Rhode Island Starters
Dale, Moffitt, Vargas, Jones, Jorgensen

Brown Starters
Leonidas, Gaziano, Dale, Ducharme, Green

How it Happened
Rhode Island will have the chance to defend its Ocean State Tip-Off title after the Rams dominated Brown, 89-44 Saturday.

The shooting of junior Marta Vargas and a stifling defensive effort led the way for the Rams. Vargas scored a game-high 21 points, making 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Rhode Island (6-2) also held the Bears (3-6) to 27.3 percent (18-of-66) from the floor.

The Rams established a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter. URI used its defense to disrupt Brown's flow, forcing nine turnovers in the opening period. Six different players scored, as Rhody's ball movement and balance got everyone on the floor involved offensively.

Rhody scored the first seven points of the second quarter, opening a 26-14 lead following a Vargas 3-pointer just 1:24 into the period. Rhody went scoreless over the next 4:02, but Brown (3-5) scored just four points of its own and only cut the deficit to eight points. It was all URI the rest of the quarter, as the Rams closed on an 11-3 spurt to go into the break with a 16-point lead, 37-21.

Rhode Island continued to stifle Brown in the third, limiting the Bears to 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from the floor. With the defense clamping down, it allowed the Rams to build its lead to as many as 31 points before the period ended.

The game was never in doubt in the final period, as the Rams coasted to their fourth straight victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Rhode Island won its fourth straight game, the first time the Rams have won four in a row since the 2014-15 season.
• This is the first time the Rams have opened the season 6-2 since 2001-02.
• The 89 points were a season high for Rhode Island, and the most for the team against a Division I opponent since a 91-78 win over Charlotte on Jan. 26, 2007.
• Junior Marta Vargas scored in double figures for the fourth straight game, finishing with 21 points. It was her sixth double-figure game of the season, and the second 20-point performance of her career.
• Vargas also had eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.
• Redshirt senior Davida Dale also reached double digits for the fourth straight game, going for 12 points. She added eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
• Senior Nicole Jorgensen had 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
• Redshirt junior Erin Jones was the fourth Ram in double figures. She had 10 points to go with six rebounds and a career-high seven assists.
• Redshirt sophomore Jessica Rogers had seven points, three assists and a steal.
• After Brown shot 42.9 percent (6-of-14) in the opening quarter, Rhode Island held the Bears to just 12-of-52 the rest of the way.
• All nine players who played for Rhode Island scored at least five points.
• The Rams had 21 assists on 35 field goals. It is the fourth straight game Rhody had at least 15 assists.

Up Next
The Rams will play Providence in the championship game of the Ocean State Tip-Off Sunday. The game will be at 2 p.m. at Bryant's Chace Athletic Center.