(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
The Richmond Spiders slid past Arizona State on their home court in overtime in the second round of the NIT Sunday, ending the Sun Devils’ season.
ASU got off to a slow start going 1-for-5 from the field in the first seven minutes of the contest, kick starting an 11-2 run by Richmond.
Shaquielle McKissic and Savon Goodman revved the engine for ASU, combining for all of the Sun Devils’ 14 points with 7:20 left in the first half.
The Sun Devils worked hard in the paint all night against a Richmond defense that was extremely strong against defending the drive. Savon Goodman and Gerry Blakes made patient moves at the post to make up for the absence of Eric Jacobsen who took the bench after getting three quick fouls with eight minutes still left in the first half.
The small ball by ASU proved effective in increasing the tempo needed to give ASU it’s first lead of the half with 1:45 left after a McKissic lay-in and Blakes three. Richmond went into the locker room up 32-31 and shooting 46 percent from the floor and 43 percent from beyond the arc. ASU’s shooting performance trailed Richmond’s by a hair, shooting 44 percent from the floor and 40 percent from the three-point line.
Richmond struggled from the floor in the early minutes of the second half. ASU took its largest lead, 39-36, with 15 minutes to go in regulation.
With 3:30 left in the game, four Sun Devils were in double-figures with McKissic, Blakes, Goodman and Holder each with 14, 13, 12 and 10 points respectively.
With just under three minutes it was Goodman with the offensive board and putback to make the score 60-57 ASU. However, after a Richmond jumper and a free throw the game would stay knotted at 60 until the end of regulation sending the game into overtime. Blakes had a chance to win the game with a mid-range effort at the buzzer, but it was in vain.
Overtime saw an immediate pattern of jumpers followed by clutch threes by both teams to knot the game at 65 with two minutes left. Richmond senior guard Kendall Anthony then knocked down a three and claimed the and-1 to put the pressure on ASU with time waning.
But it was Blakes with a three with one minute left to put ASU back within one. Another Richmond jumper elicited a monstrous answer from McKissic who flew over the heads of every defender for a crowd-silencing dunk to make the score 71-70 Richmond. Despite the valiant effort by the senior, the dwindling time didn’t leave ASU enough chances to make the go-ahead shot, ending its season.
Players of the Game: Savon Goodman and Shaquielle McKissic
Despite the outcome both Goodman and McKissic proved the best players on the court tonight. Both Sun Devils posted double-doubles, with Goodman claiming 14 points and an astounding 17 rebounds, and McKissic having 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Stat of the Game: ASU outrebounding Richmond 15-2 offensively
Goodman was a beast on the boards tonight, helping his team to get 15 rebounds on the offensive glass and 13 second-chance points, which allowed ASU to stay in it throughout the contest. Take away that factor and ASU would have lost this matchup in regulation with the 16 points it gave to Richmond off turnovers.
Biggest Concern: 5 ASU Bench Points
While ASU outrebounded Richmond 46-30, it was the Richmond bench that made up that deficit with 17 bench points. Production from ASU’s bench proved something that could have been a game-changer in this matchup, especially if it could have rested the starters enough to get back on defense and avoid the go-ahead buckets by Richmond in overtime.
What’s next?
While the Sun Devils’ season comes to a close with this loss, fans can see Shaquielle McKissic one last time, as he will participate in the Final Four Dunk Contest in Indianapolis in early April. ASU completed the season with a 18-15 record.
