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Women's Basketball

Rhode Island Set for the First Round of NCAA Tournament Saturday

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RHODE ISLAND AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT - Series notes 

  • URI's historic season will continue in Louisville, where the No. 11 Rams will face No. 6 Alabama in Regional 3, the Fort Worth region. The opening-round game will be played on Saturday, March 21.
  • Rhode Island is going to the tournament for the first time in 30 years. 
  • Rhody won a program-record 28 games while winning its second regular-season title and its first Atlantic 10 Championship title.
  • The winner of Rhode Island-Alabama will play to the winner of No. 3 Louisville-No. 14 Vermont on Monday, March 23.
  • The last time the Rams made the Big Dance was the 1995-96 season when they received an at-large bid.
  • Historically, Rhode Island is 0-1 at the NCAA Tournament. In URI's lone other appearance at the NCAA's, the Rams fell to Oklahoma State 90-82 (3/15/96).
  • Rhode Island head coach Tammi Reiss is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament. As a player at Virginia, Reiss appeared in three straight NCAA Final Fours (1990, 1991, 1992), including the 1991 National Championship Game. She's been a part of seven NCAA Tournament appearances as an assistant coach, including four consecutive NCAA's at Syracuse before arriving in Kingston (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019).  
  • Alabama and Rhode Island are meeting for the first time in program history.

SCOUTING THE TIDE

  • Alabama fell to Texas last time out in the Quarterfinal of the SEC Tournament.
  • The Crimson Tide is making its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and fourth consecutive trip to the Big Dance. 
  • UA has made the tournament five times in the last six years, including a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
  • Alabama head coach Kristy Curry will make her 14th overall trip to the NCAA Tournament after capturing berths to the Big Dance at Purdue (2000-06) and Texas Tech (2011, 13) prior to UA's 2021 appearance.
  • The Crimson Tide is 19-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
  • Alabama is led by Jessica Timmons and her 16.4 points per game. 

LET'S DANCE

  • The Rhode Island Rams won their first Atlantic 10 Tournament title in program history on March 8, defeating George Mason 53-51 to advance to their first NCAA Tournament in 30 years.
  • It marks just the second time in program history that Rhode Island has reached the Big Dance. 
  • The Rams fell 90-82 to Oklahoma State on March 15, 1996, in their only other appearance.
  • Rhode Island received an at-large bid in the 1995-96 season when it went 21-8 under head coach Linda Ziemke.

HISTORY

  • The win against George Mason in the Atlantic 10 Tournament final last time out was the 28th of the season, setting a new single-season record. 
  • It passed the all-time record for wins that the Rams initially set in the 2022-23 season (26). 
  • It's the fourth 20-win season under head coach Tammi Reiss in her seven years at the helm.
  • Reiss posted three straight 20-win seasons from 2021-22 through 2023-24 for the first time ever. 
  • Before Reiss, the Rams had just two 20-win seasons.

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