VCU Starters
Crespin Pastor , Griffin, Knezevic, Sotelo Miguez, Zachariah

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

How it Happened
Behind a dominant first quarter, Rhode Island beat VCU 85-42 at the Ryan Center on Wednesday night propelling the home team to its 16th straight victory. The home Rams made five 3-pointers in the opening 10 minutes setting the pace in the victory. 

Rhode Island (22-2, 13-0 Atlantic 10) opened the game on an 14-0 run and never looked back. Brooklyn Gray hit a 3-point bucket that forced VCU to burn its first timeout four minutes into the game. The first VCU bucket came with 5:22 left in the first quarter when Lacy Ghaifan hit a layup for the visiting Rams. The Rhode Island lead quickly ballooned to 20 after that. Gray tacked on two more three-pointers and Vanessa Harris added a layup to help Rhode Island to a 22-2 lead. 

Rhode Island's impressive first quarter concluded with a Valentina Ojeda three-point bucket with six seconds remaining in the opening quarter elevating the home team to a 29-6 first quarter lead. Rhode Island continued to control the game into the second half. The home Rams took their biggest lead of the evening midway through the fourth quarter. Eva Agba notched a second-chance layup to put Rhode Island up 51. 

Inside the Box Score

• Rhode Island never trailed in the game.
• The 85 points were the second most URI scored in a game this season behind only a 105-point performance against Emmanuel on Nov. 11.
• The Rams shot 47 percent from the field. 
• Rhode Island held VCU to 25 percent from the field and eight percent (2-for-25) from three. Both were season lows for VCU.
• URI scored 29 points in the first quarter; the most points the team has scored in the opening frame this season. 
• Rhode Island scored 16 points off of 13 VCU turnovers. 
• The home Rams outscored the visitors 19-3 in fast break points.
• Rhode Island won the rebounding battle 51-38.
• Rhode Island's 51 rebounds is the team's third highest total this season. 
• URI outscored VCU in the paint 40-28.
• Vanessa Harris was the game-high scorer with 16 points, and added six rebounds, and one steal off the bench.
• With six rebounds Harris matches her season-high, which she set on Jan. 3 against Loyola Chicago. 
• Ines Debroise scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished four assists, and snagged three steals.
• Palmire Mbu had 14 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and one assist.
• Brooklyn Gray contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, and two assists.
• Albina Syla tacked on nine points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks.
• Sophia Vital added on eight points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals while committing zero turnovers. Over the last four games - a total of 128 minutes - the guard has had just one turnover. 
• Valentina Ojeda put up seven points and one block.

Up Next
Rhode Island heads to Fairfax, Va. for a match up with George Mason on Saturday, Feb. 14. The game tips at 3 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+ and the Varsity Network.