Men's basketball fend off Franklin Pierce for third-straight win

Photo Courtesy of URI Athletics

Offense was the driving factor of Tuesday night’s game inside the Ryan Center, as the Rhode Island men’s basketball team took down Franklin Pierce 105-73, in one of the highest scoring games in recent memory. 

The last time the Rams hit the century mark in a singular contest was Nov. 14, 2016, when Rhody put up 107 on Marist. The 2016 contest was the most points that any team has ever scored inside the Ryan Center, and although the 2024 Rams came up short, their effort was still commendable.

“I’m happy we won the game and I’m happy we came out unscathed,” URI Head Coach Archie Miller said. “[I’m] very disappointed in our team’s start and our approach defensively.” 

The Rams were excellent offensively throughout the game, scoring 55 points in the first half and 50 in the second. However, Rhode Island struggled to keep points off the board for the Ravens, as Franklin Pierce was able to score 48 points in the first half.

The Ravens went 8-16 from distance in the first 20 minutes, deriving half of their points in the first half from beyond the arc. The Rams though tightened their perimeter defense like other aspects of their game in the second half, holding Franklin Pierce to 4-12 from beyond in the latter portion of the contest.

Rhody outscored the Ravens 50-25 in the final 20 minutes of play, signifying mid-game improvement and maturity from the roster and coaching staff.

“We won every segment in the second half, and we were able to pull away,” Miller said. 

Rhode Island’s offense possessed several key contributors, one of which was Jaden House, making an impact off the bench once again.

The sixth man role for House was a surprise to many fans to open up the 2024-25 campaign, but the guard has flourished in the role, leading the team in points per game with 18. His 21 points led all players on the floor, and was the second-highest tally on the season for a Ram.

The home team had five other scorers in double-digits, one of them being Jamarques Lawrence who was second on the team with 18. The Nebraska transfer has had a slow start to his Rhody career, getting into foul trouble in game one and having accuracy issues in game two.

While he did collect four fouls in the contest, he was a perfect 4-4 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line, a perfect shooting performance.

“Any guy trying to get into rhythm and obviously starting off his season in a new place, you're anxious, you're nervous, he’s going to go through this,” Miller said. “When he settles in, and the longer the season continues to get, I think you’ll see a little bit more of him.”

The Rams have a week off until their next matchup when they host Lafayette at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. The game can be streamed on ESPN+ with audio broadcasts available on the Varsity Network and WRIU 90.3FM.