Spiders Wrap Non-Conference Play with Tough Loss to Alabama

Saturday, December 21

West Palm Beach, Fla.

1:15 p.m.

University of Richmond

9-4,0-0Atlantic 10

Alabama

12-1,0-0SEC

Richmond

Alabama

Spiders Wrap Non-Conference Play with Tough Loss to Alabama

12/21/2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Despite leading well into the fourth quarter, the University of Richmond women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker, 75-68, to Alabama Saturday afternoon in the West Palm Beach Classic finale. With the loss, Richmond finished its non-conference slate at 9-4 while the Crimson Tide improved to 12-1.

Richmond Starters
Sweeney, Hill, Ullstrom, Doogan, Budnik

How it Happened
Alabama opened the game on a 7-0 run before Faith Alston got things rolling for the Spiders with a triple to cut the deficit to 7-3. After exchanging a few points, the Crimson Tide posted five points to jump to a nine-point lead, 14-5. The Spiders scratched back to 17-15 with efforts from Anna Camden and Rachel Ullstrom. After a pair of free throws from UA, Addie Budnik scored on a layup, and Ally Sweeney followed with a triple to end the first 10 minutes down one, 21-20.

Budnik opened the second quarter with a triple to give Richmond a 23-21 lead, while Doogan and Alyssa Jimenez followed with layups for a 27-21 Spider advantage. UA cut the Spider lead to 27-24 with a triple, but Sweeney extended it to a two-possession game with a free throw. Alabama battled back and took a three-point lead, 31-28, before Budnik tied the game at 31. UA ended the half on a 10-0 run, sending the Spiders into the locker room down 41-31.

The Spiders cut the Alabama lead to 48-45 to open the third quarter as Hill, Doogan, Ullstrom and Sweeney contributed points. Two free throws from Budnik reduced the deficit to one, 48-47, but the Crimson Tide responded with two free throws to regain a three-point lead, 50-47. Sweeney then completed a hoop-and-harm to tie it at 50, and Ullstrom ended the quarter with a buzzer-beater three-pointer to send Richmond into the final 10 minutes ahead, 53-51.

In the fourth quarter, the Spiders built a four-point lead, 58-55, before Alabama tied it at 58 with a triple. After a 4-0 run by the Spiders, the Crimson Tide regained the lead at 69-66. Richmond couldn't overcome Alabama's free-throw shooting in the closing minutes, as the Crimson Tide built a seven-point lead, 75-68, to close the game.

Notes on the Game

The Spiders were paced by Maggie Doogan, who finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. Three other Spiders finished in double figures: Rachel Ullstrom posted 13 points with a team-high seven assists, Addie Budnik scored 13 and Ally Sweeney added 10.
Richmond shot 47.1 percent (24 of 51) from the floor, 32.1 percent (9 of 28) from deep and 73.3 percent (11 of 15) from the free-throw line. The team also tallied 34 rebounds, 18 assists and five steals while forcing eight Alabama turnovers, which resulted in 10 points. The Spider bench contributed 10 points, outpacing Alabama's four.
The game featured eight ties, with Richmond collecting 10 offensive rebounds compared to Alabama's five.

From Head Coach Aaron Roussell and Faith Alston

Up Next
The Spiders open Atlantic 10 Conference play on Dec. 29, playing host to Dayton inside the Robins Center at 2 p.m. before the first conference road swing on Jan. 2 at Fordham at 6:30 p.m. and Massachusetts on Jan. 5 at 1 p.m.