Rhode Island Starters
Debroise, Gray, Mbu, Syla, Vital

VCU Starters
Crespin Pastor, Knezevic, Preston, Sotelo Miguez, Tkachenko

How it Happened
Rhode Island overcame VCU's second half surge to escape the Siegel Center with a 46-41 win on Wednesday night, helping the visiting Rams improve to 6-0 in Atlantic 10 and moving their winning streak to nine games. 
 
With 2:26 to go in the fourth quarter, VCU's (6-12, 2-4 Atlantic 10) Makennah White hit a 3-point jumper to give the home Rams their first lead of the night at 41-39. Rhode Island (15-2, 6-0 Atlantic 10) answered by scoring the next five points to retake the lead. A Sophia Vital 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper from Vanessa Harris helped Rhode Island to a 44-41 lead with under a minute to go in the fourth. 

VCU had a chance to tie the game with eight seconds remaining. A 3-point bid from Laia Crespin Pastor fell short. Ines Debroise hit two free throws with seconds remaining to help ice the game for Rhode Island. 

Despite a double figure lead at half, VCU started to mount a comeback early in the third quarter. The home Rams enjoyed a 10-0 run to cut into the Rhode Island lead make it a one possession game with 3:33 left in the third. Rhode Island and VCU exchanged threes to end the third quarter and give Rhode Island the 31-28 lead heading into the final quarter of regulation. 
 
Both Rhode Island and VCU started slow offensively with both teams combining for nine points on 4-of-30 shooting in the opening 10 minutes. VCU scored its first and only points of the first quarter on a Daija Preston layup 2:30 into the quarter. Rhode Island responded with a 7-0 run to close the quarter including a pair of buckets from Brooklyn Gray. 
 
Rhode Island's offense settled in during the second quarter, while its defense continued to impress. VCU did not score over the final 3:45 of the first half while Rhode Island outscored home Rams 16-8 in the second. Gray led all scorers with 10 first-half points helping Rhode Island to a 23-10 advantage at the break. 

Inside the Box Score

• Rhode Island held VCU to 10 first-half points, the fewest points URI has allowed in the first half this season. 
• Rhody enjoyed a 45-26 advantage on the boards against VCU. 
• Brooklyn Gray notched a game-high 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting. She added 11 rebounds helping her to her second double-double of the season and first since Rhode Island's win at Providence on Dec. 10, 2025.
• Sophia Vital tallied 10 points and eight rebounds while dishing six assists. 
• Valentina Ojeda had eight points on 3-of-4 shooting including 2-of-2 shooting from three-point territory. 
• Palmire Mbu finished the game with six points and eight rebounds. 
• Despite not scoring from the field, Ines Debroise scored three points all from the free-throw line. 
• The win was the seventh straight road victory for URI.
• The Rams are 6-0 in the Atlantic 10 for the third time under head coach Tammi Reiss.

Up Next
Rhode Island hosts Duquesne on Sunday, Jan. 18 at The Ryan Center. Game time is 1:30 p.m. and nationally televised on USA Network and the Varsity Network.