Richmond 58, Massachusetts 55
RICHMOND, Va. -- The smallest player on the floor, 5-foot-8 guard Kendall Anthony, scored 21 points, and guard Cedrick Lindsay hit three free throws in the final 39 seconds to propel Richmond to a 58-55 upset of No. 13 Massachusetts on Wednesday.
Richmond knows upsets. The Spiders have won five of their last six games against ranked foes at Robins Center.
After Massachusetts guard Chaz Williams missed a desperation 3-pointer in the closing seconds and the Spiders tracked down the rebound, fans stormed the court in celebration.
Pace and defense were key as Richmond (13-6, 3-1 Atlantic 10) snapped the six-game winning streak of UMass (16-2, 3-1). UMass hit 40 percent of its shots from the floor and 2-of-14 from beyond the arc in matching its season-low output, also in a loss, 60-55 to Florida State.
Massachusetts was led by forward Sampson Carter, who scored 15 points, and center Cady Lalanne, who had 10 points and 13 rebounds, leading the Minutemen to a 37-32 edge on the boards. Williams, the top scorer for UMass, was limited to eight points and seven assists. He hit just 2-of-11 shots.
Lindsay, the second-leading scorer in the A-10, got off to a terrible start, but recovered to finish with 11 points, including six in a row midway through the second half, which put Richmond in the lead for good.
Richmond controlled the tempo of the first half, preventing fast-breaking Massachusetts from getting a basket in transition. The Spiders never trailed before the break, but they couldn't shake the Minutemen, who got solid work off the bench from guard Trey Davis, who scored seven points in the half, and forward Maxie Esho, who collected seven first-half rebounds.
Lindsay got off to a rough start, missing five of six shots and committing two turnovers in the first half. Anthony compensated, hitting both of his 3-point attempts and scoring 13 points before intermission.
Anthony scored all the points in an 8-0 run late in the half, converting a three-point play, hitting a 15-footer and adding a 3-pointer that gave Richmond its biggest lead of the half, 26-17. Massachusetts finished with five of the half's final six points to make it 27-22.
NOTES: Richmond won its previous four home games against ranked opponents. The last victim was No. 19 Virginia Commonwealth on Jan. 24, 2013. ... Massachusetts played its third consecutive road game. The Minutemen won at George Mason last Wednesday and beat Elon on Saturday. They return home Sunday to face Fordham. ... The Spiders play host to Saint Joseph's on Saturday.
