Photo: Eric Bartsch

UNCW freshman Sheronda McLean, #32, goes up against VCU Thursday night.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Sophomore guard La’Tavia Rorie led four players in double figures with 17 points and visiting VCU forced a season-high 30 turnovers by UNC Wilmington in a 73-52 victory over the Seahawks in Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball action Thursday night at Trask Coliseum.

The Rams, who won for the sixth time in the last eight meetings with the Seahawks, wrapped up a three-game road trip in successful fashion to move to 15-2 overall and 5-1 in the CAA.UNCW, 10-7 and 1-5, dropped its fifth game in six outings and suffered its third conference home loss in as many tries this season.

Rorie went 7-for-12 from the field to lead all scorers in the contest. Junior forward Radoslava Bachvarova added 14 points, junior center Quanitra Hollingsworth collected 13 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore guard Kita Waller had 11 points for the Rams.

Freshman forward Brittany Blackwell paced the Seahawks with 13 points followed by junior forward Sahsha Taylor with 12 points. Freshman center Martha White added a career-high nine points in 11 minutes.

The Seahawks shot 45.3 percent from the floor, but missed all seven of their 3-point attempts in the game. The Rams wound up connecting on 47.3 percent and canned 6-for-13 behind the arc to outscore the Seahawks, 18-0, from 3-point range.

VCU built a 32-23 halftime cushion and continued to ride the CAA’s top defense in the final period. The Rams forced 16 turnovers in the first half and UNCW coughed up 14 more after the break against VCU’s ball-hawking defense.

After being held to two points in the first period, Hollingsworth came alive after intermission. The junior forward from Chesapeake, Va., scored 11 of her 13 points on 3-for-4 in the second half as the Rams pulled away down the stretch.

VCU recorded its largest lead of the game with 32 seconds remaining when D’Andra Moss converted a jumper to give the Rams a 73-50 cushion.

VCU struggled offensively in the early going and trailed 6-0 before scoring with 15:29 left in the first period on a triple by Rorie. After Taylor’s layup gave UNCW an 8-5 lead at 14:43, the Rams took control by reeling off 10 unanswered points.

The Rams took the lead for good, 11-8, on a trey by Waller at 10:28 and Krystal Vaughn capped the spurt by making the second of two free throws with 8:53 remaining in the opening period for a 15-8 lead.VCU took a 32-23 lead into intermission after forcing 16 turnovers and riding 10-point efforts by Rorie and Bachvarova.The Rams open up a two-game homestand Sunday with a Noon matchup against Hofstra in Richmond. The Seahawks remain home to entertain George Mason Sunday in a 2 p.m. matinee.

GAME NOTES: VCU leads the all-time series, 18-13…The two teams combined for 25 steals, with VCU collecting 17 and UNCW swiping eight…The Seahawks were outscored at the free throw line, 15-4…Freshman playmaker Sheronda “Shorty” McLean led the Seahawks with four assists…Sophomore guard Candace Walker had a team-high nine rebounds for UNCW…The Seahawks outrebounded the Rams, 36-27…UNCW’s starting guards went a combined 4-for-14 from the floor…VCU had 14 assists on 26 baskets…The Rams scored 32 of their 73 points off turnovers…VCU had 20 fast break points to 0 for the Seahawks.