RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — Derek Simpson scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Saint Joseph’s survived a furious second-half rally by Richmond to escape the Robins Center with a 67-65 victory in Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball on Sunday.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 points in the first half and took a 45-33 lead into the break, were held to just 22 points after halftime. They needed a critical defensive stop on the final possession to secure the win and snap a two-game skid.

Saint Joseph’s improved to 10-7 overall. Richmond, which had won three straight, fell to 12-5.

The game’s most important sequence unfolded in the final 15 seconds. After Richmond’s Mike Walz hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 65 with 15 seconds remaining, Saint Joseph’s inbounded the ball and drew a foul. Anthony Finkley made the first of two free throws with seven seconds left to put the Hawks up by one but missed the second.

Walz secured the defensive rebound for Richmond, giving the Spiders a chance for a final shot. Out of a timeout, Richmond worked the ball to Mikkel Tyne, whose contested 3-point attempt from the wing as time expired missed off the rim, preserving the narrow Saint Joseph’s victory.

The Hawks dominated the opening period, shooting 48.6% from the field and building their large lead behind Simpson’s 14 first-half points. Richmond, meanwhile, struggled mightily, making only 10 of its 33 field goal attempts before halftime.

The Spiders flipped the script after the break, applying defensive pressure that forced the Hawks into a 7-for-27 shooting performance in the second half. A 12-2 Richmond run, capped by a David Thomas 3-pointer, cut the deficit to 59-57 with just over four minutes to play.

Saint Joseph’s managed only one field goal in the final four minutes — a driving layup by Simpson with 1:04 left — but did enough at the free-throw line and on defense to hang on.

Simpson, a guard from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, led all scorers and recorded a double-double. He was supported by Austin Williford, who added 12 points, and Dasear Haskins, who contributed 11 points and five rebounds.

Richmond was led by Aiden Argabright, a local product from Richmond, Virginia, who scored 15 points and dished out five assists. Walz finished with eight points and eight rebounds, and Thomas added 10 points off the bench.

The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams shooting under 35% from the field. Saint Joseph’s held a decisive 30-8 advantage in points in the paint, which proved crucial on a day when perimeter shooting was inconsistent. Richmond countered by scoring 18 points off 10 Hawks turnovers.

A crowd of 5,230 at the Robins Center saw the Spiders fall just short of completing what would have been their largest comeback of the season. Saint Joseph’s, which entered as an 8.5-point underdog according to sportsbooks, secured its first true road win in conference play.

Saint Joseph’s returns home to host Saint Bonaventure on Wednesday. Richmond continues its homestand against La Salle, also on Wednesday.