RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by missed shots and forced turnovers than offensive artistry, the Rhode Island women’s basketball team grinded out a 46-41 victory over VCU in an Atlantic 10 Conference game Wednesday night at Siegel Center.

The visiting Rams from Rhode Island, now 15-2 overall and leading the conference, survived a frigid shooting night and a second-half surge from VCU by relying on a stifling defense and crucial offensive rebounds. VCU, which fell to 6-12, mounted a fierce comeback after a disastrous start but could not overcome its own scoring droughts.

The game’s defining characteristic was set from the opening tip. Both teams combined for a staggering 26 turnovers and shot under 33% from the field. Rhode Island finished 18 of 52, a 34.6% clip, while VCU was 18 of 55, shooting 32.7%. The teams also combined to make just 11 of 44 attempts from three-point range.

The most pivotal phase of the game was its beginning. Rhode Island’s defense completely smothered VCU in the first quarter, holding the home Rams to a single field goal. VCU did not score until a Daija Preston layup with 7:30 remaining in the period and finished the quarter with just two points. Rhode Island, while hardly efficient, built a 7-2 lead that established a cushion it would desperately need later.

VCU’s offense remained stagnant in the second quarter, and Rhode Island took advantage. A three-pointer from Valentina Ojeda of Punta Arenas, Chile, and a pull-up jumper from Brooklyn Gray extended the lead. Rhode Island closed the first half on a 7-0 run, capped by a Sophia Vital layup and a driving score from Gray, to take a 23-10 advantage into the locker room.

The narrative shifted dramatically after halftime. VCU, sparked by the guard play of Cyriah Griffin of Virginia Beach and the facilitation of Laia Crespin Pastor of Calafell, Spain, came alive. VCU opened the third quarter on a 15-2 run, erasing Rhode Island’s 13-point lead in just over four minutes. Griffin scored eight points during the surge, including a three-pointer, while Crespin Pastor orchestrated the offense with precision.

Rhode Island’s offense, which managed only eight points in the third quarter, went silent. The visitors committed seven turnovers in the period, allowing VCU to seize momentum and take its first lead since 0-0. A three-pointer from VCU’s Daija Preston in the final seconds of the third gave the home team a 28-25 lead, capping an 18-8 quarter and setting up a tense final frame.

The fourth quarter became a possession-by-possession fight. Rhode Island reclaimed the lead early in the period on an Albina Syla layup, but VCU answered. The game was tied at 35 with under five minutes to play after a Makennah White jumper for VCU.

The final minutes belonged to Rhode Island’s key players. Gray, a guard from Rockford, Illinois, converted a crucial layup to put her team ahead for good. After a three-pointer from VCU’s White cut the deficit to 41-38, Vital responded with a critical three-pointer of her own off an assist from Ines Debroise of Paris, France, pushing the lead back to six with 1:58 remaining.

VCU had chances in the final minute, but a turnover by Griffin and a missed three-pointer by Ann Zachariah of Kerala, India, sealed its fate. Debroise made a free throw with one second left to provide the final margin.

Gray led all scorers with 15 points and added nine rebounds. Vital, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, contributed 10 points and six assists, directing the offense despite the team’s overall struggles. Ojeda provided a vital spark off the bench with eight points, all in the first half.

For VCU, White of Farrell, Pennsylvania, led the way with 12 points. Griffin finished with 11 points, and Crespin Pastor dished out six assists. VCU’s defense forced 17 Rhode Island turnovers and recorded 10 steals but was ultimately undone by its own nine turnovers and a critical 12-4 disadvantage in offensive rebounds, which led to 11 second-chance points for Rhode Island.

The game was witnessed by an intimate crowd of 313. Rhode Island next hosts Duquesne on Sunday, while VCU will prepare for a home game against George Washington next Wednesday.