Strong Second Half Sends #3 Rhode Island College to Sweet 16

Nick Coit,

Junior forward Angelina Nardolillo (Hinsdale, N.H.) was dominant in the paint with a team-high 19 points and nine rebounds as No. 3 Rhode Island College advanced to the NCAA Div. III Women’s Basketball Championship Sectional Semifinal for the second straight season with a 66-43 win over St. John Fisher in second round tournament play held at The Murray Center on Saturday night.

THE BASICS
No. 3 Rhode Island College 66, St. John Fisher 43
Rhode Island College (29-0)
St. John Fisher (24-5)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The first half was a rock fight between both clubs, which had won their previous matchups a night earlier at The Murray Center. A layup by fifth-year center Neleesha Meunier (Leominster, Mass.) put RIC ahead by two, 12-10, at the end of the first quarter.

• The second quarter saw junior guard Madison Medbury (Scituate, R.I.) bury a long three-pointer as the shot clock expired to keep the hosts ahead, 24-22, with 2:22 left in the stanza. The Cardinals tied the game, 24-24, but fifth-year guard Jeniyah Jones (Randolph, Mass.) canned a jumper to close out the opening 20 minutes with the host holding a 27-24 advantage.

• The opening six minutes of the third quarter proved to be the decisive point in the game as RIC erupted for a 13-0 run to build a 40-25 lead and double-digit advantage that St. John Fisher would never recover from.

• In the fourth quarter, a three-pointer and jumper by graduate guard Sophia Guerrier (Waltham, Mass.) and free throws by both fifth-year guard Olivia Middleton (Barrington, R.I.) and junior forward Maggie Schwab (Saunderstown, R.I.), gave the Anchorwomen their largest lead (30 points), 63-35, with just over two minutes left to play.

• Jones contributed 13 points, six boards, three assists and one steal. Guerrier chipped in with 12 points.

• The Anchorwomen established a new program record for wins in a season (29), surpassing the 2022-23 edition’s previous mark of 28.

• RIC has won a program-record 29 consecutive games and 26 games at home.

Categories: Sports

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