Spiders’ basketball no longer at a loss for players

Four seasons ago, true freshman walk-on guard Duncan McLean averaged 13 minutes and led the University of Richmond in 3-point field goal percentage. McLean arrived at UR intending to play soccer, which should tell you something about the state of Spiders' hoops in 2005-06.

Things are now considerably different from that season in which McLean was a key figure and Richmond had only seven scholarship players for January and February because of injuries and attrition. Junior center Dan Geriot recently noted "almost a little bit of a swagger" in the Spiders' program, and fifth-year coach Chris Mooney is trying to settle on a rotation among a dozen scholarship players, 10 with Division I experience.

ROTATION COGITATION: The Spiders, picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 Conference, return four starters and plug in Geriot after he missed last season with a knee injury. Guards Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez and Geriot figure to be three constants in the lineup. From there, Mooney could go a number of ways.

"We think those 12 guys can play and contribute," Mooney said. The Spiders' 13th scholarship player, senior forward Kevin Hovde, broke his ankle early in preseason practice. "Playing 12 would be very, very difficult, but we think we might be able to get up to nine or 10," Mooney said. "We have some ideas on how to try to do that."

CAN-DO CANDIDATES: UR's roster includes several candidates who appear to be deserving of court time. Even 6-9 sophomore Darrius Garrett, who participated in only 12 games last season, became a significant factor for Richmond in March. Helping Mooney sort out his personnel was last weekend's closed scrimmage at N.C. State and this weekend's closed scrimmage vs. East Carolina.

"Coaching a veteran team is much more fun, and there can be much more progress made quickly with a veteran group," Mooney said. "There's not as much review. There aren't as many mistakes. There isn't as much stopping to correct mistakes."

RANKED FOE ON HORIZON: The Spiders open two weeks from tonight, vs. Lehigh. Richmond will have played five games when it faces Mississippi State on Nov. 27 in South Padre Island, Texas. The Bulldogs, with five starters back from a 23-13 team, are ranked No. 19 in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll. Also ranked, at No. 22, is Dayton, one of UR's A-10 rivals.

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