Nov. 21, 2008
Game Notes | Tickets | Gametracker
RHODE ISLAND VS. NO. 1/1 CONNECTICUT
Rhode Island travels to Hartford, Conn. to take on No. 1/1 Connecticut, Saturday afternoon at the XL Center. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. Rhode Island, which holds a 12-9 advantage in the all-time series with UConn, will be facing the Huskies for the first time since Nov. 21, 2001. In that game, Rhody was defeated by a score of 83-38.
RHODE ISLAND VS. THE BIG EAST
Rhode Island has turned in a 15-41 (.268) all-time record against members of the Big East. The last time out against a Big East opponent, Rhode Island fell to Providence (64-55) at home on Dec. 1, 2007. In that game, URI had three players reach double-figures led by former URI center Whitney Hollis' 12 points.
SCOUTING THE TOP-RANKED HUSKIES
Connecticut comes into Saturday's game as the country's No. 1 team in both polls. The Huskies improved to 2-0 on Thursday following a 99-55 victory over San Diego State. UConn opened the year with a 82-71 victory over Georgia Tech back on Nov. 16. The Huskies were tied at 34 apiece at the half, but UConn pulled away in the second half, outscoring Georgia Tech 48-37. A trio of All-Americans and All-Big East First Team members, Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles, which helped the Huskies to a 36-2 record a year ago, leads UConn. Moore leads the team in scoring with 20.5 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding with 11.5 rebounds per game.
URI'S LAST RANKED OPPONENT IN THE REGULAR SEASON
The last time the Rams faced a ranked opponent in the regular season, URI dropped a 48-45 heartbreaker to No. 13 George Washington on Jan. 16, 2008 at the Ryan Center. In that game, the Rams held on to a one-point lead late in the second half, but GW went ahead with 1:24 remaining and never looked back, grinding out the 48-45 victory.
RHODE ISLAND ALL-TIME
In 32 seasons of basketball, URI has posted a 371-541 mark (.402). The team's all-time record at the Ryan Center is 30-40 (.429). This season, the Rams are 0-1 on their home court and 1-0 on the road.
LAST TIME OUT
Sierra Cooper scored a career-high 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Rhode Island women's basketball team to a 66-60 win over Siena, Monday night at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. For Cooper, the double-double was the second of her career. Crystal Bellinger rounded out URI's double-figure scoring, chipping in 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal while classmate Amanda McGrew recorded a game-high three steals and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.
CASHING IN FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
After shooting just four throws in its season-opening loss to Boston, URI had 23 attempts from the charity stripe in Monday night's win over Siena. Thirteen of those attempts came from seniors Sierra Cooper and Amanda McGrew. Cooper and McGrew combined for a perfect 13-of-13 showing from the line.
SEEING DOUBLE
Sierra Cooper recorded her second career double-double against Siena, Nov. 17 at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. The Rhody senior put up a game- and career-high 23 while leading the team with 12 boards. Cooper's last double-double performance (13p, 14r) came against Stony Brook on Dec. 29, 2007.
RAMS RALLY FOR WIN AT SIENA
Trailing the Saints 35-32 at halftime, Rhode Island opened the second frame with a 20-7 run and never looked back, oulasting Siena 66-60 at the Times Union Center on Nov. 17. The Rams withstood a late Siena push that got the home team to within one (61-60) with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
GASPAR SHINES IN COLLEGIATE DEBUT
Freshman Lara Gaspar recorded nine points and three rebounds in her collegiate debut, Nov. 14 against Boston University. The 6-0 swing player saw 17 minutes of action and also registered a steal while accounting for over half of the 16 points from Rhody's bench.
UP NEXT FOR THE RAMS
Rhode Island returns to action on Nov. 25 to faceoff against in-state rival Brown. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Brown's Pizzatola Center. URI holds a 19-8 advantage in the all-time series against the Bears, winning six of the last 10 games. Last year, URI defeated Brown, 61-55, in Kingston.
URI PICKED 11TH IN PRESEASON POLL
The Rhode Island women's basketball team was picked to finish 11th in the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 Conference race, according to a poll conducted by the A-10 head coaches and select media. Rhody finished the 2007-08 campaign with a 13-18 record (5-9 A-10) and advanced to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
RHODY RETURNERS
The 2008-09 Rhode Island roster features six letterwinners who saw action in 30-or-more games last season, and eight returners overall. Four of the Rams' top-five scorers from last season are back. Amanda McGrew returns as the leadig scorer while Sierra Cooper led last year's squad on the boards (5.5 rpg). Crystal Bellinger (7.4 ppg, 3.6 apg), Tanja Licina (5.8 ppg) and Lindsay Harris (2.8 ppg) round out Friday's probable starters while Megan Shoniker (4.1 ppg), Ebony Evans (1.2 ppg) and Aija Veiksane 1.8 ppg) all are entering their second season in Kingston.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Rams have added five newcomers as junior Caitlin Kearns - a transfer from Utah State - and freshman Chari Lehnertz - a three-sport athlete out of Winona, Minn. - will bring length to the frontcourt while junior Janae Miller, freshmen Sherrie Session and Lara Gaspar will add depth to the perimeter. Miller, a transfer from Central Arizona, averaged 9.86 points and 4.61 last season and helped lead her team to two league championships and back-to-back second place finishes at the junior college nationals. A native of Downey, Calif., Session averaged 17.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg at Valley Christian High School while Gaspar, who hails from Spa, Belgium, averaged 13.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg at South Forsyth (Ga.) High School.
RAMS IN 2007-08
Last season, the Rhode Island Rams turned in an overall record of 13-18 - a seven game improvement from 2006-07 (6-29). The Rams were 5-9 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, finishing tied (with Saint Louis) for 10th place. Rhody made its 26th-consecutive appearance in the A-10 Tournament, falling to No. 13 George Washington, 70-43, in the quarterfinals after defeating St Bonaventure, 61-49, in the opening round of competition.
ATLANTIC 10 FORMAT
The Atlantic 10 Conference consists of 14 member schools competing under one division. During the Conference schedule, each team will play one regular-season game against 12 of the Conference institutions and two regular-season games against one Conference institution designated as its travel partner (URI's travel partner is Massachusetts) for a total of 14 Conference games.
A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP
Charlotte was selected by Conference athletic directors to host the 2009 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship. The Championship, in its 27th season, will tip-off on Friday, March 6 and conclude on Monday, March 9. The top-12 teams in the league qualify for the tournament with four teams receiving first round byes. The quarterfinals will be played on March 7 and the two semifinal matchups will take place on Sunday, March 8 and will be televised by CBS College Sports. The Championship game will be played on Monday, March 9 with the winner receiving the league's automatic berth into the 2009 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. Xavier is back-to-back defending Atlantic 10 Champions.
