URI women's basketball takes split in Atlantic 10

03/11/09 - The University of Rhode Island women's basketball team finished its season off with a record of 10-21, after upsetting fifth-seeded George Washington University but falling to fourth-seeded Richmond University this past weekend at the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.After dropping a 55-48 road decision to the Colonials earlier in the regular season, the Rams overcame great odds in defeating GWU for the first time in more than 13 years.

"We've always known we've had the players to perform," assistant coach Denise King said. "It's just a matter of the pieces coming together. GW was a huge game for us. We know that we should have beaten them in the beginning of the year so there was a lot of emotion, a lot of intensity, a lot of attention and detail riding on this game."

Rhode Island's backcourt led the way offensively, as senior guard Crystal Bellinger and junior guard Lindsay Harris poured in 15 points apiece. Senior forward Tanja Licina and freshman forward Lara Gaspar also scored in double figures, contributing 12 and 10 points respectively.

"It started about a game or two before," King said. "The confidence started building, people started clicking, and we felt as though it was a really good time for us to be coming around and to be meshing well."

After jumping out to an early 10-5 advantage, the Rams were outscored 20-10 during the next 11 minutes of play, and found themselves trailing 25-20 with just more than two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the period.

In each of Rhode Island's last nine losses during the regular season, Rhody entered the half trailing. The Rams were able to close out the first half of Saturday's game with a 7-2 push, however, to tie the score at 27 apiece and eventually pull away for a 62-58 victory.

"It's always a huge momentum change to come down from a deficit and then come back and make the game exciting," King said. "But it's also very draining. It's tough to come back from five points, seven points, 10 points and have that huge 20-point turnaround. It takes a lot. Sometimes you have enough time, sometimes you don't. Sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn't."

Another constant for the Rams during their nine-game losing streak was being on the wrong end of a big second half run. Saturday, however, it was Rhode Island that responded to a 14-8 push by the Colonials with a 15-2 spurt of its own, jumping out to 50-43 lead.

"The ball bounced our way," King said. "We had some people step up and try to take a little bit more of a leadership role that in the beginning of the season they may not have been apt to take. It's tournament time and anything can happen. People can step up that you would never imagine to step up."

The Rams were outscored 15-12 during the final nine-and-a-half minutes of play, but GWU's push was not enough, as Rhody picked up its first victory since its 54-48 win against LaSalle University on Jan. 27.

The Rams then took on fourth-seeded Richmond University, which they had fallen to on their home court in February. Only once before in A-10 Conference Tournament history had a team beaten an opponent seeded eight spots higher than itself. Had Rhode Island beaten Richmond this past Sunday, it would have been the biggest upset since No.10 Duquesne University's victory over No.2 Charlotte University in the 2006 quarterfinals.

Rhody's backcourt led the way once again offensively, but came up short in a 64-48 defeat, as sophomore guard Megan Shoniker followed up her six-point, 10-rebound effort against GWU with a 14-point performance against the Spiders. Harris had her second straight great game as well, contributing nine points while grabbing 10 boards.

"They got a lot of easy points in transition," King said. "They had some decent steals and some leak-outs on the defensive end that hurt us."

Senior forward Sierra Cooper, who was held to just four points and three rebounds in Rhody's Feb. 14 loss to the Spiders, contributed six points in Sunday's loss. Cooper also added nine boards, helping her squad out-rebound Richmond, 41-32.

Despite the rebounding advantage, the Rams committed seven more turnovers than the Spiders did. This marked only the second game since Dec. 22 the Rams forced fewer turnovers than they committed.

"When you don't get opportunities at the basket to score and the other team is coming down and getting wide open lay-ups and free shots, it makes a difference," King said.

Richmond's sophomore guard Brittani Shells averaged 13.3 points per game during the regular season, but was held to just eight in Richmond's 59-54 victory over the Rams earlier in the year. Sunday, however, Shells filled up the stat sheet, leading her squad with 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half, helping to build a 32-18 halftime advantage.

"I feel as though [Shells] hit a bunch of amazing shots," King said. "She hit some tough shots with a hand in her face and her off the dribble game is really good. We defended her as best as we could but she really took over and she really stepped up."

Spider senior guard Johanna McKnight, who averages about 11 points per game, hit Rhode Island up for 15 points for the second time in as many games against the Rams, helping her squad to stretch its advantage to as high as 20 points on two occasions and to secure a 64-48 victory.