Spiders bite Rams’ four-game winning streak, 65-58
The Richmond Spiders defeat the Rams ending their winstreak. VCU head coach Beth O'Boyle talks to the players during a timeout. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore.
Violet Velasquez, Contributing Writer
Marcus Leary, Contributing Writer
The VCU Rams fell to the University of Richmond 65-58, during the second cross-town rivalry match-up this season, as the Spiders climbed to 2-0 against the Rams this season.
In this matchup, the Spiders were the No.1 ranked offense in the conference, according to the Atlantic-10.
Despite losing the tip-off, VCU second-year guard Mary-Anna Asare made a layup, giving the Rams the first points of the game seven and a half minutes into the first quarter.
VCU started the first quarter hot, going on an 8-0 run and showed why they had the number one defense in the conference, according to the A-10. VCU held Richmond to zero points for the first six minutes.
The Spiders’ first points of the game came at the four-minute mark with a layup and extra foul shot from fourth-year forward Addie Budnik.
VCU head coach Beth O’Boyle said that keeping Richmond away from the three-point line was a big part of their game plan. VCU succeeded in this during the first quarter holding the Spiders to 0% from the arc, according to Statbroadcast.
O’Boyle also mentioned that rebounding was a big part of every game for VCU.
VCU outrebounded Richmond 11-4 in the first quarter, scoring six points off of second-chance shots, according to Statbroadcast.
The Rams ended the first quarter making five out of the six shots they put up, according to Statbroadcast.
The score at the end of the first period was 19-7.
The second quarter scoring was Richmond heavy, with Spiders outscoring the Rams 14-8, according to Statbroadcast.
Richmond second-year guard Rachel Ullstrom started the scoring off for the Spiders making a driving layup at the nine-minute mark.
Richmond went on a 7-0 run, capped by a layup from fourth-year guard Grace Townsend.
The black and gold were given opportunities to score but went 0-8 from the field until fourth-year guard Sarah Te-Biasu broke the run, making a three-pointer with just under four minutes remaining in the half.
The second quarter was the only quarter in which the Spiders out-rebounded VCU, getting eight defensive and 2 offensive boards, according to Statbroadcast. VCU led the Spiders 27-21 going into halftime.
VCU inbounded the ball to start the third quarter and the Rams maintained the lead.
The spiders continued to stand their ground running a two-three zone defense against the home team Rams.
The black and gold had trouble getting inside shots for the majority of the third quarter. They opted for perimeter shots and averaged 34% from the field, according to Statbroadcast.
O’Boyle said the team’s cohesion offensively and defensively was phenomenal.
“They’re trying to help each other get to our best shot and get a stop,” O’Boyle said.
Fourth-year red-shirt forward Jennifer Ezeh managed to get a good look inside and got a layup for the Rams, which broke three minutes of no scoring for either team.
Late in the third quarter, VCU had trouble running effective plays and this caused three offensive turnovers due to things like bad passes, lost balls and shot clock violations, according to Statbroadcast.
The Rams closed out the third quarter with a driving lay-up off an opponent turnover bringing the score to 41-35 in favor of the black and gold.
Te-Biasu drained a three-pointer 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, bringing her to 20 points scored.
Te-Biasu has been a key contributor for the Rams this season averaging, 31 minutes per game as well as accumulating 395 points scored this season, according to VCU Athletics.
Te-Biasu has worked on her three-point shots this season, she said.
“My percentages have been going up and I’ve been working on it all summer and my mid-range,” Te-Biasu said.
Fourth-year guard Grace Townsend made both free throws at the eight-minute mark to bring the Spiders their first lead of the game, 45-44.
VCU and Richmond exchanged leads four times until Budnik made a three-pointer with four and a half minutes remaining to take the lead back for Richmond.
The Rams fought during the last few minutes on the clock by utilizing a full-court press and gained their last points off of free throws.
VCU worked hard to get good looks offensively, but more was needed to stop the Spiders from putting up points. The Spiders went 20 for 20 as a team from the foul line, according to Statbroadcast
Te-Biasu scored the last points of the game, hitting a three with 18 seconds remaining and the ending score was 65-58 in favor of the Spiders.
It just wasn’t enough to squash the Spiders this round.
VCU will be hosting the Saint Joseph’s University Hawks at Stuart C. Siegel Center on Wednesday Feb. 21.
