NEW AND IMPROVED? The University of Richmond team that will meet Saint Joseph's today at noon in the Atlantic 10 Conference quarterfinals is significantly different than the one that was humbled by the Hawks 49-36 Feb. 16 in Philadelphia.
That night, UR was without guard Daon Merritt (knee sprain), and forward Jermaine Bucknor played on a tender ankle that had kept him out of Richmond's previous game. He missed all seven of his shots vs. the Hawks. Merritt averages 11.3 points. Bucknor checks in at 10.7. The Spiders shot a season-low 26.5 percent on Hawk Hill.
"I thought we did a pretty solid job defensively [at St. Joe's]," UR center Kevin Steenberge said. "Offensively, we couldn't get it going. We've got to kind of get that mental funk that we had at St. Joe's away and play the game like we can play it."
In the estimation of Richmond coach Jerry Wainwright, simply having another ball-handler available (Merritt) should help.
"They were really able to pressure us, which negated our size," Wainwright said of the Hawks.
ENERGY CHECK: The Spiders were required to put forth maximum effort in the second half of yesterday's 68-60 first-round win over Rhode Island, which led by nine at halftime. Meanwhile, Saint Joseph's didn't play. The Hawks, which finished first in the A-10 East, had a first-round bye.
"I'm not even going to mention that to our guys," Wainwright said. "In all honesty, we played a 20-minute game [vs. Rhode Island]. The first [half] was like the first time I taught dance in high school and everybody was afraid to move their feet. So we should be well-rested after playing only 20 minutes."
Only three Spiders -- Steenberge, guard Andres Sandoval and Bucknor --played more than 22 minutes vs. Rhode Island.
HALFTIME SHIFT: Richmond's comeback win yesterday was all about applying pressure defense, solving the Rams' zone, and attitude adjustment. The last item may have been the most important.
At intermission, said Wainwright, "The thing I was convinced of was that Jamaal Scott, Peter Thomas and Gaston Moliva would play hard. Everything else, I wasn't real sure of."
UR continues to search for consistent backcourt guidance. "There's not a guard yet capable of leading our basketball team," Wainwright said.
FREE THROWS: By making 18 of 25 attempts from the line in the second half yesterday, UR may have shaken a very damaging habit. The Spiders are a 63.8-percent-shooting team in 28 games.
"It's all psychological," Thomas said. "When you start missing them, you start thinking about the Xavier game."
Against the Musketeers at the Robins Center last week, UR went 9 of 21 from the line.
"You're not going to have a lot of [field-goal] opportunities against [St. Joe's], especially with [shot-blocking] Dwayne Jones in the middle," Wainwright said. "We're going to have to have one of those 80-plus [percent] free-throw days."
ALSO: UR is 10-0 this season when leading with five minutes left . . . The Spiders were credited with 18 assists on 20 field goals yesterday . . . Richmond forward Patrick O'Malley missed all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half vs. Rhode Island and didn't play in the second half . . . Thomas scored only 4 points yesterday, but took two charges that helped swing second-half momentum.
That night, UR was without guard Daon Merritt (knee sprain), and forward Jermaine Bucknor played on a tender ankle that had kept him out of Richmond's previous game. He missed all seven of his shots vs. the Hawks. Merritt averages 11.3 points. Bucknor checks in at 10.7. The Spiders shot a season-low 26.5 percent on Hawk Hill.
"I thought we did a pretty solid job defensively [at St. Joe's]," UR center Kevin Steenberge said. "Offensively, we couldn't get it going. We've got to kind of get that mental funk that we had at St. Joe's away and play the game like we can play it."
In the estimation of Richmond coach Jerry Wainwright, simply having another ball-handler available (Merritt) should help.
"They were really able to pressure us, which negated our size," Wainwright said of the Hawks.
ENERGY CHECK: The Spiders were required to put forth maximum effort in the second half of yesterday's 68-60 first-round win over Rhode Island, which led by nine at halftime. Meanwhile, Saint Joseph's didn't play. The Hawks, which finished first in the A-10 East, had a first-round bye.
"I'm not even going to mention that to our guys," Wainwright said. "In all honesty, we played a 20-minute game [vs. Rhode Island]. The first [half] was like the first time I taught dance in high school and everybody was afraid to move their feet. So we should be well-rested after playing only 20 minutes."
Only three Spiders -- Steenberge, guard Andres Sandoval and Bucknor --played more than 22 minutes vs. Rhode Island.
HALFTIME SHIFT: Richmond's comeback win yesterday was all about applying pressure defense, solving the Rams' zone, and attitude adjustment. The last item may have been the most important.
At intermission, said Wainwright, "The thing I was convinced of was that Jamaal Scott, Peter Thomas and Gaston Moliva would play hard. Everything else, I wasn't real sure of."
UR continues to search for consistent backcourt guidance. "There's not a guard yet capable of leading our basketball team," Wainwright said.
FREE THROWS: By making 18 of 25 attempts from the line in the second half yesterday, UR may have shaken a very damaging habit. The Spiders are a 63.8-percent-shooting team in 28 games.
"It's all psychological," Thomas said. "When you start missing them, you start thinking about the Xavier game."
Against the Musketeers at the Robins Center last week, UR went 9 of 21 from the line.
"You're not going to have a lot of [field-goal] opportunities against [St. Joe's], especially with [shot-blocking] Dwayne Jones in the middle," Wainwright said. "We're going to have to have one of those 80-plus [percent] free-throw days."
ALSO: UR is 10-0 this season when leading with five minutes left . . . The Spiders were credited with 18 assists on 20 field goals yesterday . . . Richmond forward Patrick O'Malley missed all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half vs. Rhode Island and didn't play in the second half . . . Thomas scored only 4 points yesterday, but took two charges that helped swing second-half momentum.
