Women's Basketball Second Half Rally Comes Up Short in 85-78 Setback to RIC

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Rhode Island College women's basketball team withstood a furious Bridgewater State second half rally as the visiting Anchorwomen held on for an 85-78 victory on Tuesday night at the Tinsley Center.

The Anchorwomen improve to 3-2 on the season, while the Bears slip to 5-1. RIC has won each of the last five meetings of the two teams and hold an 18-15 edge in the all-time series. The Anchorwomen have also won each of the last six meetings at the Tinsley Center.

RIC senior forward Isabelle Booth (Newport, R.I.) led all players with 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting including 4-for-6 from three-point range. Booth also pulled down eight rebounds and dished out three assists.

Sophomore guard Madison Medbury (Scituate, R.I.) checked in with 15 points, six boards and five assists for the Anchorwomen, while senior guard Antonia Corsinetti (Johnston, R.I.) scored 12 points, including a clutch late-game three-pointer. Senior center Neleesha Meunier (Leominster, Mass.) added 12 points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.

Sophomore guard Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with 22 points (11-13 FT), seven rebounds and three steals, while senior guard Sydney Bradbury (East Bridgewater, Mass.) notched 17 points and sophomore forward Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.) chipped in with ten points and four boards. Junior guard Caroline Tripp (Plymouth, Mass.) filled the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Senior guard Kylee Piche (Bridgewater, Mass.) pulled down a career-high ten rebounds and dished out a game-best six assists to go along with five points.

RIC came out strong, outscoring the Bears 18-2 in the first quarter. Bridgewater did not make a field goal in the opening period. The Bears missed their first 14 shots before Tripp drove in for a layup 58 seconds into the second quarter.

The Bears bounced back with a much stronger second period but could not cut into the lead as the Anchorwomen carried a 40-19 advantage into the intermission.

Booth led all players with ten first-half points. RIC shot 50% (18-36) from the floor over the opening 20 minutes and knocked down 4 of 11 (36.4%) from behind the arc. The Anchorwomen held the Bears to 21.4% (6-28) shooting in the first half.

Trailing 59-36 in the third quarter, the Bears used a 13-2 run to close out the period and carried that momentum into the final quarter. Grassi scored six points during the run, including a three pointer, while Tripp tallied four points and capped off the spurt with a buzzer-beating layup.

A pair of three-pointers by Bradbury sandwiched around an RIC bucket pulled the Bears to within eight, 63-55, with just under nine minutes left to play in the fourth quarter. Bridgewater continued to chip away at the deficit and pulled to within five, 77-72, following a Cleveland three-pointer and a Piche free throw with three minutes showing on the scoreboard. After forcing a turnover, Grassi knocked down a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game.

On the ensuing possession, Corsinetti drilled a clutch three-pointer off a key offensive rebound to push the RIC advantage up to 80-74 with 2 ½ minutes remaining in the contest. Bridgewater would not recover. The Bears were unable to convert on their next four possessions, missing four straight shots and also turning the ball over, as the Anchorwomen held on for the 85-78 victory.

RIC shot 45.2% (33-73) for the game and finished 9-for-24 (37.5%) from behind the arc and just 10-for-20 (50%) at the free throw line. The Anchorwomen held a 52-40 rebounding advantage with a 21-13 edge off the offensive glass.

Bridgewater bounced back after a tough start to shoot 45.3% (24-53) from the floor and 37.5% (6-16) from three-point range over the final three quarters. The Bears also finished 24-for-29 (82.8%) at the free throw line.

The Anchorwomen held the edge in both points in the paint (40-30) and second chance points (25-13), while the Bears finished with a 14-8 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Bears are back in action next Tuesday night when they host UMass Dartmouth at seven o'clock. The Anchorwomen entertain Wesleyan University on Sunday afternoon at one.