March 8, 2008

Box Score

Senior Day Ceremony Photo Gallery

KINGSTON, R.I. -- Kahiem Seawright tallied his seventh double-double of the season, with 17 points and 15 boards, as Rhode Island dropped a 74-64 decision at home to Charlotte.

Seawright was 6-for-9 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the free throw line, to go along with two blocked shots and a steal.

The game also marked the final Ryan Center regular season appearance for seniors Parfait Bitee, Will Daniels, and Joe Mbang. Bitee finished with 15 points and two assists, while Daniels added 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Mbang had four boards in seven minutes of action.

In the first half, Rhody jumped out early, scoring the game's first five points en route to taking an 11-5 lead just four minutes into the contest. Charlotte would connect on back-to-back threes, starting a 12-2 run over the next three minutes.

But Rhody would respond, off a Daniels jumper and Bitee trey, putting the Rams back up 18-17 with 11:40 to play. Both teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the half. The two teams combined for seven lead changes and eight ties.

Rhode Island led 38-35 at halftime, but the 49ers used a 13-2 run early in the second half to surge ahead 59-50. The Rams were able to get to within three points, after two Lamonte Ulmer foul shots made it 61-58 with 4:27 remaining. The 49ers surged again, with a 8-1 run over the next two and a half minutes, to go up 10 and put the game out of reach.

Ulmer and Keith Cothran each tallied seven points off the bench for Rhode Island. The Rams shot 33.9% from the floor (20-59) and just 3-of-21 (14.3%) from three-point land. They outrebounded Charlotte, 45-43.

With the loss, URI drops to 21-10 overall and finishes with a 7-9 mark in Atlantic 10 play. It heads into next week's Atlantic 10 Championship as the #11 seed and will face #6 Charlotte on Wednesday, March 12 at 9 p.m.