THE BASICS
Rhode Island (10-4, 1-1 Atlantic 10) at Massachusetts (7-8, 0-3 Atlantic 10) 
Tip-Off: Saturday, Jan. 15, 4:30 p.m. EST
Coverage: USA Network | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes

RHODE ISLAND VS. MASSACHUSETTS - SERIES NOTES

• Saturday's game will be the 159th meeting between Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
• The Minutemen lead the all-time series, 91-67, and won both meetings between the schools last season.
• Though UMass won both games a year ago, Rhode Island has won seven of the last 10 games in the series.
• The last time the teams met in the Mullins Center, Massachusetts won an 80-78 overtime game. Rhode Island rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to force overtime. An Antwan Walker layup at the buzzer of the extra session rolled off the rim as UMass held on for the win.
• Massachusetts is one of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in the nation. The Minutemen rank fourth in 3-point percentage at 40.7 percent and are ninth in the country with 10.7 3-point baskets per game.
• Rhode Island ranks 63rd in the country in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to make just 30.1 percent.
• This is an area the Rams have improved significantly, as URI ranked 138th nationally in 3-point defense on Dec. 1.
• Over its last four games, Rhode Island has limited the opposition to 25.3 percent (23-of-91) from the arc.
• UMass guard Noah Fernandes is eighth in the Atlantic 10 with 16.2 points per game and fifth with 5.2 assists per game.

FAMILIAR FACE ON THE OPPOSING SIDELINE

• UMass assistant coach Tyson Wheeler is a Rhode Island Athletics Hall of Famer.
• Now in his fourth season with the Minutemen, Wheeler was a four-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference honoree for URI. Wheeler was a first team selection twice (1996-97 and 1997-98), a second-team pick once (1995-96) and an all-rookie selection in 1994-95.
• Wheeler led the Rams to back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances, including a run to the Elite 8 in 1998.
• He is still URI's second-leading scorer all time with 1,918 points and the program leader in assists with 712.

BALANCE A CONSTANT THEME FOR RHODE ISLAND

• Rhode Island has employed a balance approach to all aspects of the game throughout the season, which was once again apparent in Wednesday's win over Saint Joseph's.
• All nine players who saw the court scored at least three points.
• Eight of the nine players had at least one steal, and seven had at least one assist. Six different players blocked a shot.
• For the season, Rhode Island's top seven scorers are averaging between 7.6 and 11.6 points per game.
• Five different players are averaging at least 3.0 rebounds per game.
• Seven different players have scored in double figures at least four times. Forward Makhi Mitchell and guard Jeremy Sheppard have both done so nine times, while center Makhel Mitchell has seven double-digit efforts.
• Guards Ishmael El-Amin and Ishmael Leggett have five games with 10 or more points, while guard Malik Martin and forward Antwan Walker both have four double-digit efforts.

DEFENDING THE PERIMETER A FOCAL POINT

• The Rams have worked to improve their perimeter defense and are now 63rd nationally in 3-point field goal defense.
• Opponents are shooting 30.2 percent from the arc.
• Last year, opponents to hit 33.0 percent from the arc, which ranked 135th in the country.
• After allowing Florida Gulf Coast to connect in 11-of-26 from the perimeter on Nov. 23, Rhode Island ranked 194th in 3-point defense.
• At the time, head coach David Cox vowed that the Rams would improve in that area and make teams uncomfortable shooting from the outside.
• In the eight games since, opponents are shooting .281 from 3-point range (56-for-199).
• Over the last four games, that percentage drops even lower to 25.8 percent (23-for-91).