Feb. 18, 2009

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - Amanda Kemezys registered game highs of 17 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday night to propel Saint Louis to a 63-43 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over Rhode Island at the Ryan Center, halting a four-game Billiken losing streak.

The win was the fifth road victory of the season for the Billikens (11-15, 5-6 A-10), tying the 2006-07 team for the most during head coach Shimmy Gray-Miller's four-year tenure. It also was SLU's third road triumph in conference play this year, tying the 2001-02 squad (Conference USA) for the most in program history. In addition, the Billikens surpassed last season's 10 total wins and tied last year's A-10 victory total.

Rhode Island, which scored the fewest points by a Billiken opponent this season, slipped to 9-17 overall and 2-9 in the A-10 with its sixth consecutive defeat.

The double-double was the fifth of the season and third in five games for Kemezys, who had five offensive boards and was one rebound shy of tying her career best. She is averaging 9.8 rebounds in her last eight outings.

Theresa Lisch and Alisha Goodwin tallied 10 apiece for Saint Louis, which posted its largest victory margin this season. The Billikens earned a 54-35 advantage on the glass, their heftiest rebounding margin of the year in an A-10 game and second largest overall. That total included 19 offensive boards, tying the Bills' season high and helping SLU gain a 17-6 edge in second-chance points. Lauren Woods collected eight rebounds, Gearlds grabbed seven, and Lisch and Heather King tallied six apiece.

Goodwin and Lisch tied for game-high honors with four steals and five assists, respectively. Goodwin's four thefts are a career high.

Gearlds hit a pull-up jumper in the lane and a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to give the Billikens an 11-6 lead with 14:42 left in the first half. After both teams suffered a dry spell, SLU recovered first. On successive possessions, Kemezys and Woods sank two free throws apiece, Lisch drove for a layup and Goodwin made a steal and a layup for a 19-12 Saint Louis advantage at the 8:50 mark.

Rhode Island scored on five consecutive possessions in a 9-0 spurt that gave the Rams their only lead, 21-19, with 5:13 remaining. However, the Bills responded with an 11-4 run to end the half.

Kemezys made a layup and a short jumper in the lane to restore the Saint Louis lead, and Lisch netted a free throw for a 24-21 SLU margin. The Billikens then scored on their last three chances of the half. Lisch penetrated the lane and dished to King for a layup, then followed with a driving scoop shot of her own. After Goodwin made a steal and a layup for a 30-23 Billiken lead, URI's Lindsay Harris connected on a jumper at the buzzer that narrowed the gap to 30-25 at the break.

Megan Shoniker, who led Rhode Island with 12 points and six rebounds, hit an early second-half bucket to make it a 30-27 game. But that was as close as the Rams would get, as SLU embarked on a 15-3 flurry to take command.

Kemezys made two free throws after grabbing an offensive rebound, Woods sank one from the stripe and Lisch buried a trey from the left wing for a 36-27 lead. Woods netted a baseline jumper, and Goodwin scored on a tough baseline drive for the Bills' first double-digit lead, 40-30, with 13:31 left.

Gearlds followed with a 14-footer from the left elbow, and Katie Paganelli's 3-pointer from the right wing punctuated the run and gave SLU a 45-30 cushion with 12:05 to play. The Rams drew no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Saint Louis welcomes A-10 leader and 16th-ranked Xavier to Chaifetz Arena this Saturday. Game time is 4 p.m.