With the win, RIC earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III women's basketball national championship tournament.  RIC improves to 24-3.  In its 23rd appearance in the LEC title game in 26 chances, Southern Maine falls to 21-6 with the loss.  The Huskies will await a possible post season berth. The NCAA will announce the 64-team field on Monday.

            Riley was 6-for-12 en route to her 14 points.  Junior guard Courtney Burns (Rockland, Mass.) and senior guard Cynthia Gaudet (Coventry, R.I.) each scored 11 points for the Anchorwomen.

            Senior forward Courtney Cochran (Waite, Maine/Woodland) led USM with 14 points and eight rebounds.  Junior forward Haley Jordan (Falmouth, Maine) notched her third double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

            Ahead 20-18 in a nail-biter of a first half, Rhode Island College used a three-pointer from Gaudet and a tough finish in the paint from Riley for a quick-hit 5-0 run to take a 25-18 lead at the break.  Both Riley and Gaudet finished with eight points in the first half. 

            RIC scored the first four points of the second half to extend its lead to 11, 29-18, on back-to-back layups from Riley and Burns.  RIC kept USM at 7-11 point distance for a majority of the half and led by 10 45-35 with 5:48 to play following one of two free throws from Burns. 

            The Huskies rallied over the next three and a half minutes to pull to within one possession of RIC with an 8-2 run.  Jordan scored five of her 12 points in the run capped by a three-pointer with 1:56 to play to trail RIC 47-44. 

            Riley answered for the Anchorwomen on their next possession with a tough runner in the paint to give RIC a 49-44 cushion.  The Huskies misfired on their next three possessions and Gaudet made one of two free throws for the 50-44 final.

–cac–