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SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The first NCAA Tournament appearance for the University of Rhode Island and women’s basketball in the state at large for three decades will come against the powerful SEC.
The Rams were drawn against Alabama in Regional 3 and will play Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Louisville. The host Cardinals headline a four-team portion of the bracket as the No. 3 seed and will be on their home floor at the KFC Yum! Center against No. 14 seed Vermont.
No. 11 seed URI punched its ticket by sweeping Atlantic 10 regular-season and tournament titles – it was more celebration than nervousness in the air during a watch party on campus at the Soloviev Practice Facility on March 15. A roar went up from the crowd when the Rams saw their name appear opposite the sixth-seeded Crimson Tide, who finished 23-10 overall and won two games to reach their conference tournament quarterfinals.
“We didn’t really care about who we played,” senior captain Ines Debroise said. “It was about us. That was the biggest thing during the whole season – everything was about us.”
Debroise and the rest of URI’s roster sat in the front row alongside head coach Tammi Reiss. Additional staff members and fans piled in behind in padded blue folding chairs, watching the brackets as they were revealed on a large screen along one wall. A live link to the ESPN broadcast sent a clip of the Rams and their long-awaited reaction out across the country.
“The school, the university, the state – we've been waiting 30 years to go dancing again,” Reiss said. “It just was incredible.”
URI has spent the week resting, recovering and attempting to sharpen its overall game after running a three-game gauntlet against the conference at Henrico Sports & Events Center. The Rams took care of Loyola Chicago, Davidson and George Mason to secure their first league tournament title and a corresponding automatic berth. URI was an at-large selection out of the conference for its lone previous appearance in 1995-96, losing in the opening round to Oklahoma State.
“We all kind of anticipated we were going to win the tournament,” guard Brooklyn Gray said. “We worked for it. We did it. It’s not crazy to us.”
The Rams have already set a new program record for wins in a season at 28-4, and that includes a November victory at North Carolina State. URI also recorded a home triumph over Richmond, which was one of the final at-large selections into the field. Two against the Patriots, two against the Wildcats and another pair against Saint Joseph’s have the Rams confident they can compete at a high level.
“We will be playing with a chip on our shoulder to prove to the nation that we belong,” Reiss said. “We belong on this stage.
“I think some mid-majors belong on this stage, and it’s really hard to get a shot nowadays. When you do you’ve got to go in there and you've got to give them hell.”
Alabama opened in the preseason top 25 for the first time since 1999 and ripped off a 14-game winning streak to begin the season. The Crimson Tide found the going considerably tougher in the league, finishing just 7-9 and losing six of their last eight in the regular season. They upended Missouri and Tennessee in the tournament before falling to eventual champion Texas, 83-60.
“What you’re going to have to do is be ready to compete,” Reiss said. “We’re just going to have to do us. We’ve got to do what we do and do it really well.”
Only two of the 16 teams in the SEC closed below Alabama in scoring offense, and its strongest area at that end was beyond the arc. The Crimson Tide shot an even 36.0% from 3-point range to rank fourth and closed sixth in total defense. Alabama coach Kristy Curry is in her 13th season with the program – this is her fifth straight with at least 20 wins.
“We’re going to scrimmage a lot before we leave – get them up and down, game-like situations,” Reiss said. “It’s really getting them mentally prepared for all the things behind the scenes that they’re not used to.”
Redshirt senior guard Jessica Timmons was named to the all-SEC second team after shooting 40.3% from 3-point range, closing 11th in scoring and ranking 16th in minutes played. She spent two college seasons with the Wolfpack, debuted with the Crimson Tide in 2023-24 and took a medical redshirt last year while recovering from a knee injury. Fellow guard Karly Weathers was the Gatorade Player of the Year in her native Tennessee in 2022 and ranks 10th in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Reiss planned to stay at her office late Sunday night watching film and expects to begin game week with a full practice Tuesday. She might have a couple SEC sources to contact for additional information on Alabama – South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was her college roommate at Virginia and Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin played point guard for the Rams from 2002-04 after a junior college transfer.
“There’s a pact – you're not supposed to share scouts in conference,” Reiss said with a grin. “I can’t really say anything on that. But some way, somehow, I think we’re going to find a couple scouts on Alabama.”
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: URI women's basketball gearing up for No. 6 Alabama in March Madness
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The Rams were drawn against Alabama in Regional 3 and will play Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Louisville. The host Cardinals headline a four-team portion of the bracket as the No. 3 seed and will be on their home floor at the KFC Yum! Center against No. 14 seed Vermont.
No. 11 seed URI punched its ticket by sweeping Atlantic 10 regular-season and tournament titles – it was more celebration than nervousness in the air during a watch party on campus at the Soloviev Practice Facility on March 15. A roar went up from the crowd when the Rams saw their name appear opposite the sixth-seeded Crimson Tide, who finished 23-10 overall and won two games to reach their conference tournament quarterfinals.
“We didn’t really care about who we played,” senior captain Ines Debroise said. “It was about us. That was the biggest thing during the whole season – everything was about us.”
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Long wait is finally over
Debroise and the rest of URI’s roster sat in the front row alongside head coach Tammi Reiss. Additional staff members and fans piled in behind in padded blue folding chairs, watching the brackets as they were revealed on a large screen along one wall. A live link to the ESPN broadcast sent a clip of the Rams and their long-awaited reaction out across the country.
“The school, the university, the state – we've been waiting 30 years to go dancing again,” Reiss said. “It just was incredible.”
URI has spent the week resting, recovering and attempting to sharpen its overall game after running a three-game gauntlet against the conference at Henrico Sports & Events Center. The Rams took care of Loyola Chicago, Davidson and George Mason to secure their first league tournament title and a corresponding automatic berth. URI was an at-large selection out of the conference for its lone previous appearance in 1995-96, losing in the opening round to Oklahoma State.
“We all kind of anticipated we were going to win the tournament,” guard Brooklyn Gray said. “We worked for it. We did it. It’s not crazy to us.”
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A record-breaking season for URI women
The Rams have already set a new program record for wins in a season at 28-4, and that includes a November victory at North Carolina State. URI also recorded a home triumph over Richmond, which was one of the final at-large selections into the field. Two against the Patriots, two against the Wildcats and another pair against Saint Joseph’s have the Rams confident they can compete at a high level.
“We will be playing with a chip on our shoulder to prove to the nation that we belong,” Reiss said. “We belong on this stage.
“I think some mid-majors belong on this stage, and it’s really hard to get a shot nowadays. When you do you’ve got to go in there and you've got to give them hell.”
What to know about No. 6 Alabama
Alabama opened in the preseason top 25 for the first time since 1999 and ripped off a 14-game winning streak to begin the season. The Crimson Tide found the going considerably tougher in the league, finishing just 7-9 and losing six of their last eight in the regular season. They upended Missouri and Tennessee in the tournament before falling to eventual champion Texas, 83-60.
“What you’re going to have to do is be ready to compete,” Reiss said. “We’re just going to have to do us. We’ve got to do what we do and do it really well.”
You must be registered for see images
Only two of the 16 teams in the SEC closed below Alabama in scoring offense, and its strongest area at that end was beyond the arc. The Crimson Tide shot an even 36.0% from 3-point range to rank fourth and closed sixth in total defense. Alabama coach Kristy Curry is in her 13th season with the program – this is her fifth straight with at least 20 wins.
“We’re going to scrimmage a lot before we leave – get them up and down, game-like situations,” Reiss said. “It’s really getting them mentally prepared for all the things behind the scenes that they’re not used to.”
Redshirt senior guard Jessica Timmons was named to the all-SEC second team after shooting 40.3% from 3-point range, closing 11th in scoring and ranking 16th in minutes played. She spent two college seasons with the Wolfpack, debuted with the Crimson Tide in 2023-24 and took a medical redshirt last year while recovering from a knee injury. Fellow guard Karly Weathers was the Gatorade Player of the Year in her native Tennessee in 2022 and ranks 10th in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Reiss planned to stay at her office late Sunday night watching film and expects to begin game week with a full practice Tuesday. She might have a couple SEC sources to contact for additional information on Alabama – South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was her college roommate at Virginia and Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin played point guard for the Rams from 2002-04 after a junior college transfer.
“There’s a pact – you're not supposed to share scouts in conference,” Reiss said with a grin. “I can’t really say anything on that. But some way, somehow, I think we’re going to find a couple scouts on Alabama.”
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: URI women's basketball gearing up for No. 6 Alabama in March Madness
Continue reading...
