Box Score (PDF)RICHMOND, Va. - An up-and-coming Rhode Island squad had the answers in the second half, using a 10-0 run and making plays late to defeat the Explorers 65-60 in the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship Second Round at the Richmond Coliseum on Thursday night.
Micahya Owens led the 11th-seeded Explorers (15-16) with 19 points as the sophomore averaged 21.5 ppg in her two games in the tournament. Owens added six rebounds and went 7-for-9 at the free throw line.
Jasmine Alston added 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting and pulled down a game-high-tying eight rebounds. The A-10 All-Defensive Team honoree added two assists to bring her season total to 72, which moves her into a seventh place tie in program history for steals in a season. She is tied with Carlene Hightower, who also grabbed 72 steals in the 2006-07 season.
Siobhan Beslow chipped in 10 points.
Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Charise Wilson led the sixth-seeded Rams (17-12) with a game-high 23 points as URI advances to the quarterfinal round. The Rams will face third-seeded Duquesne on Friday.
The Explorers jumped out to a 15-6 lead midway through the first half. The Rams responded with an 8-2 run to draw within three at 17-14, but the Explorers responded in kind with an 8-2 run of their own to regain a nine-point lead at 25-16 with 5:47 left in the first half. That was the largest lead the Explorers would enjoy, however, as the Rams cut the lead to four before settling for a six-point difference at halftime as the Explorers led 29-23.
The Explorers missed their first four field goal attempts in the second half, and Rhody used that to seize momentum. The Rams shot 52.6 percent in the second half and went 85.7 percent (6-7) from three after the break to turn a six-point deficit into an eight-point 47-39 lead with 6:45 remaining in the game.
The Explorers had one last fight, mounting a 12-4 run and going ahead 52-51 with an Owens layup-and-one with 4:04 on the clock. The teams traded buckets for a few minutes, and the Explorers were in good position with a 58-57 lead on an Owens fastbreak layup with 1:01 left. A Tayra Melendez three was the dagger as the Rams grabbed a 60-58 lead with 47 seconds left. The Explorers were forced to foul and the Rams iced the game by going 5-for-6 at the line.
The Explorers shot 42.9 percent for the game but went just 1-for-8 from three. Free throws were hard to come by, going 11-for-17. The Rams shot 45.5 percent overall and 50.0 percent (6-for-12) from long range. They also hit 19 of 25 free throws, including 16-for-20 in the second half.
