Memorable games – Part 3 – Southern Connecticut wins at D1 Rhode Island
By Stephen Zerdelian
In part 3 of the Memorable Games Series, we recall a D2-D1 clash that ended with D2 smiles
Most games between Division I and Division II teams take place in the pre-season or as exhibitions. Rarely do we see a crossover game between clubs of differing divisions in the regular season. NCAA restrictions on games and the fact that a DI-DII clash means little for a team’s non-league resume make such games generally unsatisfactory for either side. But occasionally, it happens. And, even less frequently, the DII team wins the game. One such occasion was Southern Connecticut’s victory at the University of Rhode Island a few days after Christmas, 2017.
How did the game even get scheduled? Let SCSU alum and head coach Kate Lynch explain.
“We (SCSU) always like to challenge ourselves and play Division I teams - we have played UConn in the past and Yale for the last three years and make it a point to play exhibition games or scrimmage Division I institutions each year,” said Lynch.
“The URI game came about because I was friends with members of the URI staff at the time and they were looking for a game”, she continued. They approached me about the possibility of a game, and I always jump at the opportunity to give our student-athletes an elite experience like playing an Atlantic-10 institution. I am from Rhode Island originally, so it also gave me an opportunity to coach in front of family and friends.”
Contests between URI and Southern Connecticut were once regular occurrences, as the teams faced off annually from 1976-1983. The Owls won the first six games in their series (the last time in 1979) but the Rams had picked up wins in the last four meetings, and once the teams headed off to their respective divisions, the series halted. Until 2017.
Why is this a story? Well, if URI won the game, most would shrug and assume that’s normal. But Southern Connecticut prevailed in this one, which makes it abnormal. Add in that the Owls won on the road, and it becomes that much more interesting.
SCSU was in the early stages of what would end up as a 21-10 season, which culminated in an NCAA Division II tournament appearance. URI, meanwhile, suffered through a 3-27 campaign (losing 27 of their last 28 games) before embarking on a rebuild. At the time of the clash, SCSU was 10-3 while URI was 2-11, yet the Rams still had to be the favorite. After all, they were the D1 team playing at home.
“Like any game, we went in with the focus of trying to win/compete,” offered Lynch. “We always think that if we can compete with teams of this caliber that it will make it easier for us down the road. The Northeaat-10 is special; it’s tough, it’s a grueling schedule so these types of games can help make us physically and mentally tougher.”
The first half was a tight, competitive affair, with the Rams ahead 32-28 at the break. Lynch was pleased with her teams’ performance and saw a chance to really make game this interesting.
“We stuck with URI the entire first half,” she said. “At halftime, we were only down by four and we felt good about our execution and defensive scheme. I remember stopping outside our locker room at URI and saying to my staff, ‘hey we can really win this game’. We thought if we could hang with them until halftime, it may give us an opportunity to win. When I walked into the locker room, I felt the same contagious energy from our group. It was special.”
The Rams pushed their lead to 45-36 (their largest of the night) but the Owls clawed back to within 50-45 at the end of three periods. That set the stage for the best quarter of the night from the guests, and with it a memorable win.
URI’s Elemy Colome (12 points) sank two foul shots to put the Rams up, 52-45, to open the final stanza but SCSU responded with an 8-0 flurry to grab a 53-52 edge at the 5:21 mark. With the game tied at 55, senior guard Africa Williams (9 points) buried a trey with 1:31 left to put Southern Connecticut ahead for good, 58-55. Marta Vargas made a pair of free throws to pull URI within a digit (58-57) with 1:06 to play but the Rams did not score again.
The teams swapped missed shots (including a missed three-pointer from Vargas with 20 ticks left) before sophomore Imani Wheeler dropped in two foul shots at the :18 mark to make it 60-57. Abby Streeter (11 points) misfired on from deep on URI’s next possession and sophomore Paige Decker (9 points) iced the victory for SCSU with two more foul shots in the dying seconds. 62-57 was the final, and Southern Connecticut had their win in Kingston.
SCSU had the upper hand from the floor, although both teams shot poorly (SCSU 32% FG, 7-22 3FG; URI 27% FG, 5-27 3FG). URI had the edge off the glass (51-36) and at the line (20-26; SCSU 15-16 FT) but negated it by committing 17 turnovers to just nine Owl miscues. SCSU senior Abby Hurlbert led all scorers with 13 points and added eight boards, but she was one of ten Owl scorers, as their depth paid dividends. Such depth and balance were SCSU’s calling card that season and Lynch knew she had a good squad on her hands.
“Any time you can be a part of a team/group that makes the NCAA tournament, it’s a special feeling,” she confessed. “Our 2017-‘18 group was special from the start; their work ethic, their commitment to being great, their attitudes, and their love for one another was palpable each day. It felt great as an alumna to be able to coach a team like that. They had big goals from the start, and I was fortunate to be their coach. We had outstanding leadership from our senior class; that was really the difference for us. They wanted to win and leave their legacy at Southern, and they got everyone else on board with them.”
The season was an overall success for that Owls unit. NCAA visits are always a sign of success, but eight teams make it there in the region every season. How many beat a Division I team (even subpar DI’s) on the road? Not many. It may have been a short way station for SCSU that winter but that single success does stand out amid the clutter.