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Richmond downs Temple to reach A-10 title game

Mar 12, 2011 - 11:41 PM Atlantic City, NJ (Sports Network) - Kevin Anderson scored a game-high 22 points as Richmond toppled 24th-ranked Temple, 58-54, in an Atlantic 10 semifinal.

Justin Harper poured in 18 points with nine rebounds for the Spiders (26-7), who have earned back-to-back title-game berths and will try for their first conference crown in Sunday's final against Dayton.

Khalif Wyatt scored 15 points and Lavoy Allen added 12 with 10 boards for the Owls (25-7), who came up short in their bid to win a fourth consecutive conference title.

Down 55-54 inside of a minute to play, Wyatt failed to move the ball from the top of the key, and turned the ball over to Richmond's Kevin Smith. A foul on the change of possession with 28.5 ticks left put Anderson at the line and he made both for a 57-54 game.

Juan Fernandez then missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and on the other end Cedrick Lindsay hit 1-of-2 with 14.5 ticks. remaining for a four-point game.

Wyatt's three clanged off the rim then the backboard, and a desperation short- range jumper from Rahlir Jefferson hit the side of the rim as time expired.

Temple led 18-9 less than nine minutes in after a three from Wyatt, then a 14-6 run, punctuated by an Anderson layup, brought Richmond within 24-23.

Harper hit from long distance and the Spiders crawled back to 31-30 at intermission.

The lead swung back and forth for the early portion of the second half, but Richmond started to take control with nine minutes to play after a triple from Anderson made it 49-46.

Harper hit another bucket to push the Spiders' advantage to 53-47 with 7:21 remaining, but Ramone Moore's lay-in just over two minutes later gave the Owls a 54-53 edge.

A tip-in from Harper with 3:48 to go provided a one-point margin for the Spiders.

Game Notes

UMass was last team to win as many as four in a row, taking five straight from 1992-96...Temple has won nine times in all (1985, 1987-88, 1990, 2000-01, 2008-2010)...Dayton last won in 2003...Smith didn't record a single point, but pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds with three assists...Moore turned in 11 points with six rebounds and two steals.