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

Massachusetts Starters
Taylor, Philoxy, Mayo, Ngalakulondi, Breen

How it Happened
The Rams used an efficient fourth quarter of 3-point shooting to pick up a big win over Massachusetts, 75-68, Wednesday night. 

Rhode Island (11-3, 2-0 A-10) came out with a dominating first quarter, holding the host Minutewomen to just seven points and 3-of-14 from the floor in the first 10 minutes. After a technical foul was issued to Massachusetts' Makenna White, Sayawni Lassiter made both at the line to give the Rams a double-digit lead (17-7). Mayé Touré had a last-second put-back layup after cleaning up the boards to give the Rams a 19-7 lead going into the second period.

Massachusetts (11-4, 1-1 A-10) stormed back in the second, using a 12-2 run to build its first lead of the game (27-26). Turnovers doomed the Rams in the second, as Rhody had nine miscues that led to 10 points for the host Minutewomen. Nevertheless, URI went into the break up two, 31-29. 

In the third, the first two minutes of play saw 17 points scored between the teams. Rhody went up six after Madison Hattix-Covington hit from deep (46-40), but UMass would not go away, using an 8-0 run to gain the lead (48-46) with three minutes left in the quarter. Reigning A-10 Player of the Year Sam Breen completed her second classic three-point play of the quarter to put the hosts up five, but a three-ball by Ines Debroise got the Rams within two with 30 seconds left (53-51).

Rhode Island exploded in the fourth quarter, connecting on 6-of-11 from deep with key 3-pointers from Sophie Phillips, Hattix-Covington, and Lassiter. The Rams used a 15-2 run over five minutes of the final period to build a lead of 67-57. Rhody had its biggest lead and essentially put the game away after Phillips drilled a 3-pointer- her fifth of the day- to put the Rams up 14 (75-61). Massachusetts ended the game on a 7-0 run, but it wasn't enough and the Rams held on for their second straight Atlantic 10 win. 

Inside the Box Score

• Junior Mayé Touré led the Rams with 20 points on 9-of-11 from the floor. She added 10 boards for her third straight double-double.
• It was the second 20-point performance for Touré, and the first since her 27-point game in the season opener against Harvard.
• Grad transfer Madison Hattix-Covington had her first double-double as a Ram, pairing 17 points with 10 rebounds.
• Sophomore Sophie Phillips had her second straight game scoring double figures with 15 points. She connected on 5-of-7 from long range. 
• Grad transfer Sayawni Lassiter was the fourth Ram in double figures, adding 13 points. She dished out seven assists and grabbed two steals. 
• Rhode Island shot 46.7 percent from 3-point land, connecting on 14-of-30.  The Rams held UMass to 5-of-19 (26.3 percent) from three.
• The win was the 57th for head coach Tammi Reiss. She passed Tom Garrick (56) for third place among head coaches all-time. 

Up Next
The Rams return to the Ryan Center to host La Salle at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.