Spiders Drop One-Sided Decision to Davidson

Saturday, January 31

Robins Center

4:30 PM

University of Richmond

13-10,3-7Atlantic 10

Davidson

13-8,5-4Atlantic 10

Davidson

Richmond

01/31/2026 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Mooney Postgame Instant Highlights

RICHMOND, Va. — The Davidson Wildcats left no doubt Saturday at the Robins Center, romping to a 79-54 win over the Spiders to secure their fourth straight victory in the series.

"Obviously I'm very disappointed in our entire game today. Our effort, our energy level — which had been strengths of this team — was just nowhere to be found," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney. "I don't think the coaches, we didn't have our team prepared. Our players I don't think played with as much energy and effort as we needed to. I thought Davidson played great. Part of that is we allowed Davidson to play great. We were not aggressive, not energized, and paid a big price for it."

The 25-point loss was Richmond's second-largest in a conference home game since UR joined the Atlantic 10 in 2001. The Spiders have now dropped five straight games and are 13-10 overall, including 3-7 in A-10 play.

Richmond's 54 points were nine fewer than its season low entering the game. The Spiders shot just 36 percent from the field (18-50).

"If you're not energized and giving enough effort, then those shots which may seem open or could be more comfortable, you don't make them as much. Because you haven't put yourself in a position mentally or you haven't put yourself in a position effort-wise to capitalize on the open opportunities. That was part of the issue today, that we didn't make enough shots, but that's way down the list for us as coaches," said Mooney.

The Spiders managed just 14 points in the paint and only six on fast breaks after entering the game among the conference leaders in transition offense.

"I thought we weren't out in transition at all. We just seemed a little bit sluggish. I thought they dictated our offense more than we would ever want to happen," said Mooney.

After Davidson scored the game's first six points, Will Johnston's second three-pointer of the game pulled the Spiders within a bucket at 12-10 with 13:54 remaining in the first half. But the Spiders would manage just five more points over the remainder of the half, shooting 2-18 over that span, as Davidson seized control of the game. The Wildcats outscored UR 22-5 over the final 13 minutes of the half and led Richmond 34-15 at halftime. The Spiders shot just 23 percent from the field in the first half: 3-14 from three-point range and 3-12 from inside the arc.

Davidson opened the second half with another three-pointer for a 37-15 lead and never led by fewer than 20 over the remainder of the contest. The Wildcats shot 53 percent for the game, including a stretch of eight straight made field goals at one point in the second half. Davidson also went 13-25 from three-point range (52 percent), the best three-point percentage for an opponent in the Robins Center since Massachusetts on Jan. 5, 2022 (11-20, 55 percent).

Johnston led Richmond with 11 points, and Aiden Argabright added 10 before leaving with a left ankle injury in the second half. Spider reserves Jonathan Beagle and Will Harper III are also working through ankle injuries. Neither were available Saturday.

Mike Walz, appearing in his 100^th career game, led UR with five rebounds. Jaylen Robinson registered a team-high four of Richmond's nine assists while scoring six points, his most in conference play this season.

Richmond has a mid-week bye and won't return to action until next Saturday at Rhode Island.

"We're going to try to use this week to figure out what the best way for us to compete and try to win a game is," said Mooney. "When you have a game like today, everything is on the table. Our most fundamental response as coaches is we need to find the guys who are going to play as hard as they can. Playing hard comes with being a confident player. Being ready to go. Being coachable. Being motivated. All those things make you play hard. Today, it really felt like we didn't have enough from the whole program. We didn't have enough energy and effort."

Mooney added that the team needs to make "sure that everyone, starting from me through the coaches, the players — everyone — is looking at themselves saying how could that happen. What can I do better? And addressing it, both individually and as a team."