Rhode Island Starters
Phillips, Dutat, Touré, Debroise, Davis

Saint Louis Starters
McMakin, Calhoun, Shavers, Kennedy, Gray

How it Happened
No. 6 Rhode Island held off a second-half comeback to defeat No. 7 Saint Louis 68-62 on Saturday to clinch the team's first trip to the Atlantic 10 Championship game in more than two decades.

Dee Dee Davis, Mayé Touré and Teisha Hyman combined for 42 points to lead the Rams to the title game for the first time since 2003.

Rhody (21-13) led by one point after a back-and-forth opening quarter, but the Rams took over in the second period. URI outscored the Billikens 24-11 in the second behind seven points from Tenin Magassa and six more from Dee Dee Davis. It allowed the Rams to take a commanding 16-point lead into the half.

No. 7 Saint Louis (16-18) surged back by outscoring URI 23-13 in the third quarter. The Billikens kept chipping away, making it a one-possession game with 1:59 to go when Peyton Kennedy got a second-chance layup and was fouled. The three-point play made the score 62-60, but Touré extended the lead with a hook shot in the paint. Saint Louis missed its final four shot attempts, and Rhode Island held on for its third win in as many days.

Inside the Box Score

• Rhode Island advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship final for the third time in program history. The Rams made it in 1984 and 2003, but it lost both contests.
• Guard Dee Dee Davis continued her strong tournament, scoring 16 points to go with nine rebounds and four assists.
• Forward Mayé Touré had a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
• She was 7-of-11 from the field.
• Guard Teisha Hyman had 12 points, five rebounds and two steals.
• Guard Sophie Phillips had nine points, all of which came on 3-pointers.
• Center Tenin Magassa was again key off the bench, scoring seven points and grabbing three boards. She notched a plus-10 in 13 minutes.
• Rhode Island had an 18-11 edge in points off turnovers, and a 32-24 advantage in the paint.

Up Next
Rhode Island will play No. 1 Richmond in the Atlantic 10 Championship final on Sunday at 4 p.m. The game will broadcast nationally on ESPN2. The winner of the game receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.