Rhode Island upsets No. 16 NC State on the road

Rhode Island pulled off the biggest win in program history on Sunday, taking down No. 16 NC State 68-63 on the road. 

“One thing that won us this game that we didn’t have at Rutgers was toughness for 40 minutes,” head coach Tammi Reiss told On3. “Every play, toughness. And that’s your foundation when you go on the road. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

This is a win that Reiss called the most significant victory of her seven-year tenure. Against a program she knows well from her ACC days, on Kay Yow Court, her Rams showed something she had been waiting to see: composure and toughness for 40 straight minutes.

One of the most significant performances of the day was freshman Vanessa Harris, who finished with 15 points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep. She was fearless, steady, and unshakeable in several high-pressure moments. Reiss trusted her in crunch time and she delivered.

“She’s fearless, and I mean fearless,” Reiss said. “She’ll take every shot if you let her. She’s got no conscience. She doesn’t know what she doesn’t know, and that’s what makes her dangerous.”

The confidence Reiss has in her freshman grows from Harris’ foundation: elite coaching at Bishop McNamara, a competitive upbringing and relentless mentality.

“I trust her upbringing,” Reiss said. “I trust the way her parents raised her. I trust the way Ron James coached her. She just comes to compete, and she’s not scared of big moments. That’s what makes special freshmen.”

NC State erased multiple deficits and even took the lead late, refusing to go away. But URI never panicked. When the Rams went down five, Reiss called a timeout, and they punched back.

When a late three from Harris put URI on top for good, Reiss knew this was a game. The celebration that followed the victory was well-earned – and included plenty of water being dumped on Reiss. 

“Oh, I got soaked…,” she laughed. “It was just a great feeling and a great team win.”

The victory marks a statement for the Atlantic 10 as well.

“It puts us on the national stage,” Reiss said. “The A-10 is a great basketball league and I’ve never been more proud of it. We want two or three in the tournament every year.”