THE BASICS
Rhode Island (9-6, 0-2 A-10) vs. La Salle (4-11, 0-2 A-10)
Tip-Off: Wedesday, Jan. 7, 7:00 p.m.
Coverage: Watch: ESPN+ | Listen: Varsity Network | Live Stats | Game Notes

RHODE ISLAND VS. LA SALLE - SERIES NOTES

• Rhode Island leads the all-time series with La Salle, 36-13.
• The home team has won the last seven times the teams have played. 
• This is the first of two match ups between URI and the Explorers this year. La Salle hosts the Rams on Feb. 21.
• It will be the fourth consecutive season of home-and-home series between the schools.
• The teams played three times in the 2022-23 season, splitting the regular season before La Salle won a neutral-site game in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Championship.
• Both teams are looking for their first conference win of the season, entering Wednesday with matching 0-2 marks in A-10 play.
• La Salle comes to the Ryan Center on a five-game skid overall.
• Rhode Island (72.3 points/game) and La Salle (66.1 points/game) rank 12th and 14th in scoring in the conference.
• Rhody is second in scoring defense, allowing just 66.5 points per game, while the Explorers are ninth in the league, allowing 72.5 points per game.
• Both teams have already faced George Mason in league play. La Salle fell 80-75 on Dec. 31.
• The 75 points was the most for the Explorers since an 87-59 victory over Coppin State in their season opener.
• La Salle has scored less than 70 points nine times in its last 13 games.

DEFENSE KEEPING THE RAMS IN GAMES

• URI is second in the Atlantic 10 and 36th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 66.5 points per game.
• This is an improvement of 8.6 points per game from a season ago, when Rhody allowed 75.1 points per game.
• It is the lowest scoring average for Rhody opponents since 2021-22, when URI allowed 65.0 points per game.
• Overall, URI has held 10 of its 15 opponents to 66 points or less.
• Since the start of December, the Rams have given up just 65.1 points per game, limiting five of the seven opponents to 66 points or less. 
• In each of the first two Atlantic 10 games, Rhode Island held the opposition to just 61 points. The opponents - George Mason and Loyola Chicago - are averaging 70.5 and 64.5 points per game, respectively.
• The 61.0 points per game allowed in league play is the lowest in the Atlantic 10.
• Rhode Island forced George Mason into nine turnovers in Saturday's game.
• It was the first time this season an opponent has committed less than 11 turnovers against the Rams.
• Rhode Island is 31st in the country with 9.5 steals per game.

ITEJERE FINDS TOUCH IN THE PAINT

• Forward Keeyan Itejere delivered 10 points in Saturday's loss to George Mason.
• He had scored 10 points combined in the team's three games leading into Saturday.
• Itejere's scoring average moved up to 7.1 points per game.
• It was his seventh double-digit scoring effort of the season.
• Itejere as been very efficient from the field thus far, shooting .737 (42-for-57) from the floor.