Last second layup downs Rams in winless Cancun trip

Photo courtesy of URI Athletics

Warm weather and turkey day were a fatal combination for the Rhode Island Rams on Friday as it lost 52-50 to Idaho State following Thanksgiving. 

The Rams entered Friday’s contest 4-4 following a tight 69-62 loss to #22 Iowa on Thanksgiving, the difference being the fourth quarter where they were outscored 20-13. Unfortunately for Rams fans Rhode Island faltered in the fourth quarter again, with the Bengals outscoring them 15-10. URI went to Cancun, Mexico with a fourth quarter point differential of -6 and left with a -18, the clear difference maker in the two losses.

The Rams went 4-12 during that final quarter on friday while Idaho State shot 6-16, a better percentage with more total makes. 

Rhode Island opened the quarter on a 7-2 scoring run, jumping out to a 47-39 lead with just 6:03 to play. Instead of cruising to the finish the Rams allowed the Bengals to close the game with a 11-3 run with the final basket coming at the one second mark. The Rams missed four attempts from the field and had three turnovers compared to just three points during their final six minutes, going cold at the wrong time. 

Rhody made just three of their 22 attempts from behind the arc in Friday’s contest, a clip of just 13.5%. The Rams three-point shooting has taken a dip from season ago where they shot 29.7% from three. URI is shooting 26.7% from behind the arc this season, which took a jump up and down in Cancun when they shot 8-19 against the Iowa Hawkeyes before their 3-22 performance on Friday. 

URI held the advantage in multiple major categories including, assists (9-8), rebounds (35-31), turnovers forced (19-15) and personal fouls drawn (14-9). The Rams trailed Idaho State in shooting percentage during the second half, when it made 13 of its 28 attempts from the field after the intermission compared to the Rams’ 9-25. 

Rhode Island will now have until Wednesday to prepare for in-state rival Providence College. The Friars will come to town at 6:35 p.m. and the game is available to be streamed on ESPN+ with audio broadcasts available on WRIU 90.3FM and The Varsity Network.