RICHMOND, VA - Araceli Gil converted two free throws with four tenths of a second remaining to lift the Richmond Spiders, 56-54, over the visiting #19 Temple Owls on Sunday afternoon at the Robins Center. Temple falls to 18-6, 9-3 in the A-10, while Richmond improves to 10-14 overall and 5-7 in A-10 play.
The Spiders led early, due to five straight unsuccessful trips down the court for the Owls. Temple's defensive game allowed them to keep it close and a Hairston jumper at 16:05 gave TU its first score. Khadija Bowens sank a trey just 30 seconds later to put Temple ahead, 5-3. Saona Chapman ended the Spiders' four minute scoring drought with a jumper that tied the game at five. The evenly matched teams took turns with the lead and then would tie it up three different times until the Owls were able to build a 19-9 advantage, thanks to a 10-0 Temple run. Amber Petillion finally broke the seven minute Richmond scoring drought with a lay-up at 5:10 but TU was able to hold on for a 23-15 lead at the break. Neither team shot particularly well in the first stanza, with the Owls making just 10-of-32 shots and the Spiders going 7-for-28 from the field.
Hairston began the half with a trey to make it, 26-15 at 19:40. The Spiders used a 4-0 run to cut the lead to seven (28-21) but Bowens sank a trey to make it a 10 point game (31-21) by the 16 minute mark. The Owls started to struggle on the offensive end and allowed the spiders to get within six 33-27 with just under 14 minutes to go. As the Spiders began to close in, Fatima Maddox put the Owls on her back and scored the next 11 of 16 points, making it 49-40 and with just under eight minutes to go. Mirna Mazic kept the Spiders in the game, however, converting eight of 12 free throws in a five minute span to make the score 52-46 with a just under five minutes to go. The Spiders used a 4-0 run to cut the Owl advantage to just two points (52-50) with three minutes to play. Dupree's lay-up at 2:54 gave TU a slight four point cushion but Sarah Williams sank a trey with 1:30 to go to make it a one point game (54-53). A Temple turnover proved costly, leaving the door open for the Spiders to take the lead. Chapman went to the line with 36 seconds remaining, giving UR a chance for a one point lead. She missed the first but made the second, tying the game at 54. Hairston's jumper hit the rim but didn't drop and the Spiders had one more chance for the win. Scrambles under the basket resulted in a foul call on Maddox with .4 seconds remaining. Gil went to the line and sank both free throws to give the Spiders the 56-54 edge. Temple tried one last play to avoid the loss but couldn't get a shot off on time.
Bowens and Hairston each scored 12 points to lead Temple. Dupree contributed 11, while shooting just 5-of-16 from the field. She also had four blocks. Maddox also scored 11, while dishing three assists.
Mazic led the Spider charge with 18 points and three blocks, while Petillion had 12 and Chapman scored 11, while dishing five assists.
Temple returns to home to face Saint Joseph's in the battle for the 2005-06 Big Five crown on Friday, February 17 at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the Atlantic 10 Television Network and can be viewed locally on CN8.
