Rhode Island women's basketball team's storybook season ends at Harvard in WNIT loss
BOSTON — This second straight charmed season for the University of Rhode Island women ended as it began.
Bookend losses at Harvard will sandwich what was otherwise another strong effort for the Rams. The second came Thursday night at Lavietes Pavilion, as URI went cold after a sizzling start.
The fourth quarter was when it hurt the most, as the Crimson punched their ticket beyond this Super 16 meeting in the WNIT. Harvard pulled away for a 74-63 triumph and will meet either Syracuse or Ivy League rival Columbia in the next round.
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“I hate to see it end,” URI coach Tammi Reiss said. “Because you enjoy it. This is a team you enjoy coaching. You love them off the court.”
The Rams carried a 54-52 edge into the final 10 minutes before hitting the wall. URI closed just 3-for-14 from the field — they collected only 11 field goals in the final 27:49 after sizzling at the start. The Crimson connected at an even 50% in the fourth and took the lead for good when McKenzie Forbes knocked down a 3-pointer out high with 5:08 to play.
“We turned the ball over too much in the fourth quarter,” Reiss said. “We couldn’t get stops.”
The Rams were on a heater early. They opened 13-for-25 from the floor and enjoyed a 33-22 lead with 7:49 left in the second quarter. Madison Hattix-Covington's bucket capped a 9-0 run and Harvard was forced to call a timeout.
What followed was a struggle for the Rams, as they never found something resembling rhythm again. The Crimson slowly opened the gap late and moved on top by three possessions after Katie Krupa’s 3-pointer from out high with 2:42 to play. That made it a 65-58 game and there was no way back for URI.
“They’re sad because we lose some kids,” Reiss said. “But we’ve got a lot to build on.”
The two teams were a combined 0-for-11 to open the fourth before Mayé Touré broke the ice with a runner in the lane. The Rams (26-7) held a 56-52 edge and were stuck there for the next 2:14. Sayawni Lassiter missed a pair of free throws and Harvard (20-12) pounced with the door open. Lola Mullaney led a balanced attack with 19 points, topping four players in double figures.
“We needed that experience,” Reiss said. “We won two games in the WNIT for our youth — a lot of our young players got to play today. We can build on that.”
URI suffered an 88-74 defeat here in November to start 2022-23. The Rams went on to capture a share of an Atlantic 10 regular season title with Massachusetts and reach the league tournament semifinals. URI downed Boston University and conference rival Richmond to reach this round — Reiss continues to raise the bar while finishing her fourth season on the sideline.
“Every year, you want new firsts,” Reiss said. “That means you’re growing in your process. You’re getting better.”
Lassiter and fellow Massachusetts native Emma Squires played their final college game in their home state. Hattix-Covington also departs after leaving VCU for a graduate year with the Rams. Reiss and her staff will be active in the transfer portal and look to continue their rise when 2023-24 tips.
“I’m always thankful for them,” Reiss said of her last two teams. “They believed in us. A lot of the kids who transferred here, they believed in what we were doing and wanted to be part of it.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Harvard knocks URI women's basketball out of WNIT
