Men's basketball to close season against Xavier

University of Richmond students and the Richmond community have recently been criticized for not attending home basketball games, but a win against nationally ranked Xavier University on March 7 might sway students to put their work aside during spring break and support the team during the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament in Atlantic City, N.J., on March 11.

Of the 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 conference, the top 12 teams advance to the tournament in Atlantic City -- a neutral site. The tournament is both physically and mentally draining, sophomore Kevin Smith said.

"The team that can prepare the best mentally for the physical challenge of the tournament will win," he said.

The team's success during its last few conference games will impact its ranking going into the tournament, Smith said.

"We need to hit the boards and stay on the offense as much as we can," he said. Winning its last conference game against Xavier would not only boost the Spiders' confidence going into the tournament but would also determine whom they would play in the first round.

Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said the team had always been challenged by Xavier. The Spiders have lost to Xavier, currently ranked 19th in the nation, since 2004 when they beat the Musketeers 53-44 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Musketeers lead the A-10 in three major statistical categories this season: scoring margin (+10.3 ppg.), rebounding margin (sixth in the nation at +8.2 rpg.) and three-point field goal percentage (ninth in the nation at .400).

"Xavier is not going to be an easy game," Smith said. "Xavier is going to try and come out on top. They think they can beat us, but we are not going to let them down our throats."

Although the Xavier team is talented, junior guard David Gonzalvez said the team was not as good this year as it had been in the past.

"They can be beaten," he said.

The Spiders, he said, had come close to winning some tough games this season even when they were away from home, such as the University of Massachusetts and St. Joseph's University.

"We think we can beat anyone," Smith said.

Mooney said he would rely on nine Spiders in the A-10 tournament -- senior Jarhon Giddings; juniors Gonzalvez, Ryan Butler and Kevin Hovde; sophomores Smith, Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper; and freshmen Josh Duinker and Francis-Cedric Martel.

Anderson will be crucial to the Spiders' success, having been named A-10 player of the week on Feb. 22 after averaging 23.5 points during three straight Spider victories. Anderson also scored the game-winning basket with eight seconds remaining during the team's 64-62 road win the University of North Carolina-Charlotte on Tuesday.

However, success comes as a team, and although Mooney admitted that rebounding had been a weakness for the team this season, it has improved as the season has progressed.

Although the Spiders have not won an A-10 tournament game since 2005, Gonzalvez said they were re-energized and ready for this year's A-10 tournament. The team will work to improve on last year's conference tournament performance, which ended with a first round loss to St. Joseph's University.

"We have some talented players who are motivated to play against the best," Mooney said.

Contact reporter Dani Pycroft at dani.pycroft@richmond.edu