University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
8-13, 2-7 A-10
Rhode Island
13-8, 5-4 A-10
Second Half Success Puts Rhode Island Over UMass, 70-58
February 04, 2015 | Women's Basketball
KINGSTON, R.I. - UMass women's basketball senior guard Emily Mital knocked down five three-pointers and Cierra Dillard scored a team-high 16 points, but the Minutewomen was unable to keep pace with Rhode Island in the second half during a 70-58 loss at the Ryan Center on Wednesday evening.
Kim Pierre-Louis pulled down a game-best 15 rebounds as the Minutewomen earned a 45-31 advantage on the boards. Pierre-Louis fell just shy of a double-double through as the senior forward recorded nine points. Dillard chipped in eight boards with three assists and two steals. Leah McDerment added six points and as many assists.
Rhode Island freshman guard Charise Wilson poured in 33 points as she went 9-for-22 on field goals, including 5-for-11 from beyond the arc, with a 10-of-11 evening at the foul line. Samantha Tabakman provided 16 points and Tayra Melendez scored 12 more.
UMass started the second half with makes by Dillard and Rashida Timbilla to extend the Minutewomen lead to 34-26, but the Rams rallied with 10 straight points - all of which came from Tabakman and Wilson as the duo alternated conversions.
The Maroon and White went back in front, 39-38 with nine minutes, 41 seconds left in the game after a Pierre-Louis put-back layup and Dillard trey, one of the season-high 10 three-pointers UMass made. Those 10 triples represent the most recorded in a single game since UMass also had 10 against Kent State on Nov. 10, 2012 - a span of 79 games between the outings.
However, Rhode Island replied with an 11-0 run for a 49-39 lead at the 6:48 mark - again spearheaded by Tabakman and Wilson. The Minutewomen could not move closer than within six of tying the remainder of the way.
Massachusetts found its stroke immediately after tipoff and hit nine of the opening 15 field goal tries (60.0 percent). McDerment nailed a pair of triples during the successful start while Pierre-Louis and Timbilla had four points apiece as UMass built a 25-13 lead with 9:17 left in the first. As a team, Massachusetts connected from range throughout the streak as Dillard and Mital drained treys alongside McDerment.
Following a Rhode Island timeout, the Rams answered UMass with 13 consecutive points over 7:02 of game play to pull in front for the first time, 28-26, with 2:15 left in the half.
Mital ended the drought with a triple from the left side - her third made three-pointer of the stanza - that gave the Minutewomen the lead again at 28-26. Kymber Hill added a bucket from underneath the hoop in the final minute of the stanza as the Minutewomen took a 30-28 lead into the break.
After the on-target start, UMass cooled off and finished 21-for-58 from the floor overall (36.2 percent). The Minutewomen limited their shooting struggles to attempts taken within the arc as the Maroon and White ended 10-for-21 from three-point land (47.6 percent).
Massachusetts (8-13, 2-7) wraps up its two-game series away from Amherst with a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the Minutewomen battle La Salle at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7.
