PROVIDENCE, R.I. (February 1, 2025)—The UMass Boston women's basketball team (8-12, 5-6 Little East Conference) fought valiantly but came up just short in a hard-fought 46-49 loss to second-seeded Rhode Island College (15-5, 10-1 LEC) on Saturday. Despite being tied with under a minute remaining, the Beacons were unable to hold off the Anchorwomen in the closing moments of the game.

Sophomore forward Sabanna Berrios (Providence, R.I.) recorded her fifth consecutive double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. She has now tallied eight double-doubles in her last nine games. Junior captain Sibayla Jensen (Portland, Ore.) added 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting to support Berrios in the effort.

Game Highlights:

First Quarter:

• Junior guard Tatiannah Fevry (Dracut, Mass.) opened the scoring for the Beacons with the game's first basket. UMass Boston quickly went on an 8-0 run. After a three-pointer from R.I.C., first-year Ashleigh Lagor (Millbury, Mass.) answered with a trey of her own, keeping the Beacons ahead by seven. The Anchorwomen closed the quarter with five unanswered points, with UMass Boston holding a 10-8 lead.

Second Quarter:

• R.I.C. tied the game early in the second quarter, but sophomore Vanessa Bucha (Aschnuet, Mass.) hit a three-pointer to give the Beacons a three-point advantage. Berrios added back-to-back layups to break a 15-point stalemate. A trio of converted free throws gave R.I.C. a three-point lead at halftime, 33-30.

Third Quarter:

• Jensen scored the first points of the second half, cutting the deficit to one. She went on to score eight points in the quarter as UMass Boston outscored R.I.C. 15-14. The Beacons entered the fourth trailing by just two points.

Fourth Quarter:

• Tajeiha Madison (Brockton, Mass.) opened the fourth with a three-pointer, putting UMass Boston ahead by one. Fevry's jumper extended the lead, but R.I.C. responded with a three-pointer to tie the game for the seventh time. Berrios' jumper gave the Beacons a brief lead, but R.I.C. answered with another three-pointer to tie it again. Fevry and Jensen then scored back-to-back baskets, but the Anchorwomen continued to keep pace.

Final Minute:

• With the game tied at 46, R.I.C. hit a mid-range jumper to take a two-point lead with under a minute remaining. Fevry tied the game with a jumper, but the Anchorwomen retook the lead on their next possession. Lagor's last-second three-pointer was off the mark, and the Beacons fell just short in the final moments.

Key Performances:

• Berrios recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds (6 offensive), and 3 assists, continuing her dominant run.
• Jensen added 10 points (4-5 FG), 3 assists, and 2 steals in an efficient performance.
• Fevry contributed 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals, continuing her strong defensive play. Fevry has now recorded a steal in the last five games and has two or more steals in 14 of 20 games this season.

Team Stats:

• The game was tied 11 times, with UMass Boston's largest lead at 8 points in the first quarter.
• The Beacons outscored R.I.C. in points in the paint (18-12) and points off turnovers (17-14).

UMass Boston will look to bounce back when they host the University of Southern Maine Huskies (11-9, 7-4 LEC) on Wednesday, February 5, at 5:00 p.m. in the Clark Gymnasium.

-- For The Times --