Nov. 22, 2010

Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Freshman Kerry Wallack pulled down a game- and career-high 18 rebounds as the Rhode Island women's basketball team came back from a 10-point second-half deficit to defeat Fairfield, 52-44 on Monday night at Alumni Hall. Senior Megan Shoniker added a game- and season-high 23 points while junior Lara Gaspar added 10 points and seven rebounds.

As a team, Rhode Island held Fairfield to a 32.7-percent night from the floor - including a 27.3-percent showing from long range. The Stags had entered the game shooting 47.2-percent overall and 57.1 percent from three-point territory.

The win - which improves Rhody to 3-1 - gives the Rams their best start to a season since 2002-03 when URI opened with six straight wins. For the Stags, the loss marks their first defeat in 2010-11 as they drop to 3-1.

Rhody applied the defensive pressure early on, causing Fairfield to miss eight of its first 11 attempts from the floor. The Rams led 6-5 after five and a half minutes of play, but the Stags came back with a 15-5 run to take their largest lead of the half (20-11) with 7:45 remaining. However, URI clawed its way back and made it a two-point game (23-21) at the break.

Fairfield stretched its lead to 10 (31-21) after Katelyn Linney's fifth three of the game - and led 33-23 with 15:23 left in the game. Rhode Island, however, rallied back - for the second time in as many games - with a 22-11 run to get back on top, 45-44, after 11-consecutive points by Shoniker.

Sophomore Ashley Rivera followed with another long-range jumper that gave Rhody a 48-44 lead while the Rams' defense kept Fairfield off the board for final 4:52 of the game. A pair of free throws by Wallack capped off the late push, sealing the 52-44 victory.

Rhody is back in action on Friday night as it travels to Albuquerque for the New Mexico Thanksgiving Tournament. The Rams open play against Oklahoma State and will face either San Francisco or New Mexico the following night.