Rhode Island Starters
Phillips, Hyman, Komara, Touré, Davis
Fordham Starters
Donaldson, Hayford, Nelson, McGurk, Harris
How It Happened
A little home cooking – and a key 17-0 run that stretched from the second quarter into the third – helped Rhode Island hold off Fordham 55-44 Wednesday night.
The teams were separated by just one point after the first quarter, with Fordham holding a 12-11 lead. However, Rhode Island (12-7, 4-2 A-10) used its defense and a huge quarter from
Tenin Magassa to take control late in the second period. The Rams held Fordham scoreless over the final five minutes, ending the half on a 10-0 run. Magassa scored eight of the points in the key stretch, helping Rhody carry a 28-20 lead into the break. URI forced Fordham to miss its final eight shots of the half.
A 7-0 run to start the second half expanded the lead to 15 at 35-20.
Sophie Phillips knocked down a 3-pointer before
Mayé Touré hit back-to-back baskets. The lead grew to as many as 19 as URI threatened to put the game away early by limiting Fordham (6-12, 1-6 Atlantic 10) to four points in the third quarter.
However, the visitors managed to cut the lead to single digits with an 8-0 run late in the fourth. An old-fashioned three-point play by Emy Hayford trimmed the URI advantage to 47-39 with 3:54 to go. A pair of
Teisha Hyman free throws pushed the lead back to 10, and the Rams kept Fordham at an arm's length from there.
Inside the Box Score
- Rhode Island improved to 8-1 at the Ryan Center.
- Center Tenin Magassa had eight points on 4-of-5 shooting. She also blocked three shots and had three rebounds.
- Guard Teisha Hyman posted a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. It was her first double-double of the season and second of her career.
- Forward Mayé Touré led Rhode Island with 15 points to go with five rebounds.
- URI limited Fordham's bench to two points.
- Fordham's Taylor Donaldson entered the game as the leading scorer in the Atlantic 10, averaging 18.0 points per game. She finished the night with 11 points.
Up Next
Rhode Island hosts Saint Joseph's on Sunday, Jan. 21 on National Girls and Women In Sports Day. Tipoff is at 12 p.m. and the game will air nationally on ESPNU.