Nov. 19, 2004

Box Score

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Richmond scored the final six points of the game to break a 71-71 tie and Kevin Steenberge poured in a career-high 30 points as the Spiders spoiled Seton Hall's season opener with a 77-71 victory Friday night in men?s basketball action at Continental Airlines Arena.

After Pirate senior John Allen converted on a three-point play with 1:07 left, Richmond guard Daon Merritt hit one of two free throws in what turned out to be the decisive play. Allen missed a shot in the lane that would have put the Pirates ahead, and Steenberge was fouled on the rebound. He hit one of two free throws to make it 73-71, but he was fouled again on the rebound of his miss. He sunk the next two and the Spiders had a four-point cushion.

Richmond (1-0) played an efficient offensive game, shooting 52.0 percent from the field (26-of-50). The Pirates led 40-34 at halftime, but Steenberge scored 21 of his 30 in the second half to lead the Richmond comeback. The Pirates led by as many as seven points (47-40) in the second half, but the Spiders went on a 15-4 run to take a 55-51 lead with 9:30 left. Seton Hall tied it on two occasions but would never retake the lead.

Seton Hall (0-1) was paced by junior center Kelly Whitney?s 21 points. Whitney shot 8-of-13 from the floor but fouled out with 30 seconds left.

Three other Pirates scored in double figures. Allen had 13 points, J.R. Morris 12 and Andre Sweet scored 10 and had a team-high six rebounds. Sweet and Allen were a combined 4-of-17 from the field.

Steenberge his 11 of 13 shots en route to his career-high 30 points. Merritt added 19 points and seven assists and Jermaine Bucknor chipped in 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

The Pirates were outrebounded 34-29 and shot just 39.6 percent from the floor.

GAME NOTES
TEAM
• Richmond's fifth straight win in the season opener. • First time Richmond opened the season with a road win since Nov. 25, 1995. The Spiders won at Campbell, 69-62.
• Richmond's first win against a Big East team since March 16, 2000 - 79-56 over West Virginia in the NIT.
• It was the first-ever meeting of the two programs.
• The Spiders fell behind by as many as nine points in the first half and trailed by six (40-34) at halftime. The Spiders held Seton Hall to 31 points and 38.5 percent shooting in the second half.
• Jermaine Bucknor's three-pointer at 10:08 of the second half gave Richmond the lead (52-51) for the first time since it was 2-0. The Pirates never led again.
• The Spider host Elon at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26 in the home opener.

INDIVIDUAL
• Career highs for junior Kevin Steenberge (30) and sophomore Daon Merritt (19).
• Steenberge is first Spider to score 30 since Reggie Brown netted the same total against St. Bonaventure on March 7, 2001 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
• Merritt also dished a team-high seven assists. He was 5-of-9 from the floor and 9-of-12 from the charity stripe.
• Junior Jermaine Bucknor was one board shy of a double-double (12 points, 9 rebounds). He also had four assists.
• Sophomore Peter Thomas notched his first career bucket (a three-pointer) in his first career start. Thomas played a career-best 27 minutes.
• Sophomore Tim Mayes returned after missing the final 32 games of last season with a hip injury. Mayes played nine minutes.