PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team lost its first game of the New Year, falling 62-77 to Rhode Island College Thursday evening at the Murray Center.
Both the Anchorwomen (9-2) and the Hawks (6-3) were seeing their first action since Dec. 11, a span of 26 days. The win for the hosts marked the eighth consecutive victory over their in-state rivals. In addition to Harrington, four Anchorwomen scored 10 or more points in the contest. Sophomore forward Courtney Burns (Rockland, Mass.) led RIC with 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting to go along with four rebounds and a game-high four steals.
Junior forward Rachel Riley (Coventry, R.I.) narrowly missed another double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds in only 21 minutes. Junior guard Stephanie Coro (North Providence, R.I.) contributed 14 points, five rebounds and two steals, while sophomore backcourt mate Ashley O¹Dell (Lincoln, R.I.) pitched in with an 11-point effort.
RIC opened the tilt on a 12-0 run and led, 22-2, 6:28 into the game. The Anchorwomen¹s largest advantage of the first frame was 21 points, 26-5, after an O¹Dell layup at the 11:30 mark.
The Hawks whittled the deficit down to nine points, 39-30, after a three-pointer by senior guard Kate Malenczak (Sayville, N.Y.) with 45 seconds left in the half. However, RIC rebounded with back-to-back buckets by Coro and Burns to take a 43-30 lead into halftime.
RIC shot 49 percent (17-for-35) over the first 20 minutes and turned the ball over a mere seven times. Conversely, RWU shot 33 percent (9-for-27) and committed 12 turnovers, helped by six Anchorwomen steals.
Rhode Island College quickly increased its lead in the second half, with Roger Williams never trimming its deficit under 10 points the rest of the night. RIC was up, 46-36, at 17:51, but from eventually built a game-high 26-point, 69-43, lead with just under 10 minutes left to play.
The hosts finished the game with a 43 percent (30-for-70) shooting performance from the field and converted 11-for-17 (65 percent) from the free throw line. RIC turned the ball over 19 times, but made 11 steals.
Junior guard Ryan Weekes (Worcester, Mass.) equaled Burns' game-high scoring effort with 15 points. Sophomore forward Alexandra Lanieri (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) posted 11 points and eight rebounds, while junior frontcourt mate Paige Congdon (Westwood, Mass.) contributed ten points and five rebounds.
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will resume Little East Conference play when it hosts Keene State on Saturday, Jan. 8. Roger Williams begins Commonwealth Coast Conference play this Saturday at noon.
- Release courtesy of the Rhode Island College Sports Information Department
