Jan. 6, 2001

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) - Marvin O'Connor scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the first half as St. Joseph's defeated a depleted Rhode Island team 92-67 on Saturday.

Rhode Island was missing two of its top three scorers: Brian Woodward, who had an injured knee, and Tavorris Bell, who was ruled academically ineligible earlier in the day.

Rhode Island trailed 29-28 with four minutes remaining in the first half, but St. Joseph's (11-3, 2-0 Atlantic 10) closed out the half with a 12-2 run and hit its first eight shots of the second half to move ahead 62-33 and put the game out of reach.

Bill Phillips keyed the 15-1 St. Joseph's run to open the second half with a 3-pointer and a pair of 3-point plays. Erick Woods hit two 3-pointers and a jump shot to give St. Joseph's its largest lead of the game, 77-46.

O'Connor played just nine minutes in the second half and was 10-of-16 from the field for the game. Phillips added 19 points and Woods added 10.

Zach Marbury led Rhode Island (4-10, 0-1) with 21 points. Tiger Womack added 15 and Dinno Daniels had 12.