Rhode Island Starters
Phillips, Squires, Touré, Hattix-Covington, Lassiter

Princeton Starters 
Mitchell, Stone, St. Rose, Cunningham, Connolly

How It Happened
Princeton's Grace Stone hit a layup at the buzzer to hand Rhode Island a heartbreaking 56-54 loss Wednesday afternoon.

Rhode Island (9-3) led by five points with 4:36 to go, but the Tigers (8-3) ended the game on a 14-7 run to saddle URI with its second straight road loss.

The Rams led for more than 30 minutes of the game, using a stifling defense to hold a small lead for most of the day. However, a cold third quarter in which Rhody was 3-of-15 from the floor allowed Princeton to go on a run and take a 36-31 lead following a Grace Stone jumper with 2:21 left in the quarter, forcing a URI timeout. The basket capped an 11-2 run in which the Rams went more than four minutes without scoring.

Madison Hattix-Covington ended the drought with a pair of free throws at 1:51 of the third. She added two more free throws at the 1:06 mark, and an Emma Squires 3-pointer with three seconds in the quarter helped Rhode Island knot the score at 38-38 heading to the final stanza.

Mayé Touré put the Rams back in front 42-40 with a short jumper in the paint with 8:26 to go. After multiple empty possessions for both sides, Sophie Phillips got a steal and was fouled on the break. She made 1-of-2 to push the lead to three points. Stone hit a jumper for Princeton to make it a one-point game, but Ines Debroise hit a scoop shot and Touré hit a long jumper as Rhode Island pulled ahead, 47-42 with 4:36 to go.

Kaitlyn Chen made back-to-back baskets to again pull Princeton within one point, but a Phillips free throw made the score 48-46 URI. After a defensive stop, Lassiter drained a 3-point shot to extend the lead to five points. Princeton scored four straight points, and after Chen scored on a second-chance basket, Rhody's lead was trimmed to 51-50.

Julia Cunningham hit a jumper to put the Tigers in front by one with 1:08 to go, and after URI failed to score, Stone made 1-of-2 at the lone to make it 53-51 Princeton. Hattix-Covington scored a second-chance basket and was fouled. Her three-point play gave Rhode Island a 54-53 lead with 25 seconds to go, and Princeton called timeout to set up the potential final possession.

However, Chen drew a foul on Touré and made 1-of-2 at the line to tie the game 54-54 with 18 seconds to go. Rhode Island got the rebound on the missed free throw and called a timeout of its own. Looking to drive and dish, Debroise was whistled for an offensive foul, giving the ball back to Princeton with 6.1 seconds to go.

Off the inbound play, Stone was able to get to the basket for a layup at the buzzer for the game winner.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Princeton has won three in a row and five of its last six, with the lone loss coming against powerful Connecticut.
• Junior Mayé Touré led Rhode Island with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• It was her third double-double of the season.
• Graduate student Madison Hattix-Covington added 10 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
• Hattix-Covington was also 8-for-9 at the free throw line.
• Graduate student Sayawni Lassiter was the third Ram in double figures, scoring 10 points to go with four assists before she fouled out.
• Graduate student Emma Squires scored eight points and added three rebounds.
• Rhode Island was 13-of-17 at the free throw line, while Princeton was just 5-of-12.
• The Rams finished the game with 20 turnovers and 18 field goals.
• Despite the 20 turnovers, Rhode Island allowed just 13 points off turnovers.
• Princeton had a big 34-18 edge on points in the paint.
• After shooting 30.0 percent (9-of-30) from the floor in the first half, Princeton shot 50.0 percent (16-of-32) after the break.

Up Next
The Rams open Atlantic 10 play when they host Duquesne on Saturday, Dec. 31 for Family Day. Game time is 1 p.m. on ESPN+. All kids 12 years old and younger get in the Ryan Center for free.