Upstart Rhode Island stuns Creighton
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Dan Hurley stole an occasional glance at the raucous Rhode Island section and realized just how much this NCAA Tournament means to a starved program, and to an entire state that loves its basketball even if far more under the radar than so many of the others featuring powerhouse programs.
Who could blame them? Back in the tournament for the first time in 18 years, these Rams are on a roll they hope lasts a little longer.
Jeff Dowtin scored a career-high 23 points with a perfect day at the freethrow line, upstart Rhode Island answered every threat and the Rams ran right into the next round of the NCAA Tournament by stunning cold-shooting No. 6 seed Creighton 84-72 on Friday in an opener of the Midwest Region.
“The emotion from them, it almost felt like 18 years’ worth of excitement, and they really inspired the guys,” Hurley said.
Kuran Iverson scored 17 points and Hassan Martin had 12 points and eight rebounds as 11th-seeded Rhode Island (25-9) earned its ninth straight win. The program won an NCAA tourney game for the first time since reaching the Elite Eight and falling to Stanford in ’98.
Ronnie Harrell Jr. scored a careerhigh 15 points in Creighton’s 40 percent shooting day when little went right — like all the missed layups.
Hurley couldn’t wait to build happier memories in Sacramento, where his older brother Bobby survived a life-threatening car wreck as an NBA rookie with the Kings in December 1993. His team hit the court for loose balls, crashed the boards with energy and found a way to withstand every spurt by the Bluejays.
The Rams made a lot of free throws, too. E.C. Matthews coolly converted two