LYNCHBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Maggie Doogan scored 24 points and Richmond used a dominant defensive performance to pull away from Liberty in the second half for a 76-61 victory in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday at Vines Center.

The Spiders (8-3) forced 17 turnovers, converting them into 27 points, while committing only nine of their own. That disparity, coupled with a decisive advantage in assists and shooting efficiency, allowed Richmond to steadily build its lead after halftime before an announced crowd of 1,011.

Doogan, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Broomall, Pennsylvania, filled the stat sheet, adding seven rebounds, seven assists, a block and a steal in 39 minutes. It was her third consecutive game with at least 20 points, following a 24-point effort in a loss to Fairfield and 20 points in a win over Loyola Chicago.

The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the fourth quarter. Leading 50-44 after three periods, Richmond opened the final frame with a 9-2 run to seize full control. Ally Sweeney hit a 3-pointer off a Sam Dewey assist just 20 seconds into the quarter, and after Liberty’s Emmy Stout answered with a layup, Doogan drilled a 3-pointer from the wing. Dewey then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and immediately sank a 3-pointer of her own, pushing the Richmond lead to 59-46 with 7:46 remaining.

Liberty (6-3) never recovered, getting no closer than 11 points the rest of the way. The Lady Flames struggled to find consistent offense outside of forward Ify Nwaobi, who posted a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Richmond’s defense held Liberty to an offensive rating of 86.8 points per 100 possessions.

Sweeney supported Doogan with 15 points and three assists for Richmond. Ava Persichetti added 10 points, while Dewey and Alicia Newell each chipped in nine. Newell also grabbed six rebounds.

For Liberty, Claudia Acin of Girona, Spain, scored nine points with four rebounds and three assists. Stout added eight points and four rebounds.

Richmond shot 51.7% from the field (31 of 60) and was efficient inside, scoring 44 points in the paint. Liberty managed just 41% shooting (25 of 61) and connected on only 5 of 16 attempts from 3-point range. The Spiders also shared the ball effectively, recording 11 assists to Liberty’s six.

Despite being outrebounded on the offensive glass 12-3, Richmond’s ability to protect the ball and capitalize on Liberty’s mistakes proved far more significant. The Spiders also tallied 11 steals.

Liberty kept the game competitive in the first half, trailing 36-31 at intermission. The Lady Flames took an early 9-7 lead following a layup from Nwaobi, but Richmond closed the first quarter on a 10-5 run, capped by a floating jumper from Sweeney at the buzzer, to lead 17-14.

The Spiders gradually extended their lead in the second and third quarters before the decisive fourth-quarter burst sealed the victory.

Richmond, which entered the game with a 56.3% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, improved to 8-3. The Spiders will look to continue their momentum when they host Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday.

Liberty, which saw a three-game winning streak snapped, falls to 6-3. The Lady Flames next face Hawaii on Dec. 19 in Makawao, Hawaii.