Final Score: VCU 68, Rhode Island 57
Location: Richmond, Va. (E.J. Wade Arena)
Records: VCU 10-10 (3-4 A-10), Rhode Island 4-14 (0-6)

The Short Story: With the score tied 32-32 with 9:21 remaining in the third quarter, VCU outscored Rhode Island 18-9 for the remainder of the stanza to take a 50-41 lead and held off Rhode Island for the victory.

 QUICK FACTS 

• Isis Thorpe scored a team-high 15 points to go along with five rebounds.
• Jailyn Maddox scored a career-high 12 points including going 2-of-2 from 3-point range.
• Keira Robinson scored 14 points along with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
• Mooriah Rowser had 10 points as four VCU players scored in double figures.
• VCU shot 43.4 percent from the field (23-of-53).
• The Black and Gold also shot 50.0 percent from 3-point range (7-of-14).
• Rhode Island's Charise Wilson scored a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds but the rest of the team only combined for 27 points.
• Robinson's three steals during the game put her fourth on VCU's all-time list with 216.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Rhode Island went up 6-0 at the beginning of the game on back-to-back 3-pointers from Wilson.
• VCU responded with an 8-3 run of its own helped by two Rowser jumpers.
• The two teams traded the lead a total of four times during the first period as Rhode Island held a 20-19 lead at the end of the frame.
• VCU pushed its lead to four points twice during the second period and ultimately took a 32-30 lead into halftime.
• Rhode Island tied the game at 32-32 with its first basket of the second half before the Black and Gold outscored the visiting Rams 18-9 and take the lead for good.
• VCU built up its lead to 58-41 after Robinson sank a 3-pointer with 7:54 left in the fourth quarter.
• Rhode Island only got as close as 66-57 with 1:24 remaining in the game before a Thorpe jumper secured the final margin with 55 seconds left

WHAT'S NEXT

VCU will travel to face Fordham at 2 p.m. on Jan. 21.