Richmond at Saint Louis
ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — The surging Richmond Spiders, among the Atlantic 10’s top teams, visit the struggling Saint Louis Billikens in a women’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Chaifetz Arena.
Richmond (18-4, 8-1 A-10) enters on a seven-game winning streak following a 77-65 road victory at VCU on Sunday. The Spiders boast one of the conference’s most potent offenses, averaging 77.2 points per game during their streak. They are led by standout forward Maggie Doogan, who is coming off a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Rams. Doogan has been dominant, including a 48-point performance in a triple-overtime win over Davidson on Jan. 10.
Saint Louis (11-13, 4-6) looks to halt a three-game skid after a 66-51 loss at George Mason on Saturday. The Billikens have struggled offensively, failing to reach 65 points in any of those three losses. They will rely on forward Alyssa Koerkenmeier, who has been a consistent bright spot. She recorded a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to George Mason and leads the team in scoring and rebounding during conference play.
The Billikens’ defense, which allows just 60.8 points per game at home, will face its toughest test in weeks against Richmond’s high-powered attack. Saint Louis will need to control the glass, where Koerkenmeier anchors them, to slow the pace and counter the Spiders’ efficiency.
Richmond won the first meeting this season decisively, 80-60, at home on Jan. 3. The Spiders have not lost since Dec. 30, while Saint Louis seeks to regain its early January form that saw wins over Dayton and Fordham.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CST Wednesday. Richmond visits George Mason next on Saturday. Saint Louis travels to Rhode Island on Sunday.