Still Dancing: Spiders spin web to San Antonio to face Kansas

SAN ANTONIO — Richmond coach Chris Mooney doesn't have to go far back into the annals to show that the University of Richmond can beat the University of Kansas. In fact, he only has to go back seven years.

On Jan. 22, 2004, then-Richmond coach Jerry Wainwright brought the Spiders into Phog Allen Field House in Lawrence, Kan., to upset the No. 10-ranked Jayhawks when Tony Dobbins hit a game-winning jumper with one second left to end the Jayhawks' 52-game home winning streak against unranked teams.

Although Richmond has changed its coach and all the players are different, Mooney has shown his players film from that game before their meeting Friday in San Antonio, Texas, with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight.

"We thought it would be important for them to see that this can happen," Mooney said. "This is college basketball, we all know what happens over the course of a season and especially March. And I just wanted them to have a familiar feeling of beating Kansas."

If the Spiders are able to upset the No. 1 seed in the Southwest Region -- and the No. 2-ranked team in the nation with a 34-2 record -- they will advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. Only once before, in 1988, have the Spiders even made it to the Sweet 16.

But getting past Kansas will be no easy task for Richmond. Kansas boasts the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff, who combine to average 31 points per game from two forward positions. Richmond has had to go through a pair of big men in Vanderbilt's Festus Ezeli and Morehead State's Kenneth Faried to get to this point, but the Morris twins present a different set of problems.

"You can't let great players like them get going early or it could be a rough night," Richmond senior forward Justin Harper said. "They have the ability to stretch the floor with their jump shot but we can't let them get anything easy first."

Reserve forward Darrius Garrett will be counted on to help slow down the Morris twins. The past five games, Garrett blocked 12 shots and helped shut down Ezeli.

The Jayhawks are a balanced team behind the Morris twins. Six other key players average at least five points per game as the Jayhawks are the fifth-highest scoring team in the nation. They are also first in shooting percentage and second in assists.

The Jayhawks' transition offense looks to push the ball whenever possible as everybody, including Marcus (6-foot-9) and Markieff (6-foot-10), can run the floor.

Richmond was able to slow down Vanderbilt's transition offense during its first round upset at Pepsi Center in Denver. Although Vanderbilt and Kansas play a similar style, Mooney said that the recent preparation would help a little in the team's preparation.

"It gives us a talking point," Mooney said. "Like, 'Hey, against Vanderbilt, this is what we emphasized, this is what we are going to have to do against Kansas.'"

Richmond is the lowest seed left in this tournament as a No. 12. In the Southwest bracket, there is also a 10 and 11 seed left, including Virginia Commonwealth University. Much of the national media this week has focused on the city of Richmond with its two teams left.

If Richmond is able to beat Kansas and VCU gets past No. 10 Florida State University, the schools will meet to compete for a spot in the Final Four. But the Richmond players are focused on trying to get past Kansas.

"There was some time to enjoy it a little bit but that was a couple days ago," senior Dan Geriot said. "Now it's back to all business. I think Sunday and Monday we talked more about being in the Sweet 16 and now it's all about Kansas."

Richmond does have a history of pulling major upsets in the NCAA tournament. It was the first team to defeat a No. 2-seed as a 15 as it defeated Syracuse University in 1991. It is also the only school to have beaten seeds two through five in the tournament.

Mooney has said throughout the tournament that he preferred his team not be labeled as a 'Giant Killer,' its nickname from the late 1980s and early 1990s, and instead get respected for being a good team. That sentiment extends to playing Kansas, despite its high ranking.

"I don't feel as much like an underdog as Kansas probably feels favored to win," Mooney said. "I understand that Kansas has been in this position before and to some extent, is expected to win not only this game but all Sweet 16 games."

One player on the 2004 Richmond team that won at Phog Allen is on Mooney's staff. Director of basketball operations, Pete Thomas, was a freshman on that team but did not play in that game. Although Thomas did not factor into that game, his team's performance that day still resonates with this year's players.

"It shows that Richmond won at Kansas and we know how hard it is to win on the road," Geriot said. "Beating Kansas on the road is pretty sweet. Beating Kansas in the Sweet 16 would be pretty special as well."

Contact staff writer Andrew Prezioso at andrew.prezioso@richmond.edu