Women’s Basketball: Eastern Falls to Rhode Island College, Drops Third Straight Conference Contest

2/11/2026 7:25:00 PM | By: Alyssa French-Graham

Box Score PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island. — Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball dropped a late-season Little East road matchup against Rhode Island College, Wednesday night at The Murray Center, 64-56.

Despite a back-and-forth contest, highlighted by Warriors Marissa Nudd's (Colchester) 29-point performance, the Anchormen pulled away in the fourth quarter behind a string of timely baskets and consistent free-throw shooting, holding off the Warriors' push.

The loss drops Eastern to 8-14 overall and 5-8 in Little East Conference play, while Rhode Island improves to 18-5 overall and 12-2 in league action after sweep the Warriors for the third straight year and winning its eighth in a row over the Warriors. Rhode Island remained a game behind LEC leader University of Southern Maine with the win while the Warriors fell from a tie for fifth place into sixth place with LEC regular-season games remaining. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth moved a game ahead of the Warriors into sole possession of fifth place with an 88-48 home win over Keene State College.

Game Information:

Score: Eastern Connecticut State University 56, Rhode Island College 64
Records: Eastern (8-14) (LEC 5-8), Rhode Island College (18-5) (LEC 12-2)
Location: Providence, Rhode Island | (The Murray Center)

Key Moments:
First Quarter

Rhode Island maintained an early start to the match, converting a pair of early layups and capitalizing on Eastern miscues to jump ahead 7-0 in just under four minutes, capitalizing on early Eastern turnovers until Nudd's dominance down low put the Warriors on board at 6:38, sparking a brief push to get Eastern back within striking distance.
After Eastern's brief run, the Anchormen denied an even score, extending their lead to 9-2, as Nudd continued to provide presence inside, scoring eight points to help the Warriors close out, Rhode Island still in-front 19-11.

Second Quarter

Despite an unbalanced start, Eastern settled in during the second, steadily trimming the Anchormen's deficit behind great interior work from Nudd and Maddie Topa (New Hartford). Rhode Island briefly managed to stretch its lead, but the Warriors responded with multiple defensive stops. Simultaneously, Rhode Island found itself tripped up in various travel troubles, slowing it down considerably.
Behind Topa and Nudd's efforts, the push flipped the first half momentum, and Eastern found itself in front for the first time all game courtesy of Gabriella Kufuor's (Danbury) tying jumper and Katelyn Novak's (Colchester) converted layup to send Eastern into the half 27-25.

Third Quarter

Rhode Island sparked a highly contested quarter by crashing the offensive glass, using multiple second-chance opportunities to tie the game at 27-27.
Eastern continued to answer through Nudd, who scored on back-to-back possessions to regain the lead and steady the Warriors well down the middle stretch, their dominant performance highlighted further by an Alyssa Paquette (Claremont, NH) three and a Topa three-point play.
The Anchormen found buckets through Shalyn Smith and Eva Monahan to create second-chance opportunities down-low to edge the Warriors, and a late Kufuor foul sent Rhode Island's Jaina Yekelchik to the line to push the Anchormen ahead, 45-44 with just one run to go.

Fourth Quarter

The final frame opened with back-and-forth possessions. Early turnovers and missed layups from Nudd and Nevaeh King (Brockton, MA) gave Rhode Island extra opportunities as they continued to edge Eastern down the line.
Though the Warriors were able to counter with timely pairs of free throws and layups from Topa and Nudd, Rhode Island began to hastily pull away late quarter with a three-point play followed by Eva Monahan's 4-for-4 performance from the line, sparking the Anchormen's extra possessions and consistent scoring run for the 64-56 win.

Stats:

Eastern Conn. St.: 24-54 FG (44.4%), 4-13 3PT (30.0%), 4-5 FT (80.0%)
Rhode Island: 21-66 FG (31.8%), 3-17 3PT (17.6%), 19-26 FT (73.1%)
Rebounds: Eastern 35, Rhode Island 42
Assists: Eastern 21, Rhode Island 8
Turnovers: Eastern 24, Rhode Island 14
Points in the Paint: Eastern 34, Rhode Island 34
Second-Chance Points: Eastern 6, Rhode Island 13
Fast Break Points: Eastern 6, Rhode Island 9
Points off Turnovers: Eastern 10, Rhode Island 20
Bench Points: Eastern 6, Rhode Island 0

Game Notes:

Nudd led the Warriors with 29 points, adding seven rebounds and four assists.
Topa contributed 11 points and five rebounds, while Kufuor added six points off the bench.
Paquette and Novak chipped in with five points each, combining for six rebounds and three assists.
Eastern falls to 8-14 overall and 5-8 in the Little East Conference, while Rhode Island improves to 18-5 overall and 12-2 in conference.

Up Next:
Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball will travel to VTSU Castleton on February 14th at 1:00 PM at Glenbrook Gymnasium.

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