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The web Richmond weaves; staying power of upset
darlings
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Jared Trexler
College Basketball Contributing Editor
Recent Articles
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
Chris Mooney's personality is apparent in the game's critical nuances.
The Richmond head coach is detailed, diagramming his team's offensive set and
structure with a precision that dots each "O" and "X." He is a proponent of
spacing achieved through movement, emphasizing cutting, weaving, circling to
positions on the floor that stretch a defense's ability to help and recover.
Mooney's offensive tenets were written on a stone tablet during his successful
playing career for Pete Carril at Princeton, where he excelled in the
famously-
dubbed "Princeton" offense revolving around passing into the high post and
backdoor cuts off the wings. Mooney was a four-year starter and ranks 20th on
the school's all-time scoring list with 1,071 points.
His coaching career began at Lansdale Catholic in the Philadelphia suburbs,
the
same starting point of former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Jim Lynam. He then
ventured to Beaver College (now called Arcadia University) in Glenside,
Pennsylvania, where he was the head coach from 1997-2000.
His attention to detail caught the eye of another former Princeton player, Joe
Scott, who hired Mooney as his assistant at Air Force prior to the 2000
season.
He spent four seasons next to Scott before moving over to the head chair when
Scott left to become the head coach at his alma mater. Mooney incorporated the
core offensive principles of practicality and patience at the Academy, leading
the Falcons to their second-best record in school history at 18-12.
The resume that led Mooney to his ultimate destination is not what makes
Richmond what it is today, a team that doesn't beat itself, instead coaxing
its
opponents into its web and attacking as their caught flat-footed and out of
position. Yet, his core values came from Carril and Scott, shaping his
coaching
virtues, and the Spiders into not just an Atlantic-10 power, but a team to
keep
a watchful eye on nationally as the season progresses.
After two transitional campaigns needed to bring in HIS players to run HIS
system, Mooney went to a pair of College Basketball Invitationals before last
season's 26-9 breakthrough that included victories over Florida, Mississippi
State, Missouri and Xavier. The carpet ride ended against St. Mary's in the
first round of the NCAA Tournament, but the expectations set forth by Mooney
formed a collective message of growth and greatness.
Don't settle. Great things happen to those who strive to be great.
The Spiders have a history of wearing glass slippers, holding the distinction
of the only team to win NCAA Tournament games as a 12, 13, 14 and 15 seed.
However, Mooney's program-building far exceeds the goal of Cinderella, rather
focusing on putting the time in to become the prince.
The 2010 Spiders are led by Conference Player of the Year candidate Kevin
Anderson, who has a real chance to be the program's second leading scorer by
season's end. The undersized Anderson is Mooney's prototype, physically strong
with an even stronger will. He gets his points, averaging 16.6 per game, and
scores in bunches when the moment calls, case in point his 28-point bonanza in
a signature late November victory over Purdue. Standing just 6-foot tall, he
averages just over three rebounds per game and his unselfishness is apparent
with his rapid ascent up the program's assists chart (currently holding steady
at seventh).
Anderson has the rare combination of shooting smarts and an assassin-like
stroke. He rarely forces shots, resulting in an impressive 48.5 percent field-
goal percentage. He shoots a nearly identical percentage, 47.6 percent, from
long distance, making him difficult to defend.
While the Spiders are Anderson's team, they aren't just Anderson, working in
his four-year teammate Justin Harper, the perfect complement on the interior
with 14 points and a team-best six rebounds per contest. The future is also
bright with sophomore guard Darien Brothers learning alongside Anderson and
adding productivity with 9.5 points per game, including 11 in the victory over
the Boilermakers.
The team statistics point directly at Mooney's basketball principles. His team
is offensively efficient (ninth nationally in field goal percentage at 50.3
percent) and unselfish (44th nationally with 15.8 assists per game). The
Spiders aren't worried about scoring a lot of points because they rarely
incorporate a transition offense, averaging 71.9 points per game (good for
134th in the nation). Richmond also releases its guards to avoid quick baskets
in the opposite direction, leading to just 34.1 rebounds per contest, placing
them near the bottom at 246th in that statistic.
On the defensive end, the Spiders hold opponents to just 59.8 points per game
and 38.6 percent shooting, including an air-tight 26.8 percent from three-
point range. The Spiders don't cause many turnovers because of Mooney's
Princeton-oriented "man-you-ball" philosophy based on staying in front of the
ball instead of attacking the player with it and jumping into passing lanes.
Putting a hand in the face and slowing down tempo works, and these Spiders are
implementing that philosophy to near perfection.
There have been some slip-ups like allowing a surprising 81 points to Iona in
a
four-point defeat, shooting just one foul shot in a seven-point setback to Old
Dominion and laying a collective egg over this past weekend against Georgia
Tech. Yet, the signature victories the tournament selection committee looks
for
when combing through teams' resumes are very apparent even at such an early
juncture. Beating Purdue at a neutral site, winning across the country at
Arizona State and pulling off a commanding 12-point victory over Virginia
Commonwealth (which has already beaten UCLA and Wake Forest) all give the
Spiders an edge up on the competition.
Mooney's work ethic, instilled first in his playing days under Carril, also
place the Spiders at a competitive advantage each night. He is a
perfectionist,
anal about angles and precision on offense and simplistic, yet principled
details on defense.
Who can argue with the results, and if they continue, Richmond may in fact
achieve its goal. There may be no strike of midnight for these Spiders. They
have the staying power to become the Atlantic 10's prince.
WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK
In a thin week for marquee matchups, most teams either loaded up with tutoring
sessions for final exams or check-cashing smaller schools to fill up the
schedule. A handful of those teams pulled shockers this week. Who are they?
And
do they have staying power?
Oakland Golden Grizzlies: Oakland is no stranger to recent
postseason tournament play, defeating Alabama A&M in a 2005 play-in game
before
turning into North Carolina's first-round sacrificial lamb. The Golden
Grizzlies also played in the 2009 CollegeInsider.com Tournament, downing Kent
State in the first round before losing to Bradley. Oakland plays in the Summit
League with an arena that seats just over 4,000, but it scheduled ambitiously
in the early-season with what head coach Greg Kampe is calling one of his
better teams. The Golden Grizzlies played Purdue tough into the second half
before succumbing, 82-67, and held a four-point halftime advantage at Illinois
before witnessing a Demetri McCamey show in the second half. They fell one
point short against Michigan State before finally getting their season-
defining
victory at Tennessee, which had just won at Pittsburgh three days earlier.
ARE THEY FOR REAL? As real as the best team in the Summit
League can be. The Golden Grizzlies, with a one- or two-loss conference slate,
could be working themselves into 13-seed territory and a dangerous first-round
opponent. They go through scoring lapses, but unlike other smaller schools,
have the athletes to match any power-conference clubs, evidenced by their
performance against the Big Ten and Tennessee.
Drexel Dragons: "Bruiser" is an apt first name for Dragons
head coach Bruiser Flint, because the Dragons have spent their fist eight
games
pounding the competition. Drexel averages 43.9 rebounds per game on the season
-- good for fourth nationally -- and outrebounded Louisville, 45-25, in a
52-46
victory at the KFC Yum! Center. The victory turned heads across the country,
as
the Dragons were far down the conference's preseason pecking order, behind
more
experienced names like Virginia Commonwealth, Old Dominion and George Mason.
Guard Chris Fouch is averaging just under 20 points per game, and Drexel
presents three double-digit scorers.
ARE THEY FOR REAL? Likely not, unless you count NIT material.
The Dragons have some disconcerting periphery numbers: 216th nationally in
points per game, 215th in assists and 150th in field goal percentage. The
victory at Louisville also included some stark outliers. Gerald Cobbs scored
20
points after netting just three against Rider three days earlier, and a
Louisville team that shoots 45.2 percent as a team managed to make only 31.9
percent of its shots against the Dragons and just 12-of-25 free throws. The
Dragons have trouble scoring and their large rebounding numbers have mostly
come against inferior teams.
Illinois-Chicago Flames: The Flames sent a crescendo through
the nation on Saturday with a shocking 57-54 victory over Illinois. They
clamped down on McCamey, forcing him into a 4-of-11 shooting night and
limiting
the Illini to 32.7 percent shooting overall. The win snapped a four-game
losing
streak and sent the Flames out west (they play at Oregon State on Wednesday)
on
a high note.
ARE THEY FOR REAL? Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing. The
four-game losing streak wasn't murderers row: Valparaiso, Akron, Illinois
State
and Northern Illinois. Illinois-Chicago also lost to Pittsburgh by 43 and the
College of Charleston by 12. In limited defense, each of its other five losses
came by 10 points or less. The Flames' main issue is putting the basketball
through the hoop, as they sit 289th in points per game and 238th in field goal
percentage. It will take a lot of work and victories in close games to push
the
Flames into consideration for any postseason invite.
FINE 15
1. Duke (10-0): The real news will come with an official
timetable regarding Irving. Until then, two non-descript games before the New
Year.
2. Ohio State (10-0): Impressive waxing of South
Carolina. Even more impressive? Jared Sullinger's 30 points, 19 rebounds and
full ownership of the interior.
3. Kansas (10-0): Talk about a debut. Josh Selby's
game-winning three-pointer in a harder-than-expected 70-68 victory over
Southern California not only showcased the freshman's tremendous talent but
his
calmness under pressure and his desire to strive in such situations. He scored
21 points and got the ultimate compliment from head coach Bill Self after the
win. "He has a lot of Sherron Collins in him." Quite the comparison for a kid
who has played just one game.
4. Connecticut (8-0): The nearly two-week respite
must
have done wonders for Kemba Walker's legs...and maybe even his back. The guard
has carried one of the nation's surprise teams.
5. Syracuse (11-0): I have been tough on the Orange,
some may even say nitpicking to find flaws in their fast start. The fact
remains they are 11-0, have a statement win over Michigan State and have been
scoring more lately, following the victory over the Spartans with 100 points
against Colgate and 83 in a win over Iona.
6. Pittsburgh (11-1): Carnage above them moves the
Panthers up despite just an expected trouncing of Maryland Eastern Shore over
the week.
7. San Diego State (12-0): I even thought about
putting the Aztecs above the Panthers. San Diego State thumped a UC Santa
Barbara team coming off the high of upsetting UNLV. The Aztecs are efficient
(seventh nationally in field goal percentage) and tough, taking after their
tournament-tested head coach, Steve Fisher. This team is for real.
8. Villanova (9-1): Wildcats next true tussle is
December 30 against Temple. A good sign in the 78-59 victory over Delaware was
Corey Fisher's 7-of-13 stat line as he slowly comes out of his early-season
shooting slump.
9. Missouri (10-1): The fast and the furious take its
track-meet style to Kansas City as its opponent, Illinois, limps in off this
past weekend's embarrassment. What should you look for? If Illinois runs with
the Tigers, are they attacking the rim or settling for jump shots? If it is
the
latter, it will be a long night for Bruce Weber's Illini.
10. Georgetown (10-1): This makes six Big East teams
in my top 10. Georgetown now faces identity-finding two-game road trip to
Memphis and Notre Dame in conference opener.
11. Tennessee (7-2): The Volunteers slide following
losses to Oakland and Charlotte, but not as far as one would expect. Their
signature victories (Villanova and Pitt) outweigh those of the teams below
them.
12. Kansas State (9-2): Talk about building a brick
house. The Wildcats threw up clunker after clunker, making just 27 percent of
their shots in a dismal offensive performance against Florida. Maybe Jacob
Pullen really does miss playing off the ball when he had Denis Clemente
alongside him in the backcourt last season. Pullen is shooting just 40 percent
from the floor, which does not make this team a viable Final Four contender
unless that number improves.
13. Kentucky (8-2): How a young team responds to
adversity tells a lot about its potential. After the disappointing loss at
North Carolina, Kentucky has rattled off three straight wins, including two
against the likes of Notre Dame and Indiana.
14. Michigan State (8-3): The bizarre circumstances
involving the one-game suspension handed down to head coach Tom Izzo was more
of a story than the 39- point thumping of Prairie View.
15. Central Florida (10-0): I still think BYU and
Richmond have more mid-major staying power and power-conference clubs like
Baylor, Purdue and Texas have more long-term potential, but for the second
time
this season I feel compelled to include the Golden Knights, who have whipped
up
on the state of Florida, downing the Gators to go along with South Florida out
of the Big East and now Miami out of the ACC. Marcus Jordan paces a team that
shots better than 51 percent from the floor.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
Enjoy the holidays with friends and family! We kick into high gear come the
first of a new year.
Trexler is the author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before...Filling Out
Your Hoops Bracket." Click
HERE to purchase the Kindle version...and stay tuned on
an updated hardcopy edition this winter! Trexler also wrote "Penn State
Football: An Interactive Guide To The World of Sports", a detailed look at the
Nittany Lions' storied football history. It can be purchased HERE.
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