Richmond’s Jewel: Unveiling the Heart of Academia

AMHERST, Mass. – With all three Massachusetts players on the Spider roster contributing points during the match, the University of Richmond women’s basketball team clinched an 82-52 victory against the Minutewomen on Sunday afternoon in Amherst. This triumph marked the Spiders’ first win in Amherst since January 31, 2018, enhancing their record to 11-5 for the season and 2-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, inflicting Massachusetts (7-7, 2-1 A-10) its first conference defeat.

Richmond Starters

Sweeney, Hill, Ullstrom, Doogan, Budnik

How it Unfolded

Richmond commenced the match with two consecutive three-pointers before Massachusetts managed to score its initial points off a layup 3:47 into the contest. Following the layup, the Spiders launched a 7-0 run with contributions from Ally Sweeney, Addie Budnik, and Maggie Doogan, establishing a 13-2 lead. The Minutewomen could only muster six points for the remainder of the quarter as Richmond expanded its lead to 21 points, 29-8, highlighted by Rachel Ullstrom scoring 11 points. Richmond concluded the first quarter with an impressive shooting performance of 11-13 from the field and nearly perfect at 7-8 from beyond the arc. The Spiders also recorded seven consecutive three-pointers before missing their lone attempt from deep in the quarter after just over seven minutes of play.

The shooting effectiveness of the Spiders diminished during the second quarter, yet they still outperformed UMass 15-7. Alyssa Jimenez initiated the second 10 minutes with a layup, igniting a 7-0 run and pushing Richmond’s lead to 36-8. After three quick points from the opposition, Ullstrom reinstated the Spiders’ scoring with a three-pointer to increase the lead to 28, 39-11. Following another layup from UMass, she netted another three-pointer to maintain the momentum. Doogan and Katie Hill wrapped up the quarter with a three-pointer and a layup, while UMass could only add four points, leaving Richmond ahead, 44-15, at halftime.

UMass narrowed the deficit to 44-18 with a three-pointer to kick off the third quarter, but Hill immediately countered with a three-pointer of her own. Doogan then added a layup, and Budnik continued the scoring streak with a three for a 52-18 advantage. After a brief 4-0 run by the Minutewomen, Sweeney scored on a jumper to extend the lead to 55-22. The teams traded baskets before Faith Alston hit a three-pointer, and Budnik sank a layup, bringing the Richmond lead to 62-29 heading into the final quarter.

UMass began the last quarter with a jumper, but Doogan swiftly answered with an easy layup. Following another mid-range shot from the opponent, Doogan and Ullstrom combined for three points to extend the lead to 67-33. The Minutewomen responded with a three-pointer and a layup, narrowing the score to 67-38 with 6:18 remaining. Faith Alston and Doogan contributed five points as UMass managed a few shots to keep the deficit at 30, 72-42. After a few more exchanges, Steph Ouderkirk drained back-to-back three-pointers, giving the Spiders a commanding 35-point lead, while local hero Payton Richard concluded Richmond’s scoring with a layup. UMass netted two additional baskets as time ran out, but Richmond claimed the conference victory, 82-52.

Game Highlights

• Richmond achieved its first victory in Amherst since a 51-39 win on January 31, 2018, and has a record of 2-3 in the last five matchups.
• Maggie Doogan and Rachel Ullstrom led the squad with 16 points apiece. Ullstrom concluded the match with four rebounds and a steal, while Doogan secured a team-high six rebounds and two steals.
• Budnik matched her career-high with seven assists to guide the team, while Doogan contributed six.
• Katie Hill topped the team with three steals.
• As a collective, the Spiders shot 32 of 59 (54.2%) from the field, 17 of 33 (51.5%) from three-point range, and registered 33 rebounds, 25 assists, eight steals, and one block by Budnik, who ranks third for career blocks among all active NCAA DI players with 308. The team also earned 31 points off 16 UMass turnovers, with the bench adding 25 points.
• Payton Richard (Bolton, Mass., 2 pts), Sam Dewey (Melrose, Mass., 2 pts), and Rachel Ullstrom (Auburn, Mass.) all scored in their native state.
• Aaron Roussell achieved his 49th Atlantic 10 victory.
• Doogan reached double digits for the 14th consecutive game.

From Head Coach Aaron Roussell

Next Up

The Spiders return to the Robins Center on Wednesday, facing George Mason at 6 p.m. before playing Davidson on January 12 at 3 p.m. on the road.