Feb. 24, 2008

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. -- Will Daniels scored a game-high 24 points and Parfait Bitee added 19 as Rhode Island dropped a 90-83 decision at home to Saint Joseph's. It was the Rams' fourth straight loss and fifth in the last six games.

Daniels was 7-for-12 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from the perimeter. He knocked down 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.

Both teams started the game with a hot hand offensively, combining to hit 18 of their first 33 shots from the floor. Rhody took an 11-10 lead, after a Delroy James baseline jam with just under 15 minutes left in the first half. A Daniels trey with 7:43 left gave URI a 24-23 advantage, but it was all Saint Joseph's from there.

The Hawks rattled off seven straight points to start a 19-4 run, taking a 44-30 lead with about a minute to go. Another Daniels trey made it 44-33 and Rhode Island would trail by 11 at the break. SJU would shoot 65.2% (15-23) in the opening frame.

"We dug ourselves in a big hole early," Daniels said. "They hit a lot of big shots and we just didn't defend. We have to have more concentration, everybody has to give a little bit more."

A Kahiem Seawright jumper to start the second half cut it to nine - 44-35 - but Saint Joseph's would go on a 13-3 run over the next three-and-a-half minutes, pushing its lead to 19 points (57-38). Two Joe Mbang free throws began an 8-2 push, capped by a Bitee layup at just over four minutes left, making it a nine-point ballgame (76-67).

Daniels' third triple of the game with 2:54 cut it to six points and the Rams got as close as five - at 88-83 - after a Bitee trey with 21 ticks remaining.

Bitee was 8-for-13 from the floor - including 3-of-7 from the outside - to go along with three rebounds and three assists. James posted a career-high with 13 points, on 6-of-11 from the floor, along with five rebounds and three steals. Marquis Jones had six points, three assists and three steals.

For the game, URI shot 50.0% (31-62) from the floor and outrebounded Saint Joseph's, 29-25. The Hawks connected on 62.2% (28-45) from the floor, including 9-of-16 (56.3%) from the perimeter.

The Rams return to action next week with a pair of road games - on Feb. 27 at George Washington and March 1 at La Salle.