Feb. 7, 2008
Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. -- Will Daniels tallied his fourth double-double of the season, with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Parfait Bitee added 17 points and eight assists as Rhode Island dropped a heartbreaking 78-76 decision at Massachusetts.
The Minutemen got out to an early lead, as the Rams began the game just 1-for-10. UMass scored the first six points of the game en route to taking a 17-7 lead just six and a half minutes into the contest.
But the Rams would respond with an 11-2 run over the next four minutes, capped by a Keith Cothran free throw, making it 19-18 with just under 10 minutes in the half. UMass would get its lead back up to nine points, but two Jimmy Baron free throws made it 39-34.
In the second half, the two teams traded baskets for the first six and a half minutes of play. UMass would take a seven-point lead - at 54-47 with 13:32 left - before an 8-0 Rhody run, capped put a putback by Joe Mbang, gave the Rams a 55-54 lead with 10:51 to go.
UMass would respond with back-to-back three-point plays, bringing its lead back up to nine points - 76-67 with 3:01 remaining. Rhode Island's defense held the Minutemen without a field goal the rest of the way, as it chipped away at the deficit. Daniels tallied URI's next seven points, including a layup with 27 seconds to go in regulation, to make it 77-74. After UMass missed the front end of a 1-and-1, the Rams had a chance to tie the ballgame but were unable to convert.
"We dug ourselves in too big a hole early on," said head coach Jim Baron. "Missed layups, missed free throws, getting beat on the glass - it was too much to overcome on the road. I thought in the second half, we did a good job of fighting back and staying in it."
For the game, the Rams shot a season-low 33.8% despite taking a season-high 74 shots from the floor (25-74). They were 6-of-14 from the outside (42.9%) and 20-of-31 (64.5%) from the free throw line. Rhody was outrebounded, 54-51, and dished out 11 assists to 14 turnovers - just one in the second half. Rhode Island's defense held UMass to just 39.5% (30-76) from the floor, including 5-of-27 (18.5%) from the outside.
Rhody returns to action on Sunday, February 10 when it travels to the Bronx to take on Fordham in a noontime tilt. The game will be televised live on Cox Sports Television (locally ch. 3), as Jason Knapp and Steve Lappas will call the action. The game can also be heard live on radio, on WHJJ 920 AM and The Bridge 99.3 FM, as well as on the internet, via Yahoo! Sports. Log onto GoRhody.com and follow the audio/video links. Steve McDonald and Don Kaull will bring you all the action.
