Friars top URI for Sixth Straight Time

Kyron Cartwright (24) poured in a career-high19 points.

By Bob Murph

Just as it is every year, yesterday’s game Providence and URI was billed as the “Battle of Rhode Island” with the winner emerging as Top Dog in the Ocean State for a year. This year, the game may have had a bit more significance for the Friars who were looking for their first win over a Top 25 team this season, having dropped a 63-52 decision to then-No. 7 (and current No. 6) Virginia in the Emerald Coast tournament title match. The University of Rhode Island Rams entered Saturday’s contest ranked No. 21/25.

While it didn’t come easy, the game ended the same way the previous six—and eight of the past nine had—have.

The game’s hero was

“We call it an ‘Oh my God’ shot,” said Providence head coach Ed Cooley, who grew up a hop skip and a jump away in South Providence and excelled as a teen at Central High School. “That happens in this type of game.”

URI was led by Jared Terrell and Hassan Martin with 14 points apiece. Martin hauled down a game-high 14 boards.

For the Friars to win, they had to contain the Rams in the paint—and they did a respectable job at it. But it was the Providence perimeter defense that truly excelled, holding Rhode Island to an awful 1-for-8 from beyond the (10-for-32 overall) arc in the second half.

“I’m just proud of how tough we were in the second half,” said Cooley. “The first half, I thought we were getting pushed around a little bit too much.” The Friars trailed by six heading into the locker room at intermission.

After Lindsey banged in what appeared to be the back breaker, the pesky Rams proved they weren’t quite dead yet. Terrell converted a traditional three-point play to move URI within one, 59-58 with 26 seconds left. On PC's ensuing possession the Rams appeared to have Cartwright tied up when the 5-11 point guard from Compton, Calif., spotted a wide-open Bullock and somehow threaded the needle with a half-court laser that morphed into a press-breaking transition slam-dunk, giving the Friars a 61-58 lead with 10 seconds remaining.

With the win, Providence improved to 6-2, while Rhode Island fell to 5-3 and will most assuredly fall from the Top 25 when the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls are released tomorrow. Defending Big East and National Champion Villanova is also expected to replace Kentucky at the top of the college basketball totem pole.

Jalen Lindsey (21) delivered the back-breaker for the Friars vs. the Rams.

Jalen Lindsey (13 points) who popped in a mid-range fade-away jumper—a dying art form in today’s post-up or downtown bomb game—with 43 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Friars a 59-55 lead—two-possessions—which ultimately provided the margin of victory.

Kyron Cartwright led all scorers with a career-high 19 points, and Rodney Bullock added 17 points (14 in the second half) to lead the Friars to a thrilling 63-60 victory before 12,488 raucous fans at the sold-out Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Saturday afternoon. Bullock’s effort followed a career-high 36 points vs. New Hampshire on Tuesday.

URI head coach Dan Hurley didn’t seem deterred in the least by the Rams' second straight loss. (Rhode Island dropped a 65-62 heart-breaker at Valparaiso last Tuesday.) “We expect to have a long and great season,” he said. “We came into the season trying to be A10 champs and wanting to play in the NCAA Tournament. I don’t think any of those things have changed for us through eight games.”

Next up for the Friars will be a game with crosstown rival Brown on Tuesday. Tip-off slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised on Fox Sports2. The Rams return to Kingston where they will take on Old Dominion at the Ryan Center on Tuesday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.