The Spiders have been getting plenty of pub on ESPN. A Kevin Smith dunk at the Spiders' version of midnight madness was the Top Play of the Day on Nov. 5 and Justin Harper's block of Jonny Flynn was the No. 8 Play on Friday.
Quick Hitters
The Spiders have led by at least six points in 30 of the last 35 games dating back to the end of the 2006-07 season...Richmond has been in no worse than a one-possession game at the half in 27 of the last 35 games...sophomore Kevin Anderson has scored in double-figures in his last 11 games...the Spiders blocked eight shots against Randolph-Macon, the most blocks for a Richmond team since swatting 10 shots in the win over No. 10 ranked Kansas on Jan. 22, 2004...Richmond has 12 blocks through two games...Richmond's 30 field goals against Randolph-Macon were the most for the Spiders since making 30 in a win over Longwood on Jan. 2, 2006...the Spiders were 12-4 last season when they shot less than 20 three-pointers...Richmond's 78-74 loss to Massachusetts on March 1, 2008 was the first time since joining the Atlantic 10 in the 2001-02 season that Richmond had scored 70 or more points against a conference team and lost. That stretch spanned 120 games against A-10 teams, including conference tournament games...junior Dan Geriot, who is missing this season due to a knee injury, was just the third Spider sophomore to reach 750 career points, he has 776 points.
Stealing The Show
Last season the Spiders had 257 steals, which was just five short of the school record, led by Kevin Anderson's 55 steals which ranked 10th on the all-time single-season list. Richmond was second in the Atlantic 10 in steals and 45th in the nation in steals at 8.3 per contest. The Spiders had double-digits steals in 10 games last season, at least seven steals in all but five games and at least five steals in all but one game. Richmond had three players in the top-15 in the conference in steals. Freshman Kevin Anderson was third in the A-10 at 1.77, sophomore Ryan Butler (1.43) was 10th and sophomore David Gonzalvez was 14th (1.37).
Spiders' Web Reaching NBA
While the Spiders do not have a former player on any NBA rosters, three Richmond former standouts are working the sidelines in the NBA. Kevin Eastman is an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, earning a ring with the 2008 World Champions. Standout guard Ken Atkinson, a member of the 1988 Sweet 16 team, is in his first year as an assistant coach for Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks. Former guard Curtis Blair, who scored 18 points in the 1991 NCAA Tournament win over Syracuse, is in his first year as a referee in the NBA.
Causing Turnover
Last season, the Spiders were third in the A-10 in turnovers forced, causing 16.6 turnovers per game. Richmond forced the opposition into 20 or more turnovers seven times. The Spiders are forcing 16.5 turnovers per game through two games.
Spiders Pile Up A-10 Honors
Richmond freshman Kevin Anderson was named the 2007-08 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the conference's All-Rookie Team, while sophomore Dan Geriot was named Third-Team All-Atlantic 10. Geriot became just the second sophomore to earn Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors this season on March 2. Anderson was named A-10 Rookie of the Week six of the last eight weeks of the 2007-08 season. Only four players in Atlantic 10 history have earned conference Rookie of the Week honors more than Anderson's six awards. Anderson became the first conference Rookie of the Year for the Spiders since Charles Stephens won the CAA Rookie of the Year in 1999. Anderson gives the Spiders All-Rookie selections in each of the past two seasons, joining 2007 All-Rookie selection Geriot.
Las Aranas In Espana
The Spiders, or Las Aranas, as they are known in Spanish, had a very productive trip to Spain in August. Sporting specially-made European-style uniforms that said Las Aranas on the front, Richmond finished the trip 2-2, including a 95-94 overtime loss in which the Spiders overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to force OT. Richmond showed that it can score points, even without center Dan Geriot, as the Spiders averaged 91.3 points per game in the four contests. Eight of the 11 players in uniform on the trip scored in double-figures at least once. Sophomore Kevin Anderson, the 2008 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, averaged 23.7 points per game on the trip with a pair of 30-point games. Anderson scored 35 points in the overtime loss to Caja Rioja and had 30 points in the 91-77 win over Illescas Toledo. Junior Justin Harper averaged 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over the first two games before rolling his ankle in the opening minutes of the trip's third game. Redshirt freshman Conor Smith showed his long-range shooting ability making 15 three-pointers over the first three games of the trip and averaging 11.8 points per game. Conor Smith had a 21-point effort on seven three-pointers and an 18-point night on six treys. Redshirt freshman Josh Duinker, an Australian who joined the team in January, averaged 11.0 points and 6.0 boards per game, narrowly missing a double-double in the second game with 11-points and nine rebounds. Duinker showed that he can score inside and outside, making a pair of three-pointers in the win over Illescas Toledo to close the trip. Sophomore Kevin Smith averaged 10.0 points per game and 6.3 rebounds, while senior David Gonzalvez came off an injury prior to the trip to average 9.5 points, including 19 points in the trip finale. Not only was the trip beneficial to the Spiders on the court, but off the court it served as 12 days of bonding for the players and coaches. "This trip was terrific, not just because of how well our guys played, but because of what they got to experience," Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said. Said Anderson, "I think we've been bonding great this year, as we bond off the court, we bond on the court."
Gunning Down The Running
The Spiders have made a habit of preventing teams from pushing the tempo during Chris Mooney's tenure. In 2006-07, Richmond allowed the opposition to score more than 10 fast break points in just three of 30 games. The Spiders allowed 5.4 fast break points per game in 2006-07 and cut that down to 4.6 fast break points per game last winter. Richmond held the opposition to eight or less fast break points in 26 of 31 games in 2007-08. In two game's this season, including a match-up with the up-tempo Syracuse Orange, Richmond has allowed just 13 fast break points for a 6.5 per game average. The Spiders had 16 fast break points to Syracuse's eight on Tuesday in the Carrier Dome. "Controlling the transition game is key," head coach Chris Mooney says. "If you can stop a team from getting transition baskets you have a chance to guard them throughout the night."
Cutting Down Threes
Through the first nine games of the 2007-08 season the Spiders were letting three-pointers fly at a clip of 20.5 per game, making an average of 6.8 per game and shooting just 33.5 percent. In the last 21 games of 2007-08, Richmond averaged 18.7 three-pointers and made 6.7 per game. Richmond shot 20 or more three-pointers in seven of the first nine games, but took 20 or more threes just eight times in the last 21 games. The Spiders were 12-4 when they shot under 20 three-pointers, 4-11 when the shot 20 or more.
A-10 Gets 8 In Postseason
The Atlantic 10, which has had at least four teams in the NCAA Tournament on five occasions since 1996, put eight of its teams in postseason play last season, including the Spiders. Three teams made the NCAA Tournament, four teams made the NIT and Richmond played in the CBI. That was the most postseason teams for the A-10 since 2004, when Richmond was one of four A-10 teams in the Big Dance and No. 1 ranked Saint Joseph's and Xavier advanced to the Elite 8. Last season Xavier gave the A-10 its 11th Elite 8 appearance and the conference had as many as three teams ranked in the same week. The non-conference winning percentage of .649 (122-66) was the fourth-highest winning percentage since the formation of the league in 1976-77 and was the highest since the 1993-94 campaign (.663).
Rising Stock
The Spiders are beginning to catch the eye of media across the country. ESPN's Andy Katz had Richmond first on his list for "Job Well Done" for the 2007-08 season. Katz had the Spiders heading a list that also included Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami (Fla.), Cincinnati, Pitt, Kentucky, Davidson, Cornell and Memphis. After its win over Charlotte on Feb. 2, Richmond was tabbed the Rising Stock team of the week by the Dallas Morning News in its Sunday College Basketball section. Richmond was called the Cinderella team of the Atlantic 10 by USAToday.com and the Providence Journal picked Chris Mooney as its choice for A-10 Coach of the Year.
Youth Movement
Last season Richmond had just three scholarship players in their junior and senior seasons and the Spiders received 80.3 percent of their scoring from freshmen and sophomores. Richmond's top four scorers were freshmen or sophomores. Sophomore Dan Geriot (14.3) led the team in scoring, followed by sophomore David Gonzalvez (11.7), freshman Kevin Anderson (10.7) and sophomore Ryan Butler (5.5). Freshman Kevin Smith was sixth on the team in scoring (4.6 ppg). While the Spiders are not as young this season, there is still just one senior on scholarship and freshmen will be relied upon heavily in the front court with the absence of the injured Dan Geriot.
Tenacious D
In Chris Mooney's first season at Richmond in 2005-06, the Spiders led the nation in fewest points allowed for most of the season, not allowing 60 points or more for the first 10 games of the year. The Spiders finished the year allowing 57.8 points per game, which ranked seventh in the country. In 2006-07, with five freshmen seeing the bulk of the minutes, the Spiders did not have as much success defensively, giving up over 60 points in 27 of 30 games. Last season, the more mature Spiders were fourth in the A-10 in fewest points allowed at 66.0 per game. Richmond held 16 teams to 65 points or less and did not allow over 66 points in regulation in nine of the last 12 games. The Spiders have held opponents to 50 points or less 15 times in 91 games and have held teams to 60 points or less 28 times under Mooney. Richmond has allowed over 70 points just 21 times in Mooney's three seasons and has allowed 80 or more points only seven times.
Spiders Sign Two
Richmond men's basketball head coach Chris Mooney announced the signing of Greg Robbins (Wynnewood, Pa.) and Darien Brothers (Richmond, Va.) to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, the first day of the fall signing period. Robbins is a 6-foot-4 All-State guard at Lower Merion High School, who is rated as the No. 88 player in the class of 2009 by The Basketball Times and The Hoop Scoop. Brothers is a 6-foot-3 all-conference guard for Richmond's Benedictine High School, who helped the Cadets to a 28-7 record and state championship. "We are very excited about our recruiting class this year," Chris Mooney said. "The two student-athletes are outstanding players and great kids. We look forward to welcoming them to the Richmond family."
Like Father, Like Son
Richmond sophomore Ryan Butler and his father Jeff Butler are the second father-son duo to play for the Spiders, joining Pat DiServio (1981-83) and Tony DiServio (1945-47). Jeff Butler was a star for the Spiders from 1975-77, leading the team in scoring both seasons. He averaged 14.3 points per game in 1975-76 and 16.3 points per game in 1976-77. Jeff Butler was later an assistant coach for the Spiders under Hall of Fame coach Dick Tarrant, who regularly attends games in the Robins Center. Ryan Butler grew up in the shadow of campus and starred at Douglas Freeman High three miles from campus.
The Young And The Restless
Richmond coach Chris Mooney got his first Division I head coaching job at the age of 32, which made him the fourth-youngest coach in the nation three years ago. Even with his youth, don't look for any grizzled veterans on the 36-year-old Mooney's staff. Associate head coach Kevin McGeehan is 35, assistant coach Jamal Brunt is 28 and assistant coach Rob Jones is 30. Directors of basketball operations Marcus Jenkins and Peter Thomas are 26 and 24, respectively.
A Behind-The-Scenes Look
RichmondSpiders.com has been giving a behind-the-scenes look at the men's basketball team during preseason practice. The five-part series called WEBisode will follow the Spiders through their first road trip to Syracuse.
