THE BASICS
– Three Billikens finished in double digits.
– The win salvaged a two-game road swing for Saint Louis after a loss on Wednesday against La Salle.
– Jackie Kemph recorded 13 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter.
– Maddison Gits finished in double figures for the seventh consecutive game and for the 17th time this season.
– Jordyn Frantz shot 40 percent from the field in the game.
– Saint Louis recorded 10 points off fast breaks in the game.
FIRST QUARTER
– The first three possessions of the game came-up empty, but Jalissa Ross knocked down the first bucket of the game to give the Rams an early 2-0 lead.
– Rhode Island led by as many as four two times, but the Billikens responded both times.
– Frantz gave Saint Louis their first lead of the game with a three from the elbow, but the Rams’ Marta Vargas responded with a three of her own from the top of the key to regain the lead for Rhode Island, 11-9.
– The Rams shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the quarter.
– Rhode Island put together a 6-0 run late to take a 19-13 lead with 49 seconds remaining.
– A pair of free throws from Tara Dusharm cut the Rams’ lead to four with just over 30 seconds remaining, but that was how the quarter ended as Rhode Island carried a 19-15 lead into the second quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
– Abby Streeter opened the period with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 22-15, the biggest lead for the Rams in the game.
– Leading Rhode Island scorer Nicole Jorgensen grabbed her first points of the quarter under the hoop with 7:05ramining to make it a 24-17.
– Paige Rakers began to get things going for the Billiken offense. The senior from Carlyle, Ill., hit a big three midway through the quarter to cut the Rams’ lead to two (24-22).
– Aliyah Covington regained the lead for the Billikens with a layup off a fast break to make it 26-25 Saint Louis.
– Fouls were prevalent for the end of the quarter as neither team recorded a field goal in the final 3:12 of the first half. Saint Louis, however, maintained a 31-29 lead heading into the break.
– The Billikens held the Rams to 23.1 percent from the floor in the second quarter.
THIRD QUARTER
– Kemph opened the scoring with a three-ball from the corner to extend the lead to 34-29, but the Rams responded on the ensuing possession. Jalissa Ross hit a three on the other end to make the Saint Louis lead two yet again.
– Rhode Island capitalized on defensive stops and went on a 6-0 run in the span of 1:11 to tie the game at 38 with 6:11 remaining in the quarter.
– Jenny Vliet stopped the bleeding at the 4:55 mark with her first bucket of the game, a three-pointer, to give the Billikens a 41-38 advantage.
– Gits continued to pile it on for Saint Louis. She followed Vliet’s three with five consecutive points to give the Billikens a 46-38 lead.
– Vliet delivered another dagger with just over 2:00 remaining with her second three-pointer from the corner to make it a 49-40 lead.
FOURTH QUARTER
– Rackers put the Billikens on the board in the fourth with a layup at the 8:17 mark.
– Rhode Island went on a 15-4 run to grab a 59-55 lead with 4:46 remaining in the game.
– Saint Louis answered back with an 8-2 run of their own as Kemph began to find her groove. The senior guard posted six points in that span to give her team a 65-61 lead.
– Saint Louis held the lead in the final moments to grab a 69-66 win.
BILLIKEN NOTABLES
– Kemph paced Saint Louis with 20 points and seven assists on Saturday.
– Gits finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds on the day.
– Vliet did not have a shot attempt until the third quarter. She went two-for-five from three-point range during the quarter.
– Frantz shot 40 percent in the game on Saturday and finished with 11 points.
– Saint Louis shot 36.9 percent in the game, but out-rebounded Rhode Island 39-37
– The Billikens outscored the Rams 20-6 on points off turnovers.
RHODE ISLAND LEADERS
Nicole Jorgensen, 21 points, 10 rebounds; Marta Vargas, 16 points, 7-8 FT; Jalissa Ross, 13 points, seven rebounds
UP NEXT
The Billikens will head back to the friendly confines of the Chaifetz Arena to take-on the Dukes of Duquesne. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.
