Spiders Spin Through Gardner-Webb to Reach 5-0

Saturday, November 22

Robins Center

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

5-0,0-0Atlantic 10

102

Gardner-Webb

0-6,0-0Big South

Gardner-Webb

Richmond

102

11/22/2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Mooney, Lopez Postgame Instant Highlghts

RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Spiders used a balanced scoring attack and a high-pressure defense to blitz Gardner-Webb Saturday night at the Robins Center, posting 62 first-half points en route to a lopsided 102-67 win. Richmond opened the game on an 18-3 run and led by as many as 48 in the second half.

"I thought we played with great energy. I thought our defense set a great tone early," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney. "It feels like we forced a lot of turnovers early in the game in the first 10 minutes or so and then on offense I thought we moved the ball very nicely and shot the ball very well and got contributions from a lot of guys."

Of the 17 turnovers forced by the Spiders, seven came in the game's first six minutes, allowing UR to establish control early. On the offensive end, Richmond shot 9-12 from three-point range in the first half and 65% from the field to build a 62-30 lead at intermission.

"Our emphasis is always getting shots in rhythm, getting shots off of good passes, getting shots that you're very familiar with, because that should help take some of the thought process out of it," said Mooney. "Tonight, we made some transition threes which are always big, but we really did a nice job of moving the ball and finishing."

"All the guys on the team really stay in the gym — late nights — and get up extra shots, so I feel like the shots will start falling for us more and more," said AJ Lopez, who scored a game-high 18 points. "We knew what we wanted to do going into the game, so I think we just executed the game plan."

Richmond moved to 5-0 this season, while Gardner-Webb dropped to 0-6. Richmond matched its best unbeaten start in 21 seasons under Chris Mooney (also 5-0 in 2019-20) and won its first five games of a season for just the fourth time in the last 60 years (also 1985-86 and 1981-82).

It was the first time UR had scored 100 or more points in a game since the 2024-25 season opener vs Mount Olive and the first time the Spiders reached 100 vs a D-I opponent in a non-overtime game since Jan. 28, 2017, a 101-90 win over Duquesne.

Joining Lopez in double figures was Aiden Argabright (15 points), Jaden Daughtry (14), and David Thomas (13), all of whom came off the bench and helped Richmond's reserves combine for 58 points.

Mike Walz grabbed a team-high nine rebounds as Richmond outrebounded the Runnin' Bulldogs 46-30 and turned 15 offensive rebounds in 15 second-chance points.

Argabright led UR with four assists as Richmond finished with 22, its most since Dec. 22, 2021 vs Bucknell (also 22).

"I feel like we're a really good team," said Lopez. "We're really deep and we've got a lot of guys that can do a lot of things. I feel like we've still got a lot more in the tank and I feel like the fans and the coaches haven't seen the best of us yet. I feel like as long as we keep getting better, the sky is the limit for us."

The game wrapped up Richmond's season-opening five-game homestand, its most consecutive home games since the 1984 season. The Spiders will now hit the road for the first time this year, traveling to Florida to take part in the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational next Thursday and Friday.

Richmond will face Furman on Thursday at 11 AM on ESPN 2 and then take on either Charlotte or Illinois State Friday, with time and network to-be-determined.