At a shootaround on the day of Richmond's game at Charlotte, junior guard Reggie Brown sank 36 3-point baskets in two minutes. During that night's 62-42 loss to the 49ers, Brown missed all eight of his 3-point attempts. That about sums up Richmond's shooting problems.

        “In exhibitions and the preseason, that was our strong point,” coach John Beilein said. “It's gone south on us.”

        The Spiders, who have lost three straight games, are shooting just .346 from the field and .228 from 3-point range. They ranked 320th of 324 Division I teams in scoring (56.2 ppg).

        Tonight they face the University of Cincinnati (7-1), which leads the nation in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to .343 from the field.

        That's a tough way for Richmond to regain its confidence.

        “It's a mental thing,” Beilein said. “We've changed our practice routines and we've changed our shooting areas, at the same time telling them they're a great shooting team.”

        Brown, who averaged 10.3 points his first two seasons, is averaging just 5.5 points this season. He and sophomore Mike Skrocki, two of Richmond's better shooters, are a combined 9-of-65 (.138) from 3-point range.

        “I think if they were shooting it better, they'd be 5-1,” said UC assistant coach Andy Kennedy, who scouted the Spiders (3-3) for the Las Vegas Classic first-round game at Shoemaker Center. “They're getting decent looks, but they're just not making them.”

        Richmond put its program on the map with some stunning postseason results.

        It probably is best known nationally for its first-round upset of Syracuse in the 1991 NCAA Tournament. The Spiders were the first 15th seed ever to beat a No.2 seed.

        In 1997-98, Beilein's first season, Richmond upset third-seeded South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament and became the first program to ever win as a No.12, 13, 14 and 15 seed. The Spiders bounced Charles Barkley's Auburn team in 1984 and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1988 with NCAA Tournament victories over Indiana and Georgia Tech.

        Over two decades, the program earned berths to six NCAA Tournaments and five National Invitation Tournaments.

        But the path to the postseason is going to get more challenging for Richmond, which this season joined the Atlantic 10 Conference after 17 years in the Colonial Athletic Association.

        “It's like I have a new job but I don't have to move,” Beilein said. “It's great. It's all I ever wanted to do. Along the same lines, the players, students and fans have to expect it's like a brand-new program.”

        This Richmond team isn't deep. Only one substitute averages more than 7.5 minutes. Three starters average more than 33 minutes.

        But the Spiders are patient. They will look for back-door cuts. Kennedy said they're “not overly athletic and not very big.”

        “They're very well-coached,” UC's Bob Huggins said. “They run motion (offense). They try to frustrate you, hold the ball, keep the score low.”

Stingy UC hosts poor-shooting Richmond UC cracks Top 25 UC women 87, Belmont 73

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