WILMINGTON, Del. – As Saint Louis broke its postgame meeting in the locker room, Drake’s “Started From the Bottom” briefly played. After being selected 12th in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, the Billikens celebrated securing their first-ever championship final appearance after defeating Rhode Island, 59-56, on semifinals Saturday at CHASE Fieldhouse.

“It is very emotional, very exciting, thrilling even,” Saint Louis’s Brooke Flowers said. “I don’t think that anybody thought we would get here. We just continued to believe in each other and what we brought to the table. To be able to do this in my last year is so special.”

The Billikens will face top-seeded Massachusetts Sunday in the A-10 Championship final at noon on ESPNU with a trophy and an NCAA Tournament bid on the line.

SLU was led by All-Defensive Team selection Julia Martinez’s near triple-double, consisting of 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. 
Flowers, the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, connected for 12 points and 14 rebounds, good for her 16^th double-double this season. Peyton Kennedy also made a contribution netting all 15 of her points in the first half.

Defensively Saint Louis held Rhode Island to a 27.3 percent shooting clip and won the paint battle 38-16. 

“What a game, anybody that was in this arena, it was incredible by both teams," SLU coach Rebecca Tillett said. "For our group it’s really the first time that we’ve been in that type of situation building that type of lead and then figuring out how to maintain it or what you do next. Really excited for our women and this opportunity. What a group of staying the course, being resilient, being a learner, getting better all of the time and now we have a chance to go to the ‘ship.”

Rhode Island’s Sayawni Lassiter led the way with 14 points, and she also grabbed six rebounds. Dolly Cairns connected for 11 points, and All-Third Team recipient Madison Hattix-Covington pieced together 10 points. Most Improved Player Maye Toure also made an impact with her nine points and nine rebounds.

The Rams trailed by as many as 21 points in this game but fought back to within a single point. 

“(Saint Louis) came out and they came ready to play, it was the difference in the game,” Rhode Island coach Tammi Reiss said. “I am really proud of my team for the way they fought back. Being down 21 you can hang your head; you can duck, and they didn’t they came out swinging. I thought it was an incredible second half by us, but we fell short.”

Saint Louis’s 10-3 lead was bolstered by a 11-1 run to close the first quarter. Rhode Island was held without a field goal for 5:51, a span which stretched into the early stages of the second period. Kennedy recorded nine points, outscoring Rhode Island by herself as the Rams went 2-for-17 from the field.

Saint Louis’s stops only increased its aggression as Rhode Island passed into a turnover off the press and then committed a 10-second violation. But the Rams recovered by utilizing a 9-0 run of its own and then adding a similar press as Cairns nailed a 3-point basket to bring the teams within 11 points.

Flowers offered Saint Louis’s reply with an and-one play allowing the Billikens to regroup and establish a connection that saw them record 13 assists on 16 made baskets. SLU led by 17 points heading into halftime.

Rhode Island went on an 10-2 run in the third quarter and at the end of the period, a Lassiter steal and score placed the teams nine points apart entering the fourth quarter. Lassiter’s basket provided momentum which transformed into an 8-0 run as the teams were separated by three points. Rhody had multiple chances to tie or take the lead but were unable to take that next step.

In the closing minute of a one-point game, Martinez made a crucial steal on an inbounds play, and on the offensive end, calmly sank two free throws.

“We had a little huddle and they told me ‘easy two free throws, you’ve got it,’” recalled Martinez. “It was just the belief; I knew my team believed in me and I believe that it was two easy free throws. Everyone had my back and I felt it.”

When Rhode Island missed a long-distance 3-point attempt, Kennedy secured the rebound, victory and a matchup with Massachusetts for the Atlantic 10 Championship.

“I’m just proud of the entire program and everything that we’ve been through together,” Flowers concluded. “Everybody that’s here invested into what it is that Tillett believes in and look where we’re going. It’s really a full-circle moment, but the job is not finished, so we’ve got to stay focused.”