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University of Rhode Island

Men's Basketball

Rhode Island Heads to Saint Louis for Saturday Night Game vs. the Billikens

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RHODE ISLAND VERSUS SAINT LOUIS

  • Today's game is the lone regular season meeting between the Rams and the Billikens.
  • Rhody leads the all-time series between the two schools, which began during the 2005-06 season, at 6-5.
  • Rhode Island has captured the last four meetings between the two schools, dating back to the 2009-10 season.
  • Last year, the Rams earned a 64-62 victory at home over SLU on Feb. 25, 2012.

RHODE ISLAND IN THE ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

  • Since its inaugural season in the conference during the 1980-81 season, Rhode Island has posted a 232-282 all-time record in Atlantic 10 play.  
  • The Rams dropped their conference opener, 64-61, at Richmond on Jan. 9.
  • Last season, Rhody finished with a 4-12 mark in conference play, putting them in 13th place in the league standings.
  • On Jan. 18, 2012 - at Fordham - Rhode Island played its 500th Atlantic 10 game all-time.

LAST TIME OUT - CHARLOTTE 58, RHODE ISLAND 50 - JANUARY 12

  • Mike Powell registered a team-best 16 points, marking the third time this season he has led the team in scoring.
  • He added a team-high five assists, three rebounds and one steal in 37 minutes.
  • Andre Malone had 13 points for Rhody, his 10th time reaching double figures this year. He also had a team-high five rebounds.
  • Xavier Munford was limited to just six minutes of action in the first half after picking up two quick fouls. The team's leading scorer did not have a shot attempt in the first half, and finished with eight points on 3-for-12 shooting.
  • T.J. Buchanan had a season-best six points in the first half, earning eight trips to the free throw line.
  • The loss snapped a four-game winning streak at the Ryan Center. Rhody's last loss at home was to George Mason on Nov. 28.
  • Both teams struggled from beyond the arc in the second half, combining to go 0-for-16 on 3-point shots. Rhode Island was 0-for-11, while Charlotte was 0-for-5.
  • It marked the seventh time this season Rhode Island held its opponent to 60 points or less.

MUNFORD LEADS THE ATLANTIC 10 IN SCORING

  • Junior guard Xavier Munford leads the Atlantic 10 in scoring, through games of Jan.17.
  • The Hillside, N.J. native checks in at 17.3 points per game, which also ranks him among the top 75 players nationally.
  • He has registered six of Rhody's top seven scoring performances this season, including a 33-point effort at Auburn.
  • Heading into the Jan. 12 Charlotte game, Munford had scored in double-figures in 10 straight games, averaging close to 20.0 ppg.
  • He ranks sixth in scoring in Atlantic 10 games, checking in at 16.5 points per game.
  • Munford has posted six games with 20 or more points - the second-most in the Atlantic 10 this season.

TODAY'S RHODE ISLAND BASKETBALL FACT(S) YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

  • Today's Theme:  Highs & Lows
  • Against Charlotte, Rhody had one of its best - and worst - single-half shooting performances of the season.  
  • The Rams shot a season-best 52.4% (11-21) from the floor in the first half .  It was the third-best single-half shooting performance of the season, behind the second half of the SMU game 57.% (15-26) and the second half of the Georgia State game 54.5% (12-22).
  • Conversely, the 26.9% shooting (7-26) in the second half was URI's second-worst shooting performance in a half this season, trailing the 25.8% (8-31) from the floor in the first half versus Brown.
  • Xavier Munford's 17.3 points per game makes him the leading scorer in the A-10.  Only one Rhody player - Carlton "Silk" Owens - ever finished the season atop the conference's scoring leaders (21.8 ppg, 1987-88).
  • Since scoring 22 points against Georgia State on Dec. 22, Nikola Malesevic is averaging just 3.0 ppg over his last four outings.  
  • Malesevic is shooting just 4-of-24 (16.7%) and his season scoring average has dropped from 13.5 to 10.5 ppg during the span.

MUNFORD'S SECOND HALF SCORING

  • Xavier Munford has scored in double figures in the second half in five of the last six - and 10 overall - games for Rhode Island.
  • On Jan. 9 at Richmond, he poured in 17 of his 25 points during the second half.
  • It was the second time Munford had at least 17 second half points - he did so against Georgia State on Dec. 22, pouring in 12 straight points during a key 2:40 stretch.
  • Munford also had 16 second half points at Virginia Tech and 15 at Auburn.
  • For the season, 61.3% of Munford's scoring comes in the second half (10.6 of 17.3 points per game).

THE DEFENSE DOES NOT REST

  • Rhody put forth one of the best team defensive efforts in several seasons against Brown on Jan. 4.
  • The Rams held the Bears to 47 points - a season-low for an opponent and the lowest point total by an opponent since the 2009-10 season (47 vs. Saint Louis, March 12, 2010).
  • URI held Brown to just 30.2% (16-53) shooting from the floor - the lowest single-game field goal percentage since it held Boston University to just 28.0% (14-50) on Nov. 29, 2005.
  • Brown's 14 first-half points was the lowest point total by an opponent since that same BU game on Nov. 29, 2005.

TURN AROUND ON TURNOVER COUNT

  • Through their first 15 games, the Rams are averaging just 11.5 turnovers per contest - tied for 29th nationally.
  • According to Ken Pomeroy's statistical analysis, Rhody's 18.2% turnover percentage (total TO/total possessions) ranks 61st nationally.
  • A season ago, Rhode Island averaged 14.5 turnovers per game, which ranked 247th nationally.
  • The Rams registered a season-low six turnovers against George Mason on Nov. 28.
  • That was the lowest TO mark since Rhody committed a program record-low two turns against Nevada (March 22, 2010).
  • Last season, Rhode Island had just eight games with 11 or fewer turnovers.

IMPROVED DEFENSIVE EFFORT IN 2012-13

  • A major point of emphasis for head coach Dan Hurley is improving Rhody's defensive effort from last season.
  • Last season, Rhody was one of the worst defensive teams in the country, ranking 321st out of 339 in scoring defense (75.5 points/game) and 324th in FG% defense (47.5%).
  • In 2012-13, the Rams are allowing close to 12.0 fewer points per game and have lowered their defensive FG% to 41.3%.
  • This season, the Rams have held seven opponents to 60 points or fewer, including a season-low 47 points allowed vs. Brown on Jan. 4.
  • Rhode Island has allowed 70+ points just three times and 80+ points just once.
  • Last year, Rhody allowed 70+ points 23 times (31 games),  80+ points 11 times, 90+ three times, and 100 once.

AAMAN SHINES AGAINST RICHMOND

  • Mike Aaman put forth the best effort in his young Rhody career at Richmond on Jan. 9, registering his first collegiate double-double.
  • The 6-8 freshman forward scored 13 points and grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds against the Spiders.
  • Aaman connected on 6-of-9 from the floor and converted his lone free throw attempt.
  • He also blocked two shots in 20 minutes of play off the bench.
  • It was the first double-double of the season by a Rhody player.

MIKE POWELL, (BLOCK) PARTY OF ONE

  • Mike Powell registered his first career blocked shot against Richmond on Jan. 9.  The 5-11 point guard blocked the shot of Richmond's Kendall Anthony (5-8).
  • The last Rhody player under 6-feet to block a shot was Stevie Mejia (5-8), who swatted Brown's Peter Sullivan on Nov. 18, 2009.
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