GAME NOTES: A battle between in-state rivals is set as the Providence Friars travel to the Thomas M. Ryan Center to take on the Rhode Island Rams.
This is one of the biggest games of the year every season for both teams. The in-state rivals will be facing each other for the 124th time. The Friars hold a 67-56 advantage in the all-time series, which began on December 7th, 1920. The home team has won in each of the last eight meetings.
Providence comes in with a 10-2 record after beating New Hampshire 67-52 on Tuesday night. The Friars win gave them a 6-0 record against schools from New England for the season. Providence came from behind in the second half to take control against New Hampshire on its way to its sixth-straight win. The Friars have impressive victories over South Carolina, Boston College, and Fairfield on their resume this year. The only teams to beat Providence so far have been Iowa State and Northern Iowa. The Friars are a decent offensive team with an average of 71.3 ppg on 46.1 percent shooting from the field. Providence is outscoring its opponents by an average margin of 8.2 ppg.
Providence is led by its star point guard Vincent Council. The 6-2 junior is leading the team with 17.1 ppg and is second in the Big East with seven assists per outing. Council scored 17 points, dished out 12 assists, and grabbed seven boards in his last appearance. Gerard Coleman is thriving playing beside Council. Coleman is second on the team in scoring with 15.8 ppg and had 20 in his last game against New Hampshire. Bryce Cotton rounds out the three-guard attack of the Friars with 15.4 ppg. LaDontae Henton is the team's best low post player. Henton is contributing 13.5 ppg and a fourth-best in the Big East 8.8 rpg.
The Rams (1-10) lost their seventh game in a row on Sunday as the Yale Bulldogs squeaked out a 68-65 victory at the Thomas M. Ryan Center. URI hurt itself in the loss as it made just 16-of-29 from the free throw line. Two of Rhode Island's losses have come in overtime, 92-90 at George Mason and 76-74 to Maine. The Rams are ranked 14th in the Atlantic 10 in scoring defense, allowing 78.9 ppg. Rhode Island is averaging 15.8 turnovers, while dishing out 13.8 assists per game. Coach Jim Baron's has been shuffling the lineup in search of answers.
Senior guard Jamal Wilson who ranks first on the Rams and fourth in the A-10 in scoring, at 17.5 points per game, was suspended indefinitely before the Yale game. Freshman guard T.J. Buchanan suffered a sprained ankle against Yale and his availability is questionable for tonight's game. With Wilson out against Yale, Nikola Malesevic took over. The junior forward from Uzice scored 25 points in 20 minutes before fouling out.
With Providence firing all cylinders and Rhode Island struggling and shorthanded, this may not be a competitive bout. With rivalry games, all previous knowledge tends to be irrelevant, but the Friars have proven they are a very efficient team that rarely takes any opponent lightly.
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