Spiders Season Ends With NIT Loss at Virginia Tech

Tuesday, March 19

Blacksburg, VA

9:00 PM

University of Richmond

23-10,15-3Atlantic 10

Virginia Tech

19-14,10-10ACC

Richmond

Virginia Tech

Isaiah Bigelow makes a contested layup in between two Hokies at Cassell Coliseum

03/20/2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech was able to break open a tight game midway through the second half to send the Spiders to a 74-58 defeat in the first round of the NIT Tuesday at Cassell Coliseum. The loss dropped Richmond's final record to 23-10 on the season.

The Spiders led by as many as nine points in the first half, and even after the Hokies found their offensive rhythm UR trailed by the narrowest possible margin (47-46) with 10 minutes remaining in the game. But Virginia Tech took control with a 17-6 spurt and held on to advance to face Ohio State in the NIT's second round.

"We fought and played hard," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney. "When it was tight in the second half we missed a couple of baskets that we really needed to make to provide some more game pressure. And when we didn't, they were able to pull away a little bit."

Dji Bailey and Isaiah Bigelow each scored 15 points to lead the Spiders, with Bigelow contributing a team-high seven rebounds. Richmond made just 38 percent of its shots from the field, its third-lowest rate in any game this season.

"They're very physical. Our cutting and movement provided us some baskets and some freedom from that, but not quite enough," said Mooney.

The Spiders defense was able to keep Richmond close for much of the game, especially early, when UR held the Hokies to two points in the first nine minutes.

"I thought we were able to take them out of some of their more traditional sets, which are excellent. But they were able to play very well outside of their sets," said Mooney. "You can't continue to put so much pressure on your defense. You need some baskets, so you feel a little bit better and it gives you some energy."

Virginia Tech paid extra attention to Spiders leading scorer Jordan King, double-teaming him frequently and holding him to six points. King's lone three-pointer was his 84^th of the season, tied for the third most in a season in program history.

Earlier in the day, King was one of five players named First-Team All-District 4 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). District 4 is comprised of the 15 teams in the Atlantic 10. Mooney was named NABC District 4 Coach of the Year and was also announced as one of 20 finalists for the Jim Phelan Award for National Coach of the Year Tuesday after leading the Spiders to their first regular season A-10 title.

"We're a program that traditionally hasn't had too many transfers relative to college basketball [as a whole]," said Mooney. "In this new era, we've been able to recruit and attract some great players and great people. To be in the postseason, to win the regular season championship, these are terrific accomplishments. More importantly, they honestly were just a great group of guys to be around every day and a really special team for us."