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.
–Â Jackie Kemph recorded 13 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter.
–Â Maddison Gits finished in double figures for the seventh consecutive game and for the 17th time this season.
–Â Jordyn Frantz shot 40 percent from the field in the game.
–Â 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.