12-3 Panthers spurt.

Richmond answered with field goals from Beagle and Hunt to re-establish the lead, and then outscored Florida Tech 7-0 over the game's final two minutes to seal the win.

"We didn't play well enough to make the lead extend sooner," said Mooney. "We weren't necessarily that crisp on offense. ... We're just not playing to the level that we need to play at in the games. We're practicing. We're working hard. But we're just not playing near the level we need to play at in the games."

The Spiders will face unbeaten Louisiana Tech from Conference USA Tuesday at 3 PM. The game can be seen on FloSports and heard on ESPN Richmond.

"We're really grinding and working hard, but also we feel stuck a lot," said Mooney. "We just have to continue to practice and fight our way through it. We're fortunate to have another game tomorrow."