Feb. 6, 2010

Box Score

CHARLOTTE - Rhode Island junior Megan Shoniker recorded a game-high 25 points as the Rams fell to Charlotte, 57-44, Saturday night at Halton Arena. Senior Lindsay Harris also led all players with a career-high 17 rebounds.

Shoniker has now led Rhody in scoring nine times this season while Harris has been the top rebounder in 20 of URI's 23 contests.

As a team, Rhode Island shot a season-best 87.5-percent (14-of-16) from the free throw line but was just 28-percent (14-of-50) from the field and 2-of-11 (14.3%) from beyond the arc.

Rhode (9-14, 2-6) Island forced Charlotte into three turnovers over the first two minutes of play while Shoniker scored five straight points to put the Rams in front, 5-2. The Niners came back with a 5-0 push to take a two-point lead (7-5) but another basket by Shoniker evened things up at 7-7 with 14:23 remaining in the half.

Charlotte (14-9, 7-2) then netted 12 unanswered points over the next 4:23 to open up a 19-7 advantage before taking its largest lead of the half (19 points) after a layup by Shannon McCallum made it 32-13 with 6:08 on the clock. Rhody closed out the half strong, limiting the 49ers to just one more basket while using an 11-2 push to cut the score to 34-24 at the break.

The Rams returned from the locker room and scored two quick buckets to get within six (34-38) but a 9-4 run put Charlotte in front 43-32 after five minutes of action. The Niners stayed on top by double figures - and led by as many as 15 points - until a jumper by Shoniker got Rhody to within nine (53-44) with 5:47 to go. However, that was as close as the Rams would get as they were unable to convert on their next 14 possessions.

McCallum finished with 19 points for the 49ers while Kendria Holmes added 10. McCallum and Holmes also led Charlotte with seven rebounds apiece.

The Rams return to action on Tuesday night when they host Duquesne at 7 p.m. Fans attending the game are encouraged to wear pink clothing in support of breast cancer awareness.