Women's basketball drops sixth straight game to Charlotte 49ers

02/09/10 - The University of Rhode Island women's basketball team dropped its sixth straight game Saturday night, falling to Charlotte University 49ers, 57-44, at the Halton Arena in North Carolina.Rhody (9-14, 2-6) continues to struggle on the road, as Saturday's loss marked their eighth road loss in just 12 games away from the Thomas M. Ryan Center this season.

"I think part of it is that our scoring has been something that has limited us and we knew that, coming into the season," head coach Cathy Inglese said.

"We've tried to generate some points and we have in some games, but we just need to get some people to be a little bit more consistent."

Despite the team's struggles, junior point guard Megan Shoniker continues to shine offensively, with a game-high 25 points. Shoniker has now scored in double figures in four of her last five games, averaging 18 points per game during that stretch.

"I think Megan Shoniker has done a really good job," Inglese said. "We just need to get more people scoring a few more points. That doesn't mean that everybody or anybody has to score 15 or 20 points per game. We just need to shoot the ball a little bit better and get our post involved."

Fellow co-captain Lindsay Harris stepped up her game on the glass, contributing a career-best 17 rebounds. Harris, like Shoniker, has played well during the team's six-game slide, averaging 11.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game during that span.

"Our rebounding has been good and our defense has been pretty good," Inglese said. "But I just think we need to get more people involved and start putting up some points. We've been putting in some plays to try to get more people involved but it's just, as I said, we've been missing some lay-ups and inside shots and that's been our biggest focus since the beginning of the season."

After trailing by no more than seven throughout the first eight minutes of the game, a three pointer from Charlotte's Jaquaria Forney with 11:56 remaining sparked an 18-6 49ers run. Rhody trailed 32-13 with 5:10 remaining, but used an 11-2 push to close out the half. They entered the break trailing 34-24.

Rhode Island stayed within 10 for the better part of the first seven minutes of the second half, but a jumper from Charlotte's Jessica Johnson with 13:17 remaining gave the 49ers a 13-point advantage at 47-34.

"We're in every game," Inglese said. "We're so close, but yet we look so far away. We're right there but it seems like in every game, it comes down to one or two or three possessions at key times that we have to do some things."

Each team was limited to just 10 points down the stretch. The Rams were held scoreless for the final 5:47 after a Shoniker jumper cut the deficit to nine at 53-44. Shoniker scored Rhody's last 10 points, but missed her final six offensive attempts during the Rams' scoring drought.

"I'm just looking to get better," Inglese said. "I know we've lost a certain amount of games in a row, but I'm more concerned with trying to get better and I think we have and that's why we're so close in some of these games."

Rhode Island will return to action when it hosts Duquesne University tonight at 7 p.m. Fans in attendance are encouraged to wear pink clothing in support of breast cancer awareness.