On a tight team, Spider Maggie Doogan thrives in isolation

Spiders, coach Aaron Roussell head into 2025 tested She can hit 3s, drive and score. But the most entertaining display of Maggie Doogan’s offensive game occurs when the 6-foot-2 junior forward negotiates one-on-one coverage in the lane, directly in front of the hoop. Doogan receives entry passes, and her moves are decisive and quick, with pivots to the left and right, before off-the-glass finishes with her left or right hand usually end possessions. Taller women are typically not fast enough to keep up. Shorter defenders can’t deal with Doogan’s height. University of Richmond junior Maggie Doogan, a 6-2 forward, averaged 26.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in the Spiders’ last three games. These are the maneuvers of a player with extensive experience in one-on-one games. “When I was in high school, me and my dad would play one-on-one a lot, especially during COVID when we couldn’t really go anywhere. We had a hoop in the driveway, so I’d be playing one-on-one with him a lot just to try and work on my footwork and get quicker on defense,” Doogan said. Her younger brother, Johnny, now 16 and a basketball player, was another one-on-one opponent. With him, “I’ve been doing that the last couple of summers, so definitely a lot of one-on-one,” Doogan said. Those in-the-lane moves have spiced Doogan’s recent case for player-of-the-year consideration in the Atlantic 10 Conference. She averages 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. If Doogan is not the A-10 player of the year, teammate Rachel Ullstrom may be. Ullstrom, a 6-1 junior, averages 16.9 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Spiders, who lead the league with a 5-1 record (14-5 overall). Doogan and Ullstrom have been roommates for two years. “We’re best friends, so it’s kind of easy to play with somebody you know really well off the court,” Doogan said. “Also, just the way that she moves, and she can shoot the ball so well, so obviously (defenders) are going to close out long on her. But she has such a quick first step. I’m able to see the floor and pass her the ball when she’s open. “I just think our dynamics and our IQs match really well together, and it’s really hard for defenders to defend.” The University of Richmond’s Maggie Doogan drove against VCU’s Samantha Robinson when the programs met at the Siegel Center last season. The Spiders and Rams play Sunday (2 p.m.) at the Robins Center in a game that will be televised by the CBS Sports Network. Doogan and Ullstrom combined for 47 points in Wednesday’s 98-60 win over visiting St. Bonaventure. Among the five Spiders’ defeats: No. 7 Texas, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 19 Alabama. Richmond takes a four-game winning streak into Sunday’s 2 p.m. meeting with VCU (9-9, 3-3 A-10) at the Robins Center. The game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network. Doogan heads into the first of two UR-VCU encounters of the regular season playing, perhaps, as well as anybody in the country. In Richmond’s past three games, she is averaging 26.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists. “I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates. We’re a really well-diversified team, and we can all do a bunch of different things, which makes us really hard to defend,” Doogan said. “So when I’m in the lane or having a post-up, it’s hard to help off of other people because a lot of defenders know I can sense when the (double-team) is coming and I can pass to somebody who can knock down a wide-open 3. “I just think the way that we play, the way that we’re structured, is really hard to defend, which makes it easier not just for me, but for everybody else to get shots and move the ball.” Against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday, Doogan scored in double-figures for the 17th consecutive game. While scoring 37 in an 88-86 win over visiting George Mason on Jan. 8, Doogan converted a follow in the final two seconds for the victory. Customize your experience so you see the stories most important to you. And sign up for personalized notifications so you don’t miss any important news. TO DOWNLOAD For Android users: https://go.richmond.com/googleplay For Apple users: https://go.richmond.com/apple Doogan, from the Philadelphia suburb of Broomall, played hoops and volleyball as a youngster. When COVID hit, she leaned hard into basketball, the sport in which her mother, Chrissie, starred at La Salle (1,818 points, 914 rebounds) and then coached as an assistant at Cornell and La Salle. Doogan wears No. 44 because her mother wore No. 45 at La Salle and that wasn’t available at Doogan’s high school, though she wanted it. Instead, Doogan wore 44, and “I did pretty well in high school, so I just stuck with it in college.” UR’s Addie Budnik, center, tries to hold the ball against Duke’s Celeste Taylor, left, and Kennedy Brown during the first half of the college women’s basketball game at University of Richmond on Sunday, December 4, 2022. UR’s Emilija Krista Grava (center) battled for control of the ball with Duke’s Jordyn Oliver (left) and Kennedy Brown at the Robins Center. UR’s Emilija Krista Grava passes the ball next to Duke’s Lee Volker during the first half of the college women’s basketball game at University of Richmond on Sunday, December 4, 2022. UR’s Emilija Krista Grava passes the ball against Duke’s Kennedy Brown during the first half of the college women’s basketball game at University of Richmond on Sunday, December 4, 2022. UR’s head coach Aaron Roussell is shown at the game against Duke during the first half of the college women’s basketball game at University of Richmond on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Duke’s head coach Kara Lawson is shown at the game against UR during the first half of the college women’s basketball game at University of Richmond on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Grace Townsend makes a move past Duke’s Celeste Taylor during the first half of Richmond’s home loss. John O’Connor (804) 649-6233 joconnor@timesdispatch.com VCU AT RICHMOND Women’s basketball Sunday: 2 p.m. TV: CBSSN University of Richmond and Richmond Flying Squirrels Reporter Spiders, coach Aaron Roussell head into 2025 tested “Defense decides who wins. Offense decides by how much.” “I just fell in love with the people, the place, the community. I just could not imagine playing and spending my last year anywhere else.” George Washington III played in four games and totaled 15 minutes and five points prior to his Wednesday contribution at St. Bonaventure (eigh… “We’ve just struggled so much on offense to convert and put the ball in the basket.” The University of Richmond has won four straight in the series. “It just happens to be like I’m in more of a supporting role. I’m not starting. That stuff doesn’t really matter to me.” “We’ve had a lot of players who became very important contributors to great teams here who really struggled in their first year or two.” “Just tell me what it is and we can prepare, tell me what it is and we can adapt.” Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Account processing issue – the email address may already exist Thank you . Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Check your email for details. Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account. No promotional rates found.
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