2020-21 SCHEDULE RICHMOND SPIDERS (14-8) vs NOVEMBER Nov. 25 Detroit Mercy* .........................CANCELED MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (16-14) Nov. 27 Morehead State* .......................W, 82-64 • This is Richmond’s 10th appearance in the NIT and third under Chris Mooney, who led the Spiders to the Nov. 29 at #10 Kentucky* (ESPN) ...............W, 76-64 quarterfinals in 2015 and 2017. This is Richmond’s fourth appearance in the NIT quarterfinals. The Spiders are DECEMBER seeking their first appearance in the NIT semifinals. Dec. 2 at Charleston (FloHoops) ............CANCELED • Richmond is 2-0 vs SEC teams this season, with wins at #10 Kentucky and Vanderbilt. During his 16 seasons at Richmond, Mooney is 7-5 vs SEC teams, including a 63-62 win over Mississippi State at the 2009 South Padre Dec. 5 FURMAN (NBCSW) .................. CANCELED Island Invitational, the last meeting between the Spiders and the Bulldogs. Dec. 7 WOFFORD (NBCSW) ................. W, 77-72 • Richmond is both the last Atlantic 10 team and the last team from the state of Virginia still competing this Dec. 9 NORTHERN IOWA (NBCSW) ...... W, 78-68 season. There are 14 D-I teams in Virginia and 14 teams in the Atlantic 10. Dec. 13 at #11 West Virginia (ESPN) ............L, 87-71 • Among Richmond’s non-conference wins was a 75-73 win over Loyola Chicago in Indianapolis on December Dec. 16 at Vanderbilt (SEC Network) .............W, 78-67 18. In that game, UR led by 15 at half (37-22), Loyola’s biggest halftime deficit this season. Dec. 18 vs Loyola Chicago (NBCSW) ...........W, 75-73 • This is Richmond’s eighth postseason appearance under Chris Mooney, who has now led UR to three NITs, Dec. 22 HOFSTRA (NBCSW) .....................L, 76-71 two NCAA Tournaments, and three CBIs. That does not include the 2019-20 season, when the 24-7 Spiders were Dec. 30 at Davidson (CBSSN) .....................W, 80-74 likely headed to the NCAA Tournament. JANUARY • In the first round against Toledo, Richmond was without its two leading scorers: Blake Francis, who averages Jan. 2 ST. BONAVENTURE (CBSSN) ........L, 69-66 16.1 points per game (hip/back), and Grant Golden, who averages 12.7 points per game (finger). In their place, a pair of Spiders made their first career starts: freshman Isaiah Wilson and junior Matt Grace. Jan. 6 RHODE ISLAND (CBSSN) .......... W, 80-73 Jan. 9 at George Mason (CBSSN) .............W, 77-57 • Jacob Gilyard, who leads D-I with 3.55 steals per game, is a finalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player Jan. 20 at St. Bonaventure (CBSSN) ......POSTPONED of the Year Award and the Lefty Driesell Award, given to the top defender in D-I. Gilyard’s 354 career steals are the fifth-most in Division I history. Jan. 23 LA SALLE (NBCSN) ......................L, 84-78 Jan. 26 at Saint Joseph’s (ESPN+) .............W, 79-56 • Three Spiders were selected to the Atlantic 10’s All-Conference teams earlier this month, tied with league-champion St. Bonaventure for the most selections of any school. Jacob Gilyard and Blake Francis were Jan. 29 #22 SAINT LOUIS (ESPN2) .....POSTPONED Second-Team selections and Grant Golden was named Third-Team All-Conference. FEBRUARY • A fourth Spider, Tyler Burton, was also honored by the A-10. He won the Chris Daniels Award, given to the Feb. 2 GEORGE MASON (NBCSW+) ...POSTPONED A-10’s Most Improved Player. Burton averages 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season, up from 4.6 Feb. 5 at Dayton (ESPN2) ....................POSTPONED points and 3.9 rebounds in 2019-20. Burton is the first Spider to ever win the award. Feb. 9 GEORGE WASHINGTON (NBCSW) .....POSTPONED • 5 members of UR’s senior class have scored 1,000 or more points in their college careers: Nathan Cayo, Blake Feb. 14 ST. MARY’S (MD) (ESPN+) ........ W, 90-59 Francis, Jacob Gilyard, Grant Golden, and Nick Sherod, who missed the season after tearing his ACL in October. Feb. 17 at VCU^ (CBSSN) .............................L, 68-56 WITH A WIN ... THE MATCHUP Feb. 20 DUQUESNE (NBCSN) ................. W, 79-72 Feb. 23 MASSACHUSETTS (NBCSW+) ..... W, 79-65 • UR would advance to the NIT semifinals for the first ALL-TIME SERIES LEADER: ..................................Tied, 2-2 time in program history. Feb. 26 at Saint Louis (ESPN2) .....................L, 72-67 CURRENT STREAK: .................................... Richmond W1 MARCH • UR would be 12-9 all-time in NIT games and 6-2 RICHMOND AT HOME: ...............................................0-1 under Chris Mooney. RICHMOND ON ROAD: ..............................................1-0 (NBCSW) March 1 SAINT JOSEPH’S ..........L, 76-73 RICHMOND AT NEUTRAL SITE: ....................................1-1 ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIP • UR would improve to 9-4 in road/neutral games this LAST GAME:............................... 11/27/2009 (UR, 63-62) March 4 vs Duquesne (NBCSN) .....................L, 67-62 year and 19-9 over the last two seasons. FIRST GAME: ............................... 12/2/2000 (UR, 73-72) NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT • UR would be 3-0 vs SEC teams this season and 8-5 vs (ESPN2) the SEC under Chris Mooney. CHRIS MOONEY March 17 vs Toledo ..........................W, 76-66 RICHMOND SPIDERS HEAD COACH March 25 vs Mississippi St (ESPN2) .................... 6 PM •UR would face Western Kentucky or Louisiana Tech SEASONS at RICHMOND: ............ 16th * Bluegrass Showcase (Rupp Arena - Lexington, KY) next. The Spiders have never faced either team before. W-L at RICHMOND: .............288*-230 ^ Richmond Area Honda Dealers Capital City Classic W-L in DIVISION I: ................306--242 • UR would be 4-1 in its last 5 non-conference games. W-L vs OPPONENT: ........................1-0 * Most wins in Richmond history WATCH LISTEN FOLLOW @SpiderMBB @SpiderMBB Richmond Spiders Men’s Basketball ESPN2 ESPN RICHMOND RichmondSpiders.com PxP: Derek Jones Analyst: Jon Crispin PxP: Bob Black Analyst: Greg Beckwith 2020-21 RICHMOND MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES | #ONERICHMOND | @SPIDERMBB | 1 QUICK FACTS ROSTER & PRONUNCIATION GUIDE University Information No. Name Pos Year Ht Wt Hometown (High School/Previous School) Location ...................................Richmond, VA 23173 Founded ........................................................... 1830 0 Jacob Gilyard G SR 5’9” 160 Kansas City, MO (The Barstow School) Total Enrollment .............................................. 4,002 1 Blake Francis G GR 6’0 175 Herndon, VA (Westfield/Wagner) Nickname ......................................................Spiders 2 Souleymane Koureissi F JR 6’9” 215 Harlem, NY (Iona Prep) Colors....................................................Red and Blue Arena ...................................................Robins Center 3 Tyler Burton F SO 6’7” 210 Uxbridge, MA (Marianapolis Prep (CT)) Opened .......................................1972 (49th season) 4 Nathan Cayo F SR 6’7” 225 Montreal, Quebec (College Jean de Brebeuf) Capacity ........................................................... 7,201 5 Nick Sherod G GR 6’4” 230 Richmond, VA (St. Christopher’s) President ................................Dr. Ronald A. Crutcher Athletics Director .....................................John Hardt 10 Sullivan Kulju F SR 6’6” 220 New Berlin, WI (Eisenhower) 12 Gabe Arizin G SO 6’4” 190 West Chester, PA (St. Joseph’s Prep) Team Information Conference ...............................................Atlantic 10 13 Connor Crabtree G R-SO 6’6” 190 Hillsborough, NC (Hargrave Military (VA)/Tulane) 2019-20 Record .........................................24-7/14-4 15 Matt Grace F JR 6’9” 230 Hamilton, Ontario (TRC Academy) Letterwinners Returning/Lost ............................ 12/2 21 Isaiah Wilson G FR 6’0” 160 Pittsburgh, PA (First Love Academy) Starters Returning/Lost .......................................5*/0 Newcomers ..............................................................4 22 Andre Gustavson G JR 6’4” 195 Helsinki, Finland (Helsinki Basketball Academy) * Nick Sherod will miss 2020-21 season (knee) 24 Dji Bailey G FR 6’5” 175 Wilson, NC (Greenfield School) Program History 25 Quentin Southall G FR 6’3” 180 Alexandria, VA (Georgetown Prep) First Season ........................1913-14 (108th season) 31 Jordan Gaitley G GR 6’4” 190 Haverford, PA (Fordham Prep (NY)) All-Time Record Entering 2020-21 ........1,413-1,222 33 Grant Golden F GR 6’10” 255 Winchester, VA (St. James (MD)) NCAA Appearances/W-L .................................... 9/8-9 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990-91, 1998, 2004, 2010-11) NIT Appearances/W-L ...................................... 9/10-9 Conference Championships ....................................6 PRONUNCIATION GUIDE (1984, 1988, 1990-91, 1998, 2011) Gabe Arizin AIR-rizz-in Dji Bailey Jai (rhymes with fly) Coaching Staff Nathan Cayo KAY-oh Head Coach ....................Chris Mooney, 16th season Jacob Gilyard GILL-yerd Alma Mater .....................................Princeton (1994) W-L at Richmond entering 2020-21 ............274-222 Andre Gustavson GOOSE-tahv-sun Career D-I W-L/Yrs entering 2020-21 ......292-234/16 Souleymane Koureissi SAHL-uh-mon ker-ESS-ee Assoc Head Coach ................ Rob Jones, 16th season Alma Mater ..................................Toccoa Falls (2001) Sullivan Kulju COOL-you Assoc Head Coach ..........Marcus Jenkins, 6th season Nick Sherod sure-ROD Alma Mater .......................................Air Force (2004) Assistant Coach .................Steve Thomas, 6th season Alma Mater ......................................... Rowan (2006) BREAKDOWNS Dir of Operations ......... Mark McGonigal,