Richmond seeks first NCAA Tournament win behind experience and depth

“We had this blueprint six years ago …” Roussell told reporters on March 20. “Addie Budnik bought into that. She wasn’t buying into history, tradition … she was buying into a vision and a blueprint that we had. 

“Maggie Doogan started to see some success and maybe jumped on. But there was still buying into a vision. And this is where ultimately we wanted to get to. So to have the blueprint kind of come to life here, to have the blueprint validated, I think is a cool thing.”

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As it prepares for its fifth NCAA Tournament game in program history, Richmond is still searching for its first tournament win. The team will take on No. 9 seed Georgia Tech in the first round and junior forward and A-10 Player of the Year Maggie Doogan knows getting that win would be an “incredible feeling.” 

“I feel like we’ve done a lot of firsts this year, but I think this would obviously top everything,” she said. “Just being with this kind of group … we’ve worked so hard and we’ve been through so much that we just — we wanna play for each other, we wanna play for the coaches, we wanna play for the university.”

Doogan is one of three players who average at least 10 points per game for the Spiders, averaging 16.3 points as well as 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Junior guard Rachel Ullstrom averages 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Graduate student forward Addie Budnik, a five-year starter for the Spiders, averages 10.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. 

Roussell knows there’s more to his team than the trio of double-figure scorers, including the team’s other two starters: senior guard Katie Hill and sophomore guard Ally Sweeney.  

“Somebody like Katie Hill can get lost on you because there’s maybe not … a column in the stat sheet that can show the impact that she has, whether it’s defensively, whether it’s just that connector or making the second pass,” he said. 

“I think Ally Sweeney catches people off guard because as a point guard she’s different than what we’ve had success with with Grace [Townsend] over the years. Kind of that … breakdown offensive player. Ally Sweeney’s a very, very smart player. She’s an incredible shooter. She can break you down more than … people realize.”

Though Sweeney averaged 5.8 minutes per game as a freshman, she’s started all but one game for the Spiders this season. She’s been a crucial part of the team this season and averages 8.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. 

“I don’t know if she even got in the game against Duke [in the NCAA Tournament] last year,” Roussell said on Thursday. “I have zero concern with Ally Sweeney for tomorrow. That kid’s a gamer and that’s what [33] games [will] do for you. That’s what playing Texas and Alabama and Tennessee will do for you. If you’ve navigated that as a first-time starting point guard, you’re gonna be just fine.”

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Richmond’s talent extends deep into its bench as well with three players coming off the bench averaging at least 13 minutes per game and three more averaging at least seven minutes per game. 

The reserves are experienced as well with four graduate student transfers in forward Anna Camden, guard Faith Alston, guard Alyssa Jimenez and forward Steph Ouderkirk.   

“The core kids off the bench have been new kids for us this year but have played a lot of basketball and had a lot of success at this level …” Roussell said. “So we have firepower, but I think we’ve also had some kids — the key thing is [being] willing to take that step back. Like Anna Camden is not lighting up stat sheets sometimes but she’s been essential to what we’re doing.

“[Alyssa] Jimenez off the bench, Faith Alston, Steph [Ouderkirk] — those kids have been really, really good for us. And they came here to win and be on this stage as opposed to taking opportunities elsewhere where they could have individually had that shine and gotten those flowers.” 

Roussell wasn’t sure if walking into historic Pauley Pavilion would resonate with his players, but it did. 

“I think everybody just kind of stopped at the entrance of the gym, just either taking a photo or just taking a moment to really just take a deep breath and understand that this is a really special place to be in,” Budnik told reporters. “And we’re just really thankful for this opportunity.”

Doogan added, “Seeing the March Madness logos definitely gives me some excitement just to be here. This is something you dream about when you’re a kid growing up. … [B]eing at UCLA, this historic venue is really cool, and something I never thought that I would be able to do. So, I’m definitely gonna take it all in.” 

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