2010 Richmond Spiders Basketball: Richmond vs Temple

In a year when the Pac-10 Conference might have just one NCAA Tournament bid, and the ACC is down, the Atlantic 10 Conference could bring a lot of Dance partners to college basketball's March Madness extravaganza.

Administrators and executives at A-10 headquarters are obviously mindful of the well-being of all their member schools, but in a larger context, it's hard to deny the notion that on some days, certain teams acquire more importance than others. A-10 employees certainly have to love what Temple has become under Coach Fran Dunphy, but on this particular Saturday, league honchos had to be delighted with what they saw from Coach Chris Mooney's Richmond roster.

Richmond - when playing in the Colonial Athletic Association - made a national splash when it stunned South Carolina in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. The Spiders made the Big Dance as an A-10 team in 2004, but failed to win in mid-March. It's been a while since Richmond basketball has made a substantial impression on the college basketball community, so it was clear that on this afternoon at the Robins Center in Richmond, Va., the Spiders had to weave a very special web against the leaders of the conference. In order to get back to the field of 65, Mooney's men needed to accompany a series of non-conference triumphs with an in-league conquest against Fran's folks from Philadelphia.

Now that the deed has been done, Richmond - a conqueror of Missouri, Florida, Old Dominion, and Mississippi State - owns a resume with a lot more heft. It's true that Richmond lost to William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth, and South Carolina, but UR's quality wins should definitely count for something. Today's win against the No. 17 Owls, though, sends a message to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee that a strong November and December have been backed up with a high-level January and a forceful start to February. This win gives the Spiders the leverage they need to make a strong case for a bid. Atlantic 10 fans - especially the ones wearing suits and ties at headquarters in Newport News, Va. - are happy with this 17-point popping of Temple because it greatly enhances the league's prospects for a three- or even four-bid NCAA haul in five weeks.

Now, exactly how did Richmond rise to the occasion in a game it had to have? The answer wasn't hard to discern: The Spiders shot the cover off the ball.

Richmond hit 8 of 11 3-pointers in the first half and nailed 17 of 22 field goal attempts (77 percent) to race to a 44-26 lead at the break. Richmond cooled off in the second half and finished with "only" a 58 percent clip from the field, but because the Spiders enjoyed a considerable cushion against the Owls, it didn't matter. UR led by at least nine points throughout the second half, and parried any and all thrusts made by Temple down the stretch.

Richmond presented Temple's shellshocked defense with one meal-ticket scorer, but the Spiders were successful on offense because two other players provided complementary production as well. Kevin Anderson threw down 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting for Richmond, but teammates David Gonzalvez and Ryan Butler combined for 25 additional points on 9-of-13 shooting. Many different athletes in home white jerseys were effective at the offensive end, and that's why Dunphy's defenders were undressed and undone on Saturday.

The Atlantic 10 has a chance to throw a large March Madness bash this season. Richmond just threw its party hat into the ring.

Atlantic 10 Conference Basketball Fans

Richmond vs Temple Basketball Recap