KEENE, N.H. 1/14/12 –  The Rhode Island College women's basketball team showed why it sits on top of the Little East Conference standings after a dominating  77-46 victory over host Keene State College at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Winners of nine straight, RIC (12-2, 5-0 LEC) remains undefeated in the league play. The Owls, who have dropped two straight, fall to 8-5 and 3-2 in the LEC.

The only bright spot in the game for the Owls was the play of freshman guard Rachael Brucks (Suwannee, Geo.), who scored a season high 11 points to go with five rebounds, and five steals.  RIC held senior Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.), KSC's leading scorer, to just two points. She did have a team high eight rebounds. Senior Meghan Farrell (Chester, Vt.) also finished in double figures with 10 points.   

The Anchorwomen were led by the senior trio of Stephanie Coro (North Providence, R.I.), Nicole Girard (Foster, R.I.) and Rachel Riley (Coventry, R.I.).  Coro scored a game high 16 points, Girard had 14 points and Riley finished with 12 points and a game high 11 rebounds.  Senior Cynthia Gaudet (Coventry, R.I.) added nine points and six assists.

The Owls were unable to tie down the Anchorwomen for the opening tap.  RIC raced out to a 15-2 lead on back-to-back base-line three-point baskets by Coro. Coro had 13 first half points for the Anchorwomen.  

The Anchorwomen never let the Owls get into their offense.  Coro stole the ball and went in for an uncontested lay-up to put RIC up 26-7 with 6:36 to go in the half.  Girard found Riley down court with a couple of long passes that pushed the lead up to 34-9. RIC, who shot a scorching 17-29 (59%) from the field, went to the locker room with a commanding 41-12 lead. 

It's the second time this season Keene State has been held to just 12 points in a half.  The Owls, who connected on just five of their 27 shots from the field (19%), also scored 12 points in the second half against nationally-ranked Mary Washington University earlier this season at the Big Easy Challenge.

RIC shot 53% (27-51) from the field and hit 10 of its 18 three-point attempts (56%) in the game.  KSC had a slight 44-38 advantage on the glass. 

Both teams continue LEC play on Tuesday.  Keene State hosts Plymouth State and R.I. College entertains UMass-Dartmouth in 5:30 p.m. games.