FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 13, 2009

ANCHORWOMEN SHOCK NO. 15 SOUTHERN MAINE

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College senior guard Tyla Martin (Cumberland, RI) scored 15 second-half points to help the Anchorwomen snap a 24-game losing streak, dating back to Feb. 1, 1997, to Little East Conference rival Southern Maine in a 82-74 win on Tuesday night at The Murray Center.

 Senior Guard Tyla Martin

RIC raises its record to 6-8 overall and evens its LEC mark at 2-2, while the No. 15 Huskies fall to 12-2 and 3-1 in league action.

The Anchorwomen are just 4-46 vs. the Huskies since the Little East’s inception in 1987. All four of the wins have come at home.

USM sophomore guard Kaylie DeMillo (Jay, ME) opened the game with a three-pointer just eight seconds in to give the Huskies their first lead. RIC junior forward Cassi Malec (Glocester, RI) answered with a trey of her own on the ensuing possession to tie the game, 3-3. The Huskies went on a 10-6 run, led by a DeMillo three and five points from sophomore forward Kristi Violette (Readfield, ME) to take a 13-9 lead with 14:54 left in the half.

The Anchorwomen took the game over by going on a 32-18 run over the remainder of the first stanza to lead, 43-31, at the break. RIC capitalized on 17 first-half Husky turnovers and were able to hoist up 35 (17-for-35 49 percent) shots, 16 of which were three pointers (6-for-16, 38 percent). Despite being down by 12 points, Southern Maine shot the ball well, going 11-for-20 (55 percent) from the field and shooting a remarkable 63 percent (5-for-8) from downtown.

RIC braced itself for a Husky surge to begin the second half, and Southern Maine did exactly that, outscoring the Anchorwomen, 14-2, right out of the gates to pull within one, 46-45, with 15:44 left on a DeMillo three.

A sophomore forward Rachel Riley (Coventry, RI) layup and three-pointers by junior guard LaSheena Boyd (Stratford, CT) and Martin helped RIC extend the lead to nine points, 56-47, at 12:01. USM battled back to take its first lead since the midway point of the first half, going on an 11-0 run, to lead, 58-56, with 9:40 remaining. Freshman guard Nicole Garland (Portland, ME) had five points during the comeback with a layup and a three-pointer.

RIC tied the game on the ensuing possession with a Martin jumper, and then fell behind, 61-58 with 8:05 left on free throws from junior forward Haley Johnson (West Simsbury, CT) and DeMillo.

Malec tied the game with a three at 7:19, only to see the deadlock slip away once again on a Violette layup. Martin and Malec then drained back-to-back threes to give the Anchorwomen a lead they would not relinquish. Two free throws apiece by freshman guard Stephanie Coro (North Providence, RI) and Martin over the final 30 seconds sealed the victory.

Coro led the Anchorwomen with 21 points. Martin scored all 15 of her points in the second half, shooting 4-for-8 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown, to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Malec shot 4-for-9 from downtown for a 12-point effort, which was equaled by Boyd.

DeMillo was on fire for the Huskies, scoring a game-high 29 points to go along with five rebounds. She shot 8-for-14 from the field and 6-for-11 from beyond the three-point arc. Violette posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue the Little East Conference circuit on Saturday, Jan. 17 when the Anchorwomen travel to Eastern Connecticut.

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