The No. 12 over No. 5 upset is almost a guarantee in every NCAA Tournament. Richmond filled the quota Thursday.
After starting a run in the first half, the Spiders finished it by defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores 69-66 in the second round of the Southwest Region.
The Spiders trailed by as many as 11, but cut the lead to three before halftime as the Commodores held a 35-32 advantage. Darien Brothers would hit a three-pointer 16 seconds into the second half to tie the score, but Vanderbilt responded with a 13-4 run to take a nine-point lead. Richmond made a run of their own, going on a 12-0 run to take a 51-48 lead, one that they would hold for good.
Kevin Anderson, who led the Spiders with 25 points, would hit a floater with 18.9 seconds left to give Richmond a 68-65 lead. The game would turn into a free throw shooting contest, but Richmond couldn't put Vanderbilt away. It took a desperation heave from Rod Odom at the buzzer to seal the Commodores' fate.
Vanderbilt, who is familiar with early round disappointment, heads home, while the Spiders advance to play No. 13 Morehead State, who upset No. 4 Louisville. The two teams will meet Saturday.