Wednesday, November 18th, 7:30 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Pizzitola Center (2,800) -- Providence, Rhode Island. Television: None. Home Record: URI 0-0, Brown 0-0. Away Record: URI 0-0, Brown 1-1. Neutral Record: URI 0-0, Brown 0-0. Conference Record: URI 0-0, Brown 0-0. Series Record: Rhode Island leads, 98-52.

GAME NOTES: The Rhode Island Rams get their 2009-10 campaign started tonight, as they face the Brown Bears in an instate battle at the Pizzitola Center.

The Rams are coming off a terrific showing in 2008-09, as they went 23-11 and advanced to the second round of the NIT. Two key contributors are gone, but their is enough leftover talent and experience to keep URI moving forward. Getting off to a good start isn't usually a problem either, as the Rams are 82-20 in season openers.

As for the Bears, they have already played a pair of games, both of which came on the road. Brown opened the season with a 68-64 win at St. Francis-NY prior to dropping a 69-55 decision at Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Brown and URI have a long history against each other, with the Rams holding a 98-52 lead in the all-time series. URI has won the last seven and 13 of the past 14 meetings versus the Bears, including a 76-74 triumph last season.

The Rams lost their top two scorers from a year ago, but there are still plenty of options left from a team that averaged 79.3 ppg. Keith Cothran is the team's top returning scorer after averaging 13.2 ppg and he has the skills to emerge as a star this season. Marquis Jones is a clutch player that knows how to get everyone involved and he returns to the backcourt following a 2008-09 campaign in which he produced 6.1 ppg and 4.0 apg. In the frontcourt, seven-foot Will Martell provides a solid defensive presence, while Lamonte Ulmer (7.7 ppg) and Delroy James (9.9 ppg) give the team a pair of scoring threats.

The Bears committed 17 turnovers, compared to just eight by VT, as they dropped their first game, 69-55, on Sunday. Brown didn't do itself any favors at the foul line either, converting on just 8-of-15 attempts. The team did shoot a sound 44.7 percent from the floor to keep close for a while, but it just wasn't enough in the end. Andrew McCarthy came off the bench to lead the Bears with 14 points, a nice rebound after being held scoreless in the team's opener. Matt Mullery added 13 points and six assists, while Matt Sullivan posted 11 points and five boards.

URI is an athletic and skilled team and it should be able to get past a Brown club that isn't nearly as talented.

Predicted Outcome

Rhode Island 78, Brown 66