Nov 29, 2001

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) - Brian Woodward hit an 8-foot jumper with 2.2 seconds to play Thursday night to give Rhode Island a 57-55 win over Buffalo.

Rhode Island (3-1), which trailed by as many as 13 in the second half, closed the game with a 12-2 run. Woodward, who led the Rams with 21 points, got the ball with nine seconds left, drove to his left and pulled up for the winner.

Buffalo (2-2) led 53-45 with 2:40 to play, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Dustin Hellenga began the final Rhode Island run. Woodward scored the final six Rhode Island points, including two free throws with 48 seconds to play that gave the Rams a 55-54 lead, their first since the 6:09 mark of the first half.

Robert Brown made one of two foul shots to tie it at 55-55 with 36 seconds to play. Rhode Island called a timeout before running the shot clock down and getting the ball to Woodward.

Buffalo led 23-20 at halftime and opened up a 41-31 lead with 11:32 to play with an 11-2 run. Darcel Williams scored nine of his game-high 26 points during the stretch, but did not score in the final 8:50.

Rhode Island trailed 49-36 with 6:20 left, but scored eight straight points to pull within 49-43. Hellenga started that run with a 3-pointer and finished with 11 points. Rhode Island shot 55 percent from the line and 32 percent from the field, but outrebounded Buffalo 44-32.