Jan. 16, 2008

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. -Senior Safi Mojidi (Silver Spring, Md.) scored a team-best 16 points and junior Tanja Licina (Belgrade, Serbia) recorded a season-high 11 rebounds as the Rhode Island women's basketball team fell to No. 13/13 George Washington, Wednesday night at the Ryan Center.

GW got things started with 6-0 run over the first four minutes and stretched its lead to 10 (16-6) with 5:42 left on the clock. Mojidi then hit a three to spark a Rhody comeback. Redshirt junior Crystal Bellinger (New York, N.Y.) and senior Whitney Hollis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) followed with back-to-back baskets before Mojidi tied things up with another shot from outside the arc.

Sophomore Lindsay Harris (Upper Marlboro, Md.) sank the go-ahead shot for the Rams while the URI defense held the Colonials scoreless until Sarah-Jo Lawrence was fouled with less than a second left on the clock. Lawrence sank both of her free throws, sending Rhode Island into the break with a 22-18 advantage.

The Colonials (14-3, 2-0 Atlantic 10), who failed to connect from the field for the final 5:42 of the half, shot just 21.2% (7-33) and scored a season-low 18 first-half points.

The second half featured seven lead changes with Beck scoring 23 of her career-high 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting with three treys.

With the clock reading 1:24 and URI leading by a point, Beck scored on a one-handed floater to give George Washington a 44-43 lead.

After a turnover by Rhode Island (7-10, 0-2 Atlantic 10), Sarah-Jo Lawrence hit a jump shot but the Rams countered with a driving layup by Bellinger that pulled URI within one (46-45) with 21.2 seconds left.

The Colonials were able run down the clock, moving the ball around before Rhody fouled Beck with 10.9 seconds remaining. Beck made both shots to secure the 48-45 victory.

The win improved George Washington's streak to nine games and 18 consecutive regular-season conference games dating back to the 2005-06 season.

Bellinger finished with a game-high seven assists for the Rams while Mojidi had a game-high four steals. Hollis and GW's Whitney Allen each recorded two blocks.

Rhode Island returns to the Ryan Center to take on St. Bonaventure, Saturday at 2 p.m.