The Richmond Spiders’ season came to an end Tuesday night with a 74-58 defeat to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. Despite a valiant effort, Richmond couldn’t overcome Virginia Tech’s size and athleticism in Cassell Coliseum.
Richmond Scraps, But Hokies Take Control
The Spiders (23-10) hung tough throughout the game, shooting 37.7% from the field. The Spiders reduced the deficit to just 1 point when DeLonnie Hunt found Mike Waltz for a layup at the 10:24 mark in the 2nd half.
Senior Forward Isaiah Bigelow put up 15 points and 7 rebounds for the Spiders, alongside Dji Bailey who also had 15 points. However, Richmond struggled with turnovers, committing 12 compared to Virginia Tech’s 8.
The Hokies (19-14) were led by a balanced scoring attack. Leading the charge for Virginia Tech was senior center Lynn Kidd, who notched a game-high 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Sean Pedulla chipped in a well-rounded performance with 17 points and seven assists, while Michael Collins Jr. provided a spark from beyond the arc, draining four of his six three-point attempts to finish with 15 points.
Virginia Tech used a strong defensive showing down the stretch in the second half, limiting Richmond’s scoring opportunities and building a comfortable lead.
Key Stats Tell the Story
A look at the box score reveals Virginia Tech’s dominance in the paint. The Hokies out-rebounded Richmond 37-29, including a significant advantage in defensive rebounds (29-20). Additionally, Virginia Tech shot a higher percentage from the field (48.1% vs 37.7%) and converted a higher percentage of their free throws (88.2% vs 66.7%).
Looking Ahead
While the loss stings, Richmond can take pride in a successful season that included a share of the Atlantic 10 regular-season title. Barring any transfer portal issues, Coach Chris Mooney will return a talented core of players next year, including Quinn, Bigelow, and Bailey, and look to build on this year’s momentum.
Virginia Tech, on the other hand, advances to the second round of the NIT where they will face a tough matchup against a strong Ohio State team.
