Richmond steals NCAA bid, beats top-seeded Davidson in A-10

Jacob Gilyard scored 26 factors, Tyler Burton had 16 factors and 12 rebounds and No. 6 seed Richmond beat top-seeded Davidson 64-62 on Sunday to clinch the Atlantic 10 Convention match and an NCAA Event berth for the primary time in 11 years.

Richmond (23-12) was enjoying within the A-10 championship recreation — needing two 15-point comebacks within the early rounds — for the primary time since successful in 2011. The Spiders are making their tenth journey to the NCAAs, the primary since making the Candy 16 in that 2011 season.

With Davidson’s 27-6 report and resume, Richmond’s win probably knocked out a bubble staff.

The Spiders misplaced a house recreation to Davidson 87-84 on Jan. 14 when Michael Jones hit a game-winning 3-pointer with three seconds remaining. Jones had one other likelihood to win this recreation, getting an inbounds go with 1.7 seconds left, however his contested 3-pointer from the nook did not hit the rim as time expired.

Richmond went six-plus minutes and not using a area purpose down the stretch till Burton accomplished three-point performs on back-to-back possession to get the Spiders inside 62-60. Davidson dribbled down the clock and missed a 3-pointer and Burton missed a baseline jumper on the different finish however his airball went off a Davidson participant.

After a timeout, Matt Grace powered into the lane and accomplished one other three-point play — his first factors of the sport — to provide Richmond a 63-62 lead with 19.1 seconds left. Foster Loyer had a great have a look at a 3-pointer on the different finish however it rolled out and Gilyard, an 85.7% free-throw shooter, was fouled earlier than making 1 of two free throws at 2.9.

Davidson known as a timeout at 2.5 and Richmond known as one other after seeing how the Wildcats arrange. Davidson made a half-court go and known as one other timeout with 1.7 left, however Jones’ shot was off.

Gilyard was 9 of 18 from the sphere, together with a protracted jumper early within the second half to achieve 2,000 profession factors, turning into simply the fifth participant in program historical past to take action.

Sam Mennenga scored 18 factors and Jones completed with 17 for Davidson. Luka Brajkovic, the A-10 participant of the yr, had 13 factors and 11 rebounds.

Mennenga made his fourth straight 3-pointer to provide Davidson a 49-42 lead with 10:03 remaining however the Wildcats didn’t make their subsequent area purpose till Brajkovic at 4:45. Richmond tied it on three completely different events throughout Davidson’s field-goal drought however couldn’t take the lead till the closing seconds.