AMHERST, Mass. - An appetizer for the 2026-27 men's basketball season is on tap for 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 as Rhode Island will travel to Massachusetts for an exhibition game in the Mullins Center. The event - which features a first look at both teams - is free and open to the public. 

Rhode Island and Massachusetts have met 166 times in regulation games, thanks to both being longtime members of the Atlantic 10. Following the 2024-25 season, the Minutemen joined the Mid-American Conference. 

Sunday's exhibition will be treated with full game operation. There will be no stream or broadcast of the game, but fans and media are invited to watch. This is the first of two public scrimmages for Rhode Island before the regular season. The Rams will host Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday, Oct. 27 in the Ryan Center at 7 p.m.

Rhody returns two of its top three scorer's from last season in guard Jonah Hinton and wing Jahmere Tripp. Both players averaged double figures in their first season with the Rams, with Hinton providing 12.6 points per game and Tripp added an even 12.0 per contest. URI also returns guards Jalen Harper and Barrett Loer, as well as forwards Mouhamed Sow and Javon Perry from last years squad.

The Rams added several key pieces in the transfer portal. Towson transfer Dylan Williamson figures to step into the point guard role for Rhode Island this season. The fifth-year player was a CAA Third Team All-Conference selection last season, averaging 14.6 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds while leading Towson to a 19-win season. Forward Matas Deniusas started all 33 games for UT Martin last season and averaged 12.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while being named the Ohio Valley Conference Rookie of the Year. Jason Fontenet II came to Rhode Island from UC Santa Barbara, where he averaged 9.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists during the 2024-25 season. That year, he led the Gauchos to a 21-13 record. He was a 2025-26 preseason all-conference team, but a leg injury ended his season after just five games.

Newcomers Jaen Chatman, Nedas Raupelis, Steven Sherman, Tim Martin II and Dashiell Mabilon will all get their first taste of Division I college basketball this weekend.