Providence, R.I.-Four different Anchorwomen finished with double-digit scoring efforts, led by 13 points from senior guard Ashley O'Dell (Lincoln, RI), as the Rhode Island College women's basketball team knocked off UMass Boston, 71-57, Little East Conference action played at The Murray Center in on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman forward Vandell Andrade (Providence, RI) posted her second consecutive double-double as she finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals to help Rhode Island College (9-3, 3-0 LEC) seal its sixth win in the last seven games.

Senior forward Courtney Burns (Rockland, MA) added 12 points, four steals and three rebounds for the Anchorwomen, while junior guard Stephanie Prusko (Lincoln, RI) tallied 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Freshman guard Danielle LeBlanc (Warwick, RI) chipped in with eight points and four assists.

Sophomore center Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, MA) registered 17 points, 12 rebounds and three steals to lead UMass Boston (9-3, 1-2 LEC) in the loss, while freshman forward Olivia Murphy (Canton, MA) recorded a game-high 18 points to go along with eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Perra (Taunton, MA) added 11 points, five assists and three steals for the Beacons, while junior guard Andrea Suffredini (Milford, MA) totaled five points, four steals and a game-high seven assists.

After jumping out to a quick, 5-0, lead, the Beacons controlled the early stages of the first half, until a three-pointer from O'Dell tied the game at 18 with 12:20 left in the frame. The Anchorwomen soon took over the lead behind a 10-4 run midway through the first half, but watched as UMass Boston responded with a run of its own to take a 35-32 lead following back-to-back baskets from Morrison and Suffredini with under four minutes left to play. However, after another trey from O'Dell tied the game at 35 with 3:14 on the clock, the hosts scored the last two buckets of the half to head into the intermission with a 39-35 advantage.

The Beacons quickly bounced back to tie the game at 39 following four straight points from Murphy in the opening minutes of the second half, but soon fell behind by as many as 13 following a 15-2 run from the Anchorwomen that was capped off by a layup from Burns with 11:48 on the clock. RIC's run was keyed by seven points from senior forward Alexia Vega (North Providence, RI), who finished with nine points and three rebounds in the win.

UMass Boston managed to pull within 10 after a three-pointer from Perra with 11:27 left to play, and later cut the deficit to eight after a pair of free throws from Perra with 5:18 remaining, but couldn't overcome the second half margin as the Anchorwomen came away with the 14-point victory. 

The Anchorwomen shot 40 percent (24-for-60) from the field and 31 percent (5-for-16) from downtown, with all five of their treys coming in the first half. RIC also shot 78 percent (18-for-23) from the free throw line.

On the other end, the Beacons shot 36 percent (21-for-58) from the floor through the entirety of the game, but after hitting 50 percent of their baskets in the first half, the visitors shot just 23 percent from the field through the final 20 minutes. UMass Boston also shot just 27 percent (3-for-11) from beyond the arc, and 60 percent (12-for-20) from the charity stripe.

In a battle between two of the top rebounding teams in the conference, RIC controlled the glass by the slightest of margins (40-39). Meanwhile, the Anchorwomen also held the edge in the turnover battle as they coughed the ball up just 19 times, compared to 23 miscues for the Beacons.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue Little East Conference play at Southern Maine on Tuesday, January 8 (5:30 p.m.).