The Regular Season Begins on Friday Night - Rhody Hosts Norfolk State

Watch Live: Ocean State Networks (ch. 5/1005 HD) - Eric Frede / Abu Bakr

Listen Live - B101 (101.5 FM) - Steve McDonald / Don Kaull
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Internet: CoxSportsOnline.com (video) / iHeart.com (audio)

Gamenotes: Rhode Island/Norfolk State (pdf)

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RHODE ISLAND VS. NORFOLK STATE - ALL-TIME SERIES

• This marks the first time that Rhode Island and Norfolk State have met on the hardwood.
• It is the second time Rhode Island has faced a MEAC opponent (12/28/91 - 73-59 win over North Carolina A&T).  

RHODE ISLAND WELCOMES THE START OF THE DAN HURLEY ERA

• On March 21, Rhode Island introduced Dan Hurley as the 19th head coach in program history.
• ESPN.com, CBSSports.com, and Athlon Sports all ranked the move as one of the top offseason hires in the country.
• Hurley came to Kingston after two successful seasons at Wagner College in Staten Island.
• He guided Wagner to a school-record 25 wins and a 15-3 mark in Northeast Conference play in 2011-12.
• In two seasons with the Seahawks, he compiled a 38-23 overall record.
• Hurley spent nine seasons as the head coach at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J., compiling a 223-21 record.

RHODE ISLAND IN SEASON OPENERS

• In its 106 previous season openers, Rhode Island has posted an outstanding 84-22 (.792) winning percentage.  
• The Rams have won eight of their last 10 season openers, but have dropped their last two.
• Last season, the Rams fell 92-90 in overtime at George Mason on Nov, 11, 2011.

RHODE ISLAND IN HOME OPENERS

• From Lippitt Hall, Rodman Hall, Keaney Gymnasium, sometimes the Providence Civic Center, and now to the Thomas M. Ryan Center, URI teams have posted an 94-12 (.887) record its first home game of the season.  
• Last year, Rhody picked up an 85-73 win over Hofstra in last year's home opener on Nov. 25, 2011.

RHODE ISLAND AT THE THOMAS M. RYAN CENTER - 10TH ANNIVERSARY

• This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Ryan Center - the home of URI men's and women's basketball.
• URI holds a 103-53 (.660) regular season record in the Ryan Center since the arena opened for play on Nov. 26, 2002 with a 73-71 victory over USC.
• Last season's victory over Hofstra on Nov. 25, 2011 was the 100th on the Ryan Center floor.
• The Rams have won 11 or more home games on five occasions - including a program-record 15 in 2009-10.

RHODE ISLAND IN IN-SEASON TOURNAMENTS

• Dating back to the 1949-50 season, Rhode Island is 62-65 (.488) all-time in in-season tournaments.  
• Last season, the Rams were 1-3 in the TicketCity Legends Classic, beating Hofstra and dropping games to Texas, Boston University and Cleveland State.
• Rhody went 1-1 at the UCF Holiday Classic, beating James Madison before losing to host UCF.

TODAY'S RHODE ISLAND BASKETBALL FACT(S) YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

• Today's Theme:  Season Openers
• Dating back to the 1905-06 - the first in which Rhode Island featured a head men's basketball coach - the Rams are 12-6 all-time in "program debuts" by a new coach.
• Phil Wessels (1905-06), George Cobb (1910-11), Jim Baldwin (1915-16), Fred Murray (1919-20), Frank Keaney (1920-21), Jack Guy (1952-53), Claude English (1980-81), Brendan Malone (1984-85), Tom Penders (1986-87), Al Skinner (1988-89), and Jim Harrick (1997-98) each won their debut as the head coach of Rhode Island.
• Today (Nov. 9) marks the second-earliest calendar date to start a season - the earliest came during the 2010-11 season, when URI opened up at Pittsburgh on Nov. 8.