Townsend Lifts Richmond to Comeback Victory over VCU

Wednesday, February 14

Richmond, VA

6 p.m.

University of Richmond

22-4,12-1Atlantic 10

VCU

21-4,10-3Atlantic 10

Richmond

VCU

02/14/2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Behind Grace Townsend's third game with 20 or more points this season, the University of Richmond women's basketball team posted a come from behind win at VCU Wednesday evening inside the Siegel Center. With the win, the Spiders improved to 22-4 overall and 12-1 in Atlantic 10 Conference play while the Rams fell to 21-4 and 10-3 in conference action. In addition, the Spiders also snapped a 12-game home win streak for the Rams and Townsend became the first Richmond basketball player to surpass 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists.

Richmond Starters
Budnik, Doogan, Ryan, Hill, Townsend

How it Happened
The Spiders got off to a slow start, as the Rams opened the game on an 8-0 run before Addie Budnik completed a hoop and harm to stop the offensive power from the Rams. VCU continued to test the UR defense and built its lead to 12, 17-5. Townsend then drove to the rim for two points with 56 seconds left, but VCU responded on the other coast with a jumper to end the first 10 minutes ahead 19-7.

Rachel Ullstrom opened the second 10 minutes with a driving layup, and Budnik followed the play with a triple to cut the VCU lead to 19-12. Two minutes later, Townsend put another two points on the board to bring UR within five, 19-14. Budnik then responded to a trey from VCU with one of her own, while Siobhan Ryan posted two free throws to get the Spiders within striking distance, 22-19. A final trey from the opposition would send Richmond into the locker room trailing 27-21.

After Maggie Doogan opened the third quarter with a layup, the Rams went on a short 4-0 spurt before Townsend ended the scoring threat with a layup. Doogan then put two points up to cut the lead to 31-27, but back-to-back buckets from VCU preserved the Ram lead at eight, 35-27. Doogan and Ryan combined for six points to bring the Spiders within two, 35-33. After two more free throws from Townsend, VCU finished the quarter with four points for a 41-35 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes.

Townsend again cut the lead back down to 37-41, but a triple from VCU kept it a two-possession game. After Ullstrom netted a trey, Doogan went 2 for 2 at the charity stripe to bring Richmond within one, 44-43. Townsend then kept UR perfect at the line with two more free throws to put the Spiders ahead for the first time, 45-44. The Rams retook the lead off a three pointer, but four points from Townsend and Budnik pushed Richmond back into the lead, 50-47. After exchanging back-and-forth buckets, Doogan and Townsend posted back-to-back point for a 61-53 UR lead. Townsend then rounded out the game with four made shots at the free throw line to complete the comeback bid, 65-58.

Inside the Box Score

The Spiders were paced by Townsend, who posted 23 points on 6 of 13 from the field, and a perfect 11 of 11 from the charity stripe.
Two other Spiders, Budnik and Doogan, also finished the game in double figures as Budnik recorded 15 points and Doogan posted 13 points in addition to a team-high seven rebounds and two thefts.
Doogan, Budnik and Faye Parker all posted three blocks on the evening.
Head Coach Aaron Roussell posted his 399^th career win.
Townsend became the first Spider in either the men's or women's basketball programs to surpass 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. She is one of nine active players in DI to reach the milestone. (Caitlin Clark. Dyaisha Fair. Jenna Annechiarico. Jaz Shelley. Jordan King (Marquette). Sophia Wiard. Darian White. Shaylee Gonzales). In addition, she also became just the second Spider to reach 1,00 career points and 500 assists, joining Belle Koclanes.
Budnik broke into the top-10 all-time Richmond scorers for women's basketball, slotting into ninth all-time and surpassing Amber Goppert (1,398 pts) and Michaela Parson (1,401 pts). Following the game, she brought her career total to 1,409.
The Spiders have posted five-straight wins dating back to 1/28/24.
Entering the game, VCU held its opponents to 51.4 points per game, the best scoring defense in the country. Richmond has now allowed less than 65 points in each of the past seven wins.
The Spiders have picked up two wins over VCU this year as the Spiders downed VCU inside the Robins Center on 1/3/24 (W, 72-65).
As a team, Richmond went 19 of 45 (42.2%) from the field, 7 of 20 (35%) from deep and a perfect 20 of 20 from the charity stripe. In addition, the team posted 29 rebounds, seven assists, nine blocks, five steals and 11 points off 14 Ram turnovers.

From Head Coach Aaron Roussell
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Up Next
The Spiders return to the Robins Center on Saturday, as the team plays host to Loyola Chicago at 6 p.m. for the Alumnae Game and Senior Night. Senior festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the game following.