SOUTH KINGSTOWN — This first meeting between the University of Rhode Island women and Stonehill went about how you might expect. 

The Rams played in the Atlantic 10 tournament championship game last season. The Skyhawks won just four times and are entering only their third year in Division I. 

The result on this Monday night at the Ryan Center was a predictable one. URI muscled its way to a 68-45 victory, with a reworked rotation smothering the visitors at the defensive end and on the glass. 

“Pretty pleased with how we executed,” URI coach Tammi Reiss said. “Really asked the team to come out and just play hard. Let the game come to them. And they did that.” 

Stonehill shot just 33.3% from the field, including 2-for-18 from beyond the arc. The Skyhawks committed 25 turnovers and put only two players in double figures. Portsmouth native Kylie Swider and Brooke Paquette each hit for 15 points — their teammates went a combined 5-for-28 from the floor. 

“Everyone wants to play offense,” Reiss said. “When that’s not flowing, will you do the other things? Tonight that’s what they did — and that’s who they are.” 

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The Rams were led by a nice debut from San Diego transfer Harsimran Kaur. She finished with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes. Kaur needed just this opening night to equal her one start with the Torreros last season. She came up a field goal shy of her career-high 21 points in a March game against Pepperdine. 

“This team, these girls, just make it easy for me to jump in and lead,” Kaur said. “I would give all the credit to my team and my coaches. They let me be comfortable in my own skin.” 

Kaur claimed an immediate role after the departures of frontcourt regulars Mayé Touré (Utah) and Tenin Magassa (Oklahoma State). Hawa Komara added 10 points and 13 boards while Anaelle Dutat chipped in four points and seven rebounds. 

“Watching all the film on her and her capabilities, I knew that she could be a double-double,” Reiss said. “It was finding someone who could replace Mayé and have an impact for our team.” 

How will URI generate some perimeter offense?  

Sophia Vital’s 3-pointer with 4:51 left in the second quarter was the team’s first field goal outside the paint. The Rams were just 4-for-17 from deep and didn’t make a free throw until Sophie Phillips knocked down her second of two with 3:24 to play in the first half. 

“It really was just settling down,” Reiss said. “That first game is always a little tight — a lot of missed layups, a lot of miscues, getting the jitters out.” 

Ines Debroise finished with eight points and seven assists against only one turnover in 24 minutes. She combined with Dutat and Komara to average just 10.3 points per game last season. They’ll need to produce before Palmire Mbu (NCAA requirements) is cleared after the season’s third game and freshman Ayanna Franks finds her way. 

“My job is to be the point guard,” Debroise said. “Just get to know all of my teammates and know where I can put them in the best position to score.” 

URI (1-0) put this one away late in the first half. 

It was a 20-20 game after Swider knocked down a jumper along the right baseline with 6:01 to play in the second quarter. Stonehill (0-1) was on the wrong end of a 17-3 run over the rest of the half, with the Rams allowing just 1-for-8 shooting. 

“They play hard for you,” Reiss said. “I told them the most important thing tonight was how hard we played.” 

Franks collected a team-high three steals, one of eight URI players who notched at least one. Kaur racked up four blocked shots before halftime, nearly half of the 10 recorded by the Rams in the game.  

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25