Richmond Spiders Shine Against Fordham
Will Johnston had an impressive game, scoring 20 points in the second half. The Richmond Spiders defeated the Fordham Rams 83-75 at Rose Hill Gym, marking their best three-point shooting performance in 16 years. With this win, Richmond improved to 11-4, surpassing last year’s total, and is now 1-1 in the Atlantic 10.
Richmond has dominated Fordham recently, winning eight straight games against them. Since 2008, they have a remarkable record of 22-1 against the Rams.
The Spiders shot 68% from beyond the arc, hitting 13 out of 19 attempts. This is their best three-point performance since February 2010. Johnston scored all his points in the second half, going 6 for 7 from the field and 2 for 2 from three-point range. He also had a solid contribution with six rebounds and six assists. This puts him in the spotlight as the first Spider to achieve at least 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists in a game since Jacob Gilyard did it in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Chris Mooney praised Johnston’s stellar play, calling it “flawless.” Johnston noted that playing in a historic gym like Rose Hill added to the experience, stating, “You only get so many opportunities in life to play in a beautiful gym like this.”
Fordham’s defense had been solid this season, allowing only 61.4 points per game, one of the best rates in Division I. However, Richmond effectively pushed the pace, scoring quickly and disrupting Fordham’s strategy.
This victory was also a milestone for Mooney. He earned his 181st Atlantic 10 win, surpassing Gale Catlett for the third most in conference history. His success against Fordham has been particularly noteworthy, with 22 wins against them.
In addition to Johnston’s performance, four other players scored in double figures. AJ Lopez added 16 points and three steals, while Mike Walz was perfect from the three-point line, finishing with 14 points. Jaden Daughtry and Aiden Argabright each contributed 10 points.
Richmond held a narrow lead of 33-28 at halftime. After a slow start to the second half, a quick burst from Johnston tipped the game back in their favor. Johnston emphasized the importance of every win, especially on the road: “You can’t take for granted winning any conference game.”
Next up for the Spiders is a game against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday at 7 PM.
For more insights into Richmond’s basketball journey and player performances, check out the NCAA statistics.
