WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Rhode Island College stuns Lady Royals
Mar. 5—Bridget Monaghan did everything she could. It still wasn't enough for the University of Scranton women's basketball team.
Rhode Island College put four players in double figures to upset the Lady Royals, 62-55, in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament Saturday night at the John Long Center.
Angelina Nardolillo scored 14 points to lead Rhode Island College (26-3). Madison Medbury added a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Jeniyah Jones had 11 points and Izabell Booth 10 as the Shorewomen advanced to the Sweet 16 where they will face the University of Chicago, which beat Whitman, 56-54.
Monaghan finished with a career-high 34 points and Kaci Kranson followed with 14 for the Lady Royals (28-1). However, they shot just 27.0 percent from the field (17 for 63), including 3 of 18 from 3-point range, and were outrebounded, 46-31.
Missing 16 of their first 20 shots, including all five from 3-point range, the Lady Royals trailed midway through the second quarter, 26-17. However, they closed on an 8-2 run to get within 28-25 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Monaghan was unstoppable, scoring 14 of Scranton's 18 points to give the Lady Royals a 43-39 lead entering the fourth quarter.
But they missed 11 of their first 12 shots in the quarter. That enabled Rhode Island College to go on a 17-2 run to open a 56-46 lead with 2:01 to play. Booth scored seven points in the outburst for the Shorewomen and Jones had six.
Two free throws, a 3-pointer and a basket — all by Monaghan — got the Lady Royals to within 58-53 with 51 seconds left. Then after one four shot by Antonia Corsinetti, Kranson hit two free throws to make it 59-55 with 32 seconds left.
That would be as close as Scranton would get. Jayda Bing scored a basket with 28 seconds left, then hit a free throw with 11 ticks to go to seal the upset for Rhode Island College.
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