Women's basketball narrowly top Duquesne in defensive battle

Photo courtesy of Connor Caldon - gorhody.com

After getting swept off the floor in Richmond, Rhode Island women’s basketball needed a response against the best offense in the conference on Wednesday. 

That’s exactly what it got – In a 59-57 defensive battle that never escaped a four-point deficit for either team, the Rams held Duquesne to its lowest point tally of the year, and first loss in five games. 

Prior to Wednesday night, the high-flying Duquesne offense led the Atlantic 10 with a staggering 76.1 points per game, coming to the Ryan Center off the back of their seventh 80+ point showing of the season in a dominant win over St. Bonaventure. 

For the Rams, the win against an offense of that caliber marked a defensive resilience that, although it went missing for the majority of non-conference play, is finally starting to come together, according to head coach Tammi Reiss.

“We hadn't done it the whole non-conference, we hadn't really won a close game,” Reiss said.

“The last couple games, to be able to execute, the girls got a taste of it. They have confidence in it. It's starting to come together. They're starting to embrace the roles. They're starting to embrace that confidence that we can get a stop…That's a testament to their perseverance and determination. They didn't quit.”

Throughout the game, a career night from sophomore guard Sophia Vital helped her match up against one of the nation’s top point guards. Vital dropped a career-high 20 points and shot 4-8 from deep to keep the Rams neck and neck with the Dukes. She was the only Ram to finish in double-figures, surpassing her previous career high of 16 points which was set in the first meeting between these teams less than a month ago. 

“I just thought it was a game where I needed to step up,” Vital said. “Last game we played them, I was a little tentative. I wasn't attacking as much. I wasn't looking for my shot. This game I just thought I was going to shoot the three with confidence, get to the basket with confidence and just find my teammates.”

On the other end, senior guard Megan McConnell – who leads the A-10 with nearly 18.6 points per game and is one of only four players nationwide to record multiple triple-doubles this season – put up a floor-leading 22 points, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the visitors’ total scoring on the night. Although she got off to a slow start with just seven first-half points, her crafty interior work proved difficult for the Rams to contain for all 40 minutes. 

With the two teams separated by just one point in the final minute, Duquesne had a golden opportunity to get the edge when junior guard Jerni Kiaku stood at the free throw line with two shots. However, an uncharacteristic 0-2 trip kept the Rams narrowly in front, as did McConnell’s layup attempt during the ensuing play that came within inches of a go-ahead bucket before rimming out. 

Ultimately, the ball ended up with Duqesne, who held what appeared to be the final possession of the game with just 14 seconds left. With the game on the line, the Dukes couldn’t find a look, and an airtight defensive effort forced a loose ball that junior forward Hawa Komara scooped off the baseline as time expired. 

After a lengthy review to confirm the clock timing on the final play, Rhode Island narrowly came out on top, 59-57. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a game that displayed URI’s identity – it’s what a Tammi Reiss team is all about.

“Defensively, we've been really, really good going down the past couple games and I'm really, really proud of them,” Reiss said. “Defense and rebounding are staples. We have to do that to be in games and then when we can put some points on the board, we'll win some basketball games.”

The win improved Rhode Island’s conference record to 7-4 on the season, elevating Reiss’ squad to a tie for fifth place in the conference with Dayton – who come to the Ryan Center on Saturday. 

As the business end of the season approaches, what promises to be a vital A-10 matchup between the Rams and the Flyers will tip-off at 1 p.m. on Saturday on ESPN+. Radio broadcasts will be available on WRIU 90.3 and The Varsity Network.