Spiders secure a 23-point win over Rhode Island

The University of Richmond women’s basketball team secured a hard-fought victory against the University of Rhode Island in a game on Feb. 2.

This game, which honored the Play4Kay Break Cancer Awareness initiative, had special significance for Head Coach Aaron Roussell, whose family had personally been impacted by the disease. 

Roussell, who lost his mother-in-law to breast cancer 12 years ago, emphasized the significance of this event. 

“I’m thankful for our administration and our team for recognizing that and making today special,” he said. 

Attracting a crowd of 2,496, fans showed support for the team and the cause. 

Despite Richmond’s strong performance, the win did not come easily. Richmond’s top scorer for the night, junior forward Maggie Doogan, played a crucial role in pacing the team, finishing with double digits for the 21st consecutive game. Doogan credited the team’s preparation for their ability to handle Rhode Island’s physicality.

“As a team, we kind of knew what kind of team Rhode Island was,” Doogan said. “They’re big, they’re very physical. They like to get a lot of stuff in the paint, so we really took that into account when preparing for the game.”

Richmond’s offense was on full display, with the team achieving an impressive 57% shooting efficiency from the field. The Spiders jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, with Doogan scoring a crucial three-pointer midway through the second quarter to extend Richmond’s lead to double digits. The Rams fought back, with the second quarter finishing on a 6-point difference, with Richmond in the lead. Graduate student guard Faith Alston secured the team’s lead with a 3-pointer in the last second before halftime. 

Roussell reflected during the post-game conference on the impact of this tough opponent. 

“You get to halftime, and there was nothing we were doing particularly poorly. Nothing we were doing awesome. The statistics said: You should be happy, Coach. Really, it was a three point game until Faith hits the three. You come out of the play, and all of the sudden you look at it, it’s a 6-0 swing in about 15 seconds.” 

Roussell acknowledged Rhode Island’s tough defensive play and the challenge of maintaining control throughout the game. “It wasn’t our cleanest performance,” Roussell said. “I think a lot of that had to do with Rhode Island. Defended us very well. It was a physical game, and we never really were able to get separation.”

The second half saw a back-and-forth battle, with Richmond navigating two key players' injuries during the game, Alston and senior guard Katie Hill. Roussell assured that both injured players would be fine and expressed pride in how the team continued to move the ball and maintain composure, despite Rhode Island’s physicality. 

Beyond the action on the court, this Play4Kay game acted as a moment to spotlight breast cancer awareness. Established by NC State Head Coach Kay Yow, Play4Kay is an initiative uniting sports teams across the country towards honoring all cancer warriors.

In addition to their victory, Richmond currently holds the title of being the most effective shooting team in the country, boasting a 60.1% effective field goal percentage. This remarkable statistic proves consistent with Sunday’s win and their strategic execution on the court.

Looking ahead, Richmond will face La Salle University in an upcoming game in Philadelphia, Pa. on Feb. 5. Doogan highlighted the importance of preparing against this tough opponent.

 “La Salle is a tough one, especially playing in Philly,” she said. “We have to watch film and really hone in on what they like to do and how to take advantage of mismatches.”

Coach Roussell and his staff will be making adjustments as they prepare for La Salle’s strategic and defensive play. “They’re a team that changes up defenses and they have a very creative coaching staff, so you kind of have to be ready for everything,” Roussell said. 

With a solid win over Rhode Island and sights set on La Salle, the Spiders continue to build momentum pushing deeper into conference play. 

Contact sports writer Farah Šertović at farah.sertovic@richmond.edu