March 2, 2005

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - The University of Rhode Island men's basketball team defeated Temple 65-57 Wednesday night at the Ryan Center for its first win over the Owls in 12 tries since Lamar Odom's game-winning three-pointer in the 1999 Atlantic 10 championship game.

The Rams hit their first three three-pointers and jumped out to a 9-2 lead with 16:57 left in the first half. Rhody extended its lead to 26-12 with 6:58 to go in the first half and kept it there, leading 32-18 at halftime.

Rhode Island had four players score in double figures. Senior Scott Hazelton led all scorers with 20 points, going 12-for-14 from the free-throw line.

Three freshmen scored in double figures for the Rams, led by Jon Lucky's 13 points. Fellow frosh Will Daniels added 11 points and eight rebounds and freshman Parfait Bitee had 10 points for the Rams.

"Their shot selection is much better," Rhody head coach Jim Baron said. "They're defending better and they're looking up to the seniors. It's nice to have the team coming together."

The Rams shot 53 percent in the first half, including six-for-nine from three-point land, and finished the game shooting 48 percent.

Rhode Island led the entire game and by as much as 19 late in the second half at 63-44 with 1:58 left in the game.

The Rams feel they are coming together right before the Atlantic 10 tournament.

"We're getting good at just the right time," Hazelton said. "It's a good way to end my career."

"We have a lot of life in practice," Lucky said. "We're going hard everyday and we want to win."

Temple (14-12, 10-5 Atlantic 10) shot just six-of-34 from behind the three-point line, and took more shots from behind the arc than inside. The Owls shot 19 percent in the first half and 31 percent for the game.

Assistant coach Dan Leibovitz was standing in for Temple head coach John Chaney, who is suspended for the remainder of the season.

"Tonight was a night you needed somebody to whip these guys up," Leibovitz said. "I tried everything I could."

Leibovitz said he tried a number of things to shake up the Rhode Island offense, but nothing was working.

"We tried just about every option," he said. "We just didn't have the answer tonight."

Mardy Collins led Temple with 18 points and Mark Tyndale added 10, but no other Owls were in double figures. Collins said Chaney was missed.

"Usually when we get out to slow starts like that coach wakes us up," he said. "We don't like his fussing, but it wakes us up."

Rhode Island (6-20, 4-11 Atlantic 10) has won two in a row heading into Senior Day against George Washington this Saturday at the Ryan Center. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN at 2 p.m.

"They're a great basketball team," Baron said. "They have great speed and great balance. We're looking forward to the chance to be on ESPN again."