Rhode Island at UMass Game Recap - URI Took the Zoo Out of ZooMass
Given that URI had beaten UMass in their previous three meetings, it was safe to say that there was no zoo in the William D. Mullins Memorial Center (courtesy of @RhodyRuckus).
While slipping by UMass 85-83, Rhody MBB's starters combined for 71 of the team's 85 points, with four of the five starters scoring in double digits. Jeff Dowtin's 19 points and 10 assists were enough to give the sophomore his first collegiate double-double. Andre Berry was dominant on the offensive end, scoring 15 points in 21 minutes of game time. The Rams certainly brought the offensive production in order to secure their 13th straight victory this season, shooting 61.2% from the field and 70.8% from beyond the arc.
For the Minutemen, Luwane Pipkins was the story with his impressive 27 points on 8-14 shooting. Defensive breakdowns and missed free throws nearly crippled Dan Hurley's team and it will be a danger if it persists. UMass shot 51% from the field but luckily, they shot just 9 of 16 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, for the good guys in midnight navy, they shot just 53.5% from the charity stripe (8 of 15 as a team).
Overall, the Rhode Island Rams did what they had to do to escape Amherst, MA with a win and move to an impressive record of 18-3 (10-0). The team's #22 ranking is not going anywhere after their game at UMass and they must now set their sights on a Friday night showdown with a hungry VCU team. The Friday night game will be broadcasted at 7pm on ESPN2 so I am sure that URI will put on a show for the national audience.
There may no longer be a rivalry in college basketball between URI and UMass since URI has effectively taken the series over, winning four in a row against the Minutemen.
