KINGSTON, R.I. – Led by Peyton Kennedy's career-high 31 points, Saint Louis University women's basketball muscled out a three-point win on the road here Sunday afternoon, defeating Rhode Island, 76-73, in dramatic fashion.
The Billikens trailed for 38 minutes of the road contest broadcast on ESPNU, taking their first lead of the day with 1:28 left to play. SLU used strong defensive play to hold the Rams scoreless from the floor for the final four minutes, boosting the Billikens to their 10th victory of the season, fourth on the road.
Four minutes into their rematch with the Rams marked the Billikens first points of the game, as Rhode Island jumped out to an early 7-0 lead at the Ryan Center. Four quick points from Tierra Simon, making her third start as a Billiken, stopped the Rams' run and got the visitors on the board. Rhode Island responded by making the first of what would be four, first-quarter threes to extend its lead, before Kyla McMakin made the Billikens' lone score from beyond the arc in the opening 10 minutes. As seconds ran off the clock in the first quarter, Peyton Kennedy scored her first points of the day as the Billikens trailed, 22-13.
Kennedy got hot in the ensuing 10-minute period, converting on a three-pointer off a Julia Martinez steal. The teams traded turnovers and misses, as the Billikens gave it away six times while the home team turned it over 10. Using a three-minute Rhode Island scoring drought to its advantage, SLU found its rhythm offensively, going on a 10-0 run to pull within three, 26-23. The Rams stopped the run short, putting together seven unanswered points themselves, before Kennedy hit yet another three from the floor. Shooting 52 percent to the Billikens' 37 percent from the floor in the first half, helped the Rams take a seven-point lead into the half.
Despite giving up the first points out of the locker rooms, the Billikens, led by Kennedy's seven-straight points from the floor, tied the game at 41 apiece midway through the third period. SLU tied it once more at 43-all, seconds later, before the Rams efficient shooting from the floor, helped them inch away from the Billikens, as they refused to give up the lead. As seconds expired in the third quarter, Martinez sank a hook shot to pull the Billikens within four points.
Feast and famine ruled the fourth quarter as Rhode Island couldn't miss from the floor in the first three minutes scoring 12 quick points to put the game nearly out of reach for the Billikens. SLU answered once again, though, with a score from the top of the key by Kennedy Calhoun to pull back within three and striking distance for the visitors. With 1:28 left in the game, the Billikens took their first lead of the day, while key defensive stops incrementally increased their lead to three points. The Rams had one final look to tie the game in regulation, but despite shooting 57 percent on the day, failed to convert the field goal.
The win moves the Billikens to 10-15 on the year and 5-7 in A-10 play while Rhode Island falls to 15-11 and 7-6 in the conference.
SLU will look to capitalize on the win's momentum next week when the Billikens return home to host Loyola Chicago and Duquesne on Wednesday and Saturday. Both games will tip off at 7 p.m.
