University of Massachusets Athletics

Wednesday, January 4
Amherst, Mass.
5 PM

University of Massachusetts

11-4,1-1Atlantic 10

68
vs
75

Rhode Island

11-3,2-0Atlantic 10

1
2
3
4
F
Rhode Island
19
12
20
24
75
Massachusetts
7
22
24
15
68
WBB_Team_Rhode Island
Photo by: Chris Tucci - UMass Athletics

Women’s Basketball Tripped Up By Rhode Island, 75-68.

January 04, 2023 | Women's Basketball

Breen recorded her ninth double-double of the season and 49th of her career.

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball fell short to the University of Rhode Island, 75-68, on Wednesday evening at the Mullins Center.
 
UMass moves to 11-4 on the season, including 1-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, while URI improved to 11-3 on the year and 2-0 in the league.
 
Sam Breen led the way with 20 points and 13 rebounds, recording her ninth double-double of the season and 49th of her career. Ber'Nyah Mayo and Destiney Philoxy also finished with 10-plus points on the evening, collecting 11 and 10, respectively. Mayo tallied a game-high eight assists and a game best five steals. Breen hit eight free throws, marking a career-high.
 
Massachusetts outscored Rhode Island in points in the paint (38-26), fast break points (14-3) and bench points (13-6). UMass shot 81.3 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Rhode Island jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the first two minutes and 21 seconds of the first quarter. Sydney Taylor cut the deficit in half with a layup, but a 9-2 run for the Rams put them on top 19-7 at the end of the quarter.
 
The Minutewomen came back within five at the 7:46 mark, going on a 7-0 run to start the second, with URI leading 19-14. The Rams began a 5-0 run to pull ahead, 21-14. A 10-2 UMass run that lasted three minutes and 13 seconds saw the Minutewomen close the gap to two, at 26-24. Philoxy came away with a huge steal at 1:54 in the quarter and drove to the basket to tie the game up at 26 apiece. Philoxy was sent to the free throw line at the 1:24 mark, making one of two, to give Massachusetts its first lead of the game, 27-26. The Rams scored five more points to the Minutewomen's two heading into halftime, keeping the game close at 31-29, in favor of URI.
 
In the third, the Minutewomen and Rams traded points, with UMass edging URI, 9-8, to make it a one-point game at 39-38, in favor of Rhode Island. URI pushed ahead, 46-40, at the 5:45 mark, but an 8-0 run by Massachusetts aided a 48-46 lead. The Rams knotted the contest up at 48-48, before another small, 5-3 run for the Minutewomen made it a two-point game with UMass leading 53-51 at the end of the quarter.
 
Makennah White opened the final frame with a jumper to extend Massachusetts' lead to 55-51. Rhode Island hit a triple that began a 24-6 run that lasted throughout the fourth quarter, pushing the Rams to a 75-61 lead. Breen and Stephanie Kulesza combined for UMass' final seven points, including a three-pointer from Kulesza with only seven seconds remaining in the contest, but it was not enough as the Rhode Island came out on top, 75-68.
 
Massachusetts hits the road to take on Loyola Chicago on Saturday, Jan. 7, in Chicago, Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m. on ESPN+. 
 

Team Stats

URI
UMass
FG%
.483
.439
3FG%
.467
.263
FT%
.833
.813
RB
31
30
TO
19
16
STL
7
12

Game Leaders

Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0

Players Mentioned

F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
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