Monday marked the first time since March 6 that college basketball was played at the Ryan Center, with new faces all over the hardwood in a 68-45 win for the University of Rhode Island women’s basketball team.
Despite a close opening first quarter, a 23-point second quarter powered the Rams to a convincing win over Stonehill College.
“They [Stonehill] got tired in the second quarter,” URI Head Coach Tammi Reiss said. “And suddenly we get stops, we can run, and we can get out and get better shots in transition.”
The Rams had the edge after the first quarter, leading 14-12 while holding the advantage in shooting percentage 41.2-31.3%. The Rams found their groove in the second quarter, shooting 50% from the field and adding four points from the free-throw line.
Harsimran “Honey” Kaur, a fourth-year transfer from the University of San Diego, led the way for the Rams with 19 points and 11 rebounds in her URI debut.
“I would just give the credit all to my team and my coaches because they let me be
comfortable in my own skin,” Kaur said. “But just having someone who trusts in you and believes in you, like my team does and my coaches do, and let me do what I can do to help this team, I think I’m pretty comfortable.”
Kaur started just a single game in 36 appearances with San Diego a season ago, averaging 8.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
“Although she didn’t have a huge, huge role at San Diego, watching all the film on her and her capabilities, I knew that she could [score] a double-double,” Reiss said. “It was finding someone that could replace Mayé [Touré ’23] and have an impact for our team that likes to score on the block and can shoot the three. And so tonight, I’ve seen it in practice, but seeing it in a game is another thing. And I think she did exactly what her role was, rebound and score.”
The Rams also got help from fourth-year guard Sophie Phillips. She had 15 points with six field goals in the win, two of them from behind the arc, as she continued to move her way up the Rhode Island record books in three-pointers made. Phillips entered the season fourth all-time for URI with 168 three-pointers made, just 30 away from the all-time lead. Considering Phillips made a program-record 89 three’s a season ago, she is on track to rewrite the record books.
URI outscored Stonehill 31-22 in the second half, propelling the Rams to a 23-point victory.
“Obviously, we were really, really excited to finally play someone else other than ourselves,” Reiss said. “And for a first game with so many new faces, trying to find our chemistry, falling into our roles, [I was] pretty pleased with how we executed. But really [what] was asked [of] the team [was] to come out and just play hard. Play hard, let the game come to them, and they did that. So for our first game, I was pretty pleased.”
The Rams have five days to prepare for their next matchup as they head to New York state’s capital for a matchup with the University at Albany, where Phillips will face off against her twin sister Lilly, a fourth-year guard for the Great Danes, for the first time in her career. The game is at 7 p.m. and is available to stream on ESPN+, with a radio broadcast available on the Varsity Network.