University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
7-1,0-0Atlantic 10
Belmont
8-1,0-0MVC
Spiders Top Unbeaten Belmont, Improve to 7-1
12/03/2025 | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Richmond and Belmont, who entered the game with a combined 14 wins to just one loss, put on a show befitting their records Wednesday as the Spiders outlasted the Bruins 84-76. The game featured 14 lead changes — the final coming with 1:37 remaining when the Spiders started a decisive 11-2 run with a post bucket by Jaden Daughtry. The outcome was in question until Spiders guard Will Johnston banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key with 27 seconds remaining, turning a one-point Richmond lead into four.
I was practicing that the other day. I was like 'let me bank this,' joked Johnston.
I thought he could have shot the first [shot], when he got the handoff, said Mooney. Because that is somewhat what you can get against Belmont, which is threes over the top. Then he ended up shooting the second one, which was a little bit deeper and banked in and was good fortune for us. Sometimes you have to have that.
Johnston finished with a team-high 19 points, while David Thomas added a season-high 18 points on 6-7 shooting from three-point range after making his first start of the season for an injured Mikkel Tyne (hamstring).
David was really, really good on both ends of the floor, said Mooney. He made some big shots. He can score the ball, and the more he gets comfortable with how we play I think he'll really be able to take advantage of some things.
The Spiders finished 14-25 (56%) from three-point range, their most three-pointers in a road game since Dec. 3, 2019 at Hampton (15).
It's like when you play against a zone, you don't want to just shoot threes but if those are the shots you have, you have to get them up, said Mooney.
At 7-1, Richmond has equaled its best eight-game start in 21 seasons under Chris Mooney. The Spiders also started 7-1 in 2009-10 and 2019-20. UR captured its first win in its last 12 non-conference road games and won its first road game of the season for the first time since 2020, when the Spiders defeated 10th-ranked Kentucky in Rupp Arena.
There's some things in a road game that you really have to just do as well as you can and be tough enough to let the next play happen for you. It's a challenge, but tonight was very impressive, especially being down a starter, said Mooney. I thought the guys did so many tough things to make us win, and I'm really, really proud of this victory.
AJ Lopez (15 points) and Aiden Argabright (12) joined Johnston and Thomas in double figures. Center Mike Walz grabbed a team-high six rebounds and made his only field goal of the game count, hitting an 80-foot, two-handed heave just before the halftime buzzer.
The Spiders trailed 43-41 at halftime, but used two separate 8-0 runs in the first five minutes of the second half to build a 57-52 lead. Down the stretch, Belmont missed its final six attempts from the field, while Richmond made its final five shots from the field and its final seven from the foul line.
I thought at the end of the game we were really good, said Mooney. They're a great team. Not a good team, a great team.
This was a great win for us, added Johnston. Playing against a really great Belmont team on the road — this was our first true road game — and to come out with a win like this is great for our confidence.
Richmond will attempt to reach 8-1 for just the second time in the Chris Mooney era Saturday vs Old Dominion at the Robins Center. Tip time is 12:30 PM and the game will be nationally televised on USA Network.
We're a legit team. We're a legit basketball team. We work hard. We play with confidence. We play as a team. We've got all the pieces. It's just about having the right approach every single day, said Johnston.
