Akiene-Tera Reed and Virginia Commonwealth Rams extended their winning run to seven games, the last five in Atlantic-10 Conference games, after slamming Rhode Island 74-39. Tera tied a career high four three-pointers on her way to a team high 16 points along with 5 rebounds. Reid has scored double figures in seven of the last eight games for the Rams - averaging 15.5 points per game over that period.

In the previous game the latest chapter of Kiwi v Kiwis in US college basketball occurred in the Bronx on Thursday. Tera and VCU locked horns with the Rams of Fordham University.  Fordham, with their trio of Kiwis Mary Goulding, Kendell Heremaia and Harbour's Zara Jillings, would have started as slight favourites on their home court and with a 13 points lead at half-time (30-17) appeared to be justifying that tag.

The VCU resurgence coincided with Heremaia (5 points and 8 rebounds) and Goulding (12 points and 6 rebounds), two of Fordham’s starters, forced to the bench with foul issues.

The fourth quarter was a defensive slog with just 11 points scored in the period – crucially for VCU they scored seven of them.

Tera finished with a team high 5 assists along with 8 points, 3 rebounds and a brace of steals – whilst Zara, Fordham’s regular sixth man, tallied 4 points and 3 rebounds.

Charlotte Armstrong shifted her rebounding personal best in an upward curve for the second game running as Barry University beat Palm Beach Atlantic 79-74 to improve their Sunshine State Conference record to 3-5. Charlotte pulled down 7 rebounds and also swatted three shots for a career best in blocks also.

Georgia Perrott-Hunt and Tiffin University Dragons had lost nine straight Great Big West Conference games but last week broke their duck with two wins in two days. After squeezing past Davis & Elkins 64-62 the Dragons defeated Alderson Broaddus 84-72 with Georgia adding 3 rebounds and a couple of assists to 8 points.

In Division I men’s playthe eagerly awaited clash between the No 1 ranked Duke University Blue Devils and University of Virginia Cavaliers (ranked No 4) it was the Blue Devils that prevailed on their home court 72-70. Jack Salt added 5 points to 4 rebounds in 26 minutes as Virginia (16-1) suffered its first loss of the season.

Denhym Brooke produced 8 points (4/6FG) and 5 rebounds but Hawaii at Hilo went down 84-73 to Concordia in NCAA Division II PacWest Conference play.

Also in the PacWest Alex Talma’s strong senior season continues. He produced a team high in rebounds (8) and points (19) but it wasn’t enough to prevent Biola University going down 84-72 at Azusa Pacific. Biola are 5-6 in conference play, a spot below Hilo (5-5) on the PacWest ladder.

Zack Te Puni scored with his only shot to help College of St Rose Golden Knights defeat Stonehill 72-66. The Knights have won three of their last four games to improve to 4-5 in the NE 10 Conference.