THE BASICS
Rhode Island (7-3) vs. McNeese (7-2)
Tip-Off: Tuesday, Dec. 9, 7:00 p.m.
Coverage: Watch: ESPN+ | Listen: Varsity Network | Live Stats | Game Notes

RHODE ISLAND VS. MCNEESE - SERIES NOTES

• Rhode Island and McNeese will be meeting for just the season time.
• The previous meeting was 12 years ago, as part of the 2013 NIT Season TipOff.
• Rhode Island won the game 76-71 in the Ryan Center. 
• Xavier Munford had 26 points in that game, while Gilvydas Biruta added 17 points and eight rebounds.
• The game was the first career start for E.C. Matthews. Matthews went on to lead the Rams to back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances and finished his career as the third-leading scorer in Rhode Island history with 1,899 career points.
• McNeese is in its first season under head coach Bill Armstrong, who had coached with former Cowboys head coach Will Wade while at LSU together. 
• Armstrong was with Baylor during the 2024-25 season.
• Wade led McNeese to a 28-7 record, the Southland title and a spot in the second round of the NCAA Championship last season.
• In the opening round of the NCAA Championship, McNeese upset Clemson at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence.
• The Cowboys' leading scorer from last year's squad, Javohn Garcia, is back. After averaging 12.6 points per game last season, Garcia is up to 16.4 points this season. 
• A deep squad, McNeese ranks fourth in the country with 43.1 bench points per game.
• As a team, the Cowboys average 90.0 points per game.
• They are second nationally with 22.8 fastbreak points per game.
• They are 10th in free throw percentage (.790) and 20th in field goal percentage (.514). 

MEN'S BASKETBALL, RIPTA PARTNER FOR ANNUAL TOY DRIVE

• During its next two home games, Rhode Island Men's Basketball will be partnering with RIPTA to host a toy drive benefiting Lights & Sirens International. 
• Volunteers will be collecting unwrapped toys in both lobbies of The Ryan Center prior to and during the contests against McNeese State (Dec. 9), and Canisius (Dec. 16).
• Fans who donate an unwrapped toy will receive a ticket voucher for a future game.
• This is the 11th annual toy drive that the Rams have supported in benefit of Lights & Sirens International, which was founded by URI Men's Basketball alum Ibn-Hashim Bakari. 
• Unwrapped toys will be collected just outside the North Lobby of The Ryan Center at each of the four aforementioned games.

HINTON EXPLODES FROM LONG RANGE AGAIN

• Jonah Hinton made seven 3-pointers Saturday, his second game with seven treys already this season.
• He joined Tyson Wheeler and Jimmy Baron as the only Rhode Island players with multiple games with seven or more 3-pointers. Baron did it three times.
• Hinton is 19th in the country with 33 3-pointers entering the week.
• His 3.3 3-pointers per game ranks 26th in the nation.
• Hinton has made at least three 3-pointers in five of his first 10 games as a Ram.
• The St. Bonaventure transfer has almost doubled his scoring average from last season (8.4 points per game).
• He is fourth in the Atlantic 10 with 16.5 points per game. 

COREY GETS BACK ON TRACK 

• Myles Corey broke out for 15 points at Providence on Saturday, his sixth double-digit effort this season.
• In the team's previous two games against Temple and Brown, Corey had a combined two points.
• The South Alabama transfer is averaging 10.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
• Corey been highly effective for Rhode Island when he is driving to the basket.
• The point guard is shooting a robust .613 from the field overall.
• That percentage increases to .778 for shots inside the perimeter (35-of-45).
• His ability to get to the basket has also led to regular trips to the free throw line.
• Corey is 23-for-31 from the stripe (.742) and is averaging 3.1 free throw attempts per game.