Spiders’ Bench Erupts in Thriller: Argabright’s OT Heroics Lift Richmond Past Turnover-Plagued Salukis, 93-84 (12-13-25)
By: Xavier Jones
Headline Photo Credit: Arturo Jones-LMS Network
Richmond, Va. — In a game that had everything—heart-stopping rallies, bone-crushing turnovers, and a freshman stepping into the spotlight like a seasoned star—the Richmond Spiders clawed their way to a 93-84 overtime victory over the Southern Illinois Salukis on Saturday night at the Robins Center. What started as a gritty battle for control devolved into a turnover-fest for the visitors, allowing Richmond’s deep bench to feast and propel the Spiders to a program-best 9-1 start to the season. The win wasn’t just another notch in Richmond’s undefeated home streak—now at 7-0—but a testament to the Spiders’ resilience after four straight overtime heartbreaks dating back to last season. It marked their first OT triumph inside the Robins Center since a 2019 upset of Vanderbilt, snapping a drought that had head coach Chris Mooney preaching patience all fall. For Southern Illinois, now 6-5 and reeling from a 2-5 skid, the loss stung like a missed free throw in crunch time: 22 giveaways, including costly ones in the extra frame, turned potential victory into a gut-wrenching defeat.
The Salukis, fresh off a Missouri Valley Conference schedule that had them punching above their weight, seized an early edge with poise and perimeter pop. Trailing 29-22 midway through the first half after Richmond’s Mikkel Tyne drained back-to-back threes, SIU flipped the script with a 14-3 closing surge. Damien Mayo Jr. splashed three triples in the frame, his hot hand accounting for nine of those points, while Rolyns Aligbe bullied his way inside for seven boards and a pair of second-chance buckets. The Salukis carried a 36-32 halftime lead into the locker room, their 41.9% from the field and 42.9% from deep looking like the blueprint for an upset.
But the second half? That’s where Richmond’s depth—arguably the deepest in the Atlantic 10—unleashed chaos. The Spiders, who shot a blistering 53.3% from the floor after the break, ignited a 16-0 run that bridged the halftime gap and buried SIU under an avalanche of forced miscues. Senior center Jonathan Beagle, the heartbeat of Richmond’s front court, orchestrated the surge with a baby hook, a spinning layup, and a thunderous dunk that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
Beagle finished with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting and eight rebounds, but it was the collective bench eruption that defined the night. Six Spiders reached double figures for the first time since last December’s win over Belmont—a balanced attack that tallied 47 bench points to SIU’s 23. Grad transfer Will Johnston, the steady hand at guard, poured in 17 points including 10 after halftime and a pair of clutch jumpers in the final 90 seconds of regulation—one a turnaround that kissed the rim twice before dropping at the buzzer to force OT. Jaden Daughtry added 12 on efficient 4-of-8 shooting with two threes, while AJ Lopez (11 points) and Tyne (10) provided the spacing that turned SIU’s 48 total rebounds into fool’s gold.
The Salukis coughed up the ball 22 times—nine more than Richmond’s 13—yielding 26 points off turnovers for the hosts. SIU’s backcourt duo of Quel’Ron House (17 points, 4 assists) and Drew Steffe (9 points, 3 assists) combined for seven giveaways, while Prince Aligbe’s four miscues overshadowed his nine boards. Still, Rolyns Aligbe was a beast, notching a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, including an and-one in OT that briefly put SIU ahead 76-74. House nearly authored a Saluki miracle, weaving coast-to-coast for a layup and drawing the foul with 15 seconds left in regulation to knot it at 74-all after Richmond had led 57-50. But in the extra period, freshman Aiden Argabright emerged as the villain for SIU fans—and the darling for Spiders faithful. The 6-foot-6 wing, who managed just one point before halftime, erupted for 17 of his game-high 18 in the second half and OT combined, including nine in the bonus frame on 3-of-3 shooting and 3-of-4 from the stripe. A pair of free throws after drawing an offensive foul on House, followed by a dagger layup, sealed the deal as Richmond outscored SIU 19-8 in OT.
Statistically, the disparity was stark. Richmond connected on 50.8% of its field goals and forced SIU into 43.5% efficiency, while the Spiders’ 10 steals—led by Beagle and David Thomas with two apiece—sparked 10 fast-break points. SIU owned the glass (48-29) and second-chance opportunities (17-3 points), but their 4-of-13 from beyond the arc couldn’t match Richmond’s 9-of-26. Fouls piled up too—27 for SIU (including a technical on Steffe) to Richmond’s 23—sending both teams deep into bonus territory, where the Spiders went 20-of-27 (74.1%) and the Salukis 20-of-25 (80.0%).
For Richmond, this victory cements their status as early A-10 frontrunners and evokes memories of powerhouse starts like the 2010-11 squad that reached the Sweet 16. Mooney’s squad now boasts the fifth-best opening to a season in program history, with balance across all facets: elite shooting, suffocating defense (five blocks, including three from Mike Walz), and a bench that’s more rotation than luxury.
The Salukis, meanwhile, head home to lick their wounds before hosting in-state rival Illinois State on Dec. 18. Nagy’s club showed fight—eight lead changes, four ties, and that late House magic—but turnovers exposed a backcourt that’s still gelling. With Rolyns Aligbe anchoring the paint and Mayo’s shooting as a wildcard, SIU remains dangerous in the MVC grind, but road woes could haunt them if the ball-handling doesn’t tighten.
As the final buzzer echoed through a jubilant Robins Center, one thing was clear: In a sport defined by momentum swings, Richmond is riding a wave few can match. The Spiders soar on—next up, a non-conference tilt that feels like a victory lap already.
