![]() |
Rhode Island College Matches Record; Advances To Semifinals
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Sophomore guard Ashley
O'Dell (Lincoln, R.I.) scored a career-high 18 points to help lead
No. 4 Rhode Island College to a 63-52 win over No. 5 UMass
Dartmouth in quarterfinal action of the 2011 Little East Conference
Women's Basketball Tournament.
The win was the 20th for the Anchorwomen (20-6), who tie the RIC
record for the most wins in a season. The 1997-98 squad (20-7) had
previously been the lone program high mark.
More importantly, Rhode Island College advances to the semifinals
of the tournament and will face top seed and host Western
Connecticut on Friday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. The win over the Corsairs
(8-18) snaps a five-season first round losing streak for the hosts,
who are headed back to the semis for the first time since the
2004-05 campaign.
O'Dell posted a complete effort with a game-high six assists, four
steals and four rebounds. Junior forward Rachel Riley (Coventry,
R.I.) recorded her 17th double-double of the season, scoring 17
points and pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds.
Junior guard Stephanie Coro (North Providence, R.I.) equaled
O'Dell's offensive efforts with 18 of her own.
It was a sluggish start for the Anchorwomen, who had bested the
Corsairs twice already this season by 36 points. The two teams
combined for first half 20 first turnovers, with the visitors
committing 13.
A layup and ensuing foul shot by O'Dell gave RIC a six-point, 12-6,
lead with 13:04 left in the first half. She helped the Anchorwomen
pile up a 10-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers late in the
first stanza as RIC built a comfortable cushion.
Both teams shot about the same, but the Anchorwomen's ability to
take 14 additional shots helped them take a 31-21 lead into
halftime.
Rhode Island College increased its advantage by scoring the first
five points of the second half in just a 45-second time span.
UMD was never able to mount a serious threat as the Anchorwomen did
not let the visitors get within 11 points the rest of the game.
RIC shot 34 percent (23-of-68) from the field and struggled
mightily from downtown (4-for-21) with a 19-percent effort.
The Corsairs shot 39 percent (20-of-52) from the field amd only
mustered one long ball in 10 attempts. UMD did hold the advantage
in rebounding, 45-38.
UMass Dartmouth, which see its season come to an end, was led by
junior guard Stephanie Houtman (New Bedford, Mass.) who scored a
game-high 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and four
assists. Sophomore forward Colleen Moriarty (Canton, Mass.)
contributed 16 points and seven rebounds.
-end-









