PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team will head into its brief holiday break on a high note following an 84-66 win over Rhode Island in The Palestra, extending its winning streak to two and evening its record at 4-4 overall.
 
Penn had five players in double figures in scoring for the first time since March 4, 2016 vs. Dartmouth, led by a career-high 17 from Ashley Russell, and used a dominant first quarter to put the game out of reach early in front of a spirited Palestra crowd.
 
PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Anna Ross set a career high with 10 assists, with is tied for sixth-most all-time in a game by a Penn player and the most since her teammate Beth Brzozowski also posted 10 against Columbia on Feb. 7, 2015.

*Ross, Michelle Nwokedi and Eleah Parker each recorded a double-double – the third time in program history that three players recorded double-doubles in the same game and first time since Feb. 28, 1992 at Brown. Ross' double-double of the point/assist variety is the first of its kind for any member of the Red and Blue since Lauren Pears had 15 points and 10 assists against Columbia on Jan. 13, 2007.

*Nwokedi's double-double was the 35th of her career – ranking two behind Sydney Stipanovich for third all-time among Penn players.

*Penn's 47 first-half points were the most this season by the Red and Blue and the most since scoring 54 in the opening half against Yale on Feb. 20, 2016.

*The 47 points scored by the Quakers in the first half were the most by any team against Rhode Island this season.

*Ashley Russell improved upon her career-high in both points (17) and steals (4), contributing to 23 forced turnovers by the Penn defense, one shy of tying the McLaughlin-era record.

*Senior Lauren Whitlatch joined Ross, Russell, Nwokedi and Parker in double-figures, adding 12 points, all from three-point land. 

*In addition to Ross' career day on offense, the senior captain was active defensively as well, tying her career-high with four steals.

*Parker and Nwokedi's 11 rebounds are both season-highs, while serving as the career-best for the rookie. Nwokedi also notched a season-high five assists in the victory.

*Freshman Katie Kinum tied a season-best performance from behind-the-arc, connecting on three 3-pointers.

*Brzozowski broke through for her most effective day on offense this season, hitting two 3-pointers to total six points.

*Both Phoebe Sterba and Michae Jones made their season debuts in the fourth quarter for the Quakers. 

*The 18-point margin of victory was Penn's largest this season and biggest since defeating Harvard by a similar gap on March 4, 2017 to clinch the Ivy League.

*The Quakers were lethal from long range and established momentum early with their shooting, recording 13 3-pointers, the most since recording a similar number against Brown last season on Jan. 14, 2017, tying a McLaughin-era record.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 Ashley Russell went on a personal 8-0 run to help the Quakers build a 17-5 lead midway through the first quarter. Russell had one 3-pointer in her spurt, part of 5-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc for the Red and Blue in the first quarter as Penn opened up a 28-12 advantage after ten minutes.
 
The Quakers would finish the first half with a 47-29 lead as Russell totaled 10 points in the first half.
 
The Red and Blue never trailed in the game, holding the lead for the final 39:34 after an opening layup from Eleah Parker. The closest the Rams would get was within one point following an Elemy Colome three-pointer with 8:17 remaining in the first half. Lauren Whitlach would counter with a three of her own – one of four in the game for the sharpshooter – and Penn's lead was never fewer than four points the rest of the way.
 
Penn bolstered its efforts with a 15-for-17 shooting day at the free throw line compared to just 4-for-8 for Rhode Island.
 
The Quakers had 16 steals in the game, led by Ross and Russell who each had four. Russell had three of her steals in the first 5:03 of the game, each leading directly to six total Penn points. All five of Penn's starters had at least two steals.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Red and Blue are off for the Christmas holiday before taking on VCU (7 p.m.) on Thursday, Dec. 28 at the NJIT Highlanders Christmas Tournament. Penn will then move on to play either NJIT or Long Beach on Dec. 29.