Junior forward Grant Golden recorded his 12th career double-double and guard Blake Francis scored a team-high 19 points to lead Richmond to a 62-52 victory over Wisconsin on Monday night in the opening game of the Roman Legends Classic in New York.

The Spiders (5-0) will oppose No. 18 Auburn in the event's title game Tuesday. The Badgers (4-2) will meet New Mexico in the consolation game.

Golden had 16 points and matched his career high with 12 rebounds as the Spiders fought off Wisconsin's comeback bid in the closing minutes. Francis nearly matched his 18.5 average in the first half with 16 points.

Forward Nate Reuvers led the Badgers with 17 points.

Guard Jacob Gilyard, Richmond's leading scorer with a 20.8-point average, made only 1 of 5 shots but it was a big one, a 3-pointer that capped an 8-0 Richmond run that gave the Spiders a 58-50 lead with under three minutes left. He later dropped in a pair of free throws to give the Spiders a 10-point cushion with a minute left.

It was the first time this season that the Spiders failed to score at least 85 points in a game. They were averaging 92.5 coming into the night.

Down 31-29 at the break thanks to forward Tyler Wahl's steal and mid-court 3-pointer at the buzzer, the Badgers caught up at 45-45 and then took their first lead since a 7-6 margin early in the game when Reuvers hit a pair of free throws to make 47-45 at the 9:56 mark.

But that last only 57 seconds when forward Nathan Cayo tied it with a jumper and guard Nick Sherod canned a long 3-pointer to put the Spiders up 50-47 with 8:31 left.

It was tied again at 50 on guard Brad Davison's 3-pointer, but Richmond had the counter with Golden's layup and free throw igniting the key run.

--Field Level Media