Brown too much for URI to handle
Bears win third straight in series for first time since 1970s
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — There was no last-second shot needed this year.
Brown walked into the Ryan Center and controlled the University of Rhode Island virtually from start to finish.
The Bears needed to avoid a late 3point attempt for the tie, and the Rams gave them an assist by dropping the inbounds pass. Brown emerged with a 67-64 victory, its third straight in the rivalry series for the first time since the mid-1970s.
“We keep saying we’re learning through losing and adversity,” Brown coach Mike Martin said. “We’ll learn through wins tonight.
“We’re going to enjoy this one. Our guys deserve it.”
Three straight defeats and a lone previous victory against a Division I opponent this season became footnotes. The Bears built an 11-point cushion with 6 minutes to play and held on tight. URI paid dearly for 15for-31 shooting at the foul line, a 19-5 deficit in points off turnovers and a 21point margin from 3-point range.
“I’m disappointed for our guys,” URI coach Archie Miller said. “But I also sit here — sometimes I’m mad we lost and didn’t do this or didn’t do that. I thought Brown took it to us pretty good tonight.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s the truth.” Kino Lilly Jr. missed the second of his two free throws with 7.4 seconds left to keep the door ajar. Brown fouled intentionally to prevent the Rams from attempting the tying 3pointer but couldn’t grab the defensive board after Luis Kortright missed both of his attempts at the line. The ball went out of bounds with a second left and Brandon Weston dropped Kortright’s pass to the wing with a chance to take the last shot.
“We had our moments where we did some good things,” Miller said. “But I really felt the team who really,
really wanted it tonight — played the hardest tonight, played the most together tonight — won the game. That’s a credit to them.”
Lilly’s 3-pointer matched the largest lead for the Bears at 60-49 into the stretch. Brown missed its last seven shots but had already done enough damage to preserve another victory in this series. The Rams lost this game a total of three times from December 1986 until an 85-75 road stunner in January 2020 began the current slide.
“I was really pleased with our sense of urgency,” Martin said. “It’s a fine line — we talked about playing with poise and confidence, but also with a little bit of urgency and desperation. You need that in a game like this.”
The Bears (3-8) took the lead for good thanks to an 11-0 run late in the first half. Kimo Ferrari, who returned after a fivegame absence due to a hip injury, nailed a 3-pointer and Kalu Anya soared down the left wing for a layup on the fast break. Brown enjoyed a 30-20 advantage and URI didn’t come within one possession until Jaden House’s threepoint play with 20.5 seconds left in the game.
“The game felt really far away,” Miller said. “As you’re watching it, as you’re coaching it, as you’re sitting there, it’s like, ‘Why can’t we climb back? Why are so many possessions staying the same?’
“You’re not capitalizing at the foul line to be able to go from nine to seven or seven to four or five to three and put some pressure on those guys. Our inability to convert from the line really got us in this one.”
Lilly collected 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half while Aaron Cooley chipped in eight of his 13 in the opening 20 minutes. Anya added 11 points and seven rebounds before fouling out with 3:35 to play.
“We still have a ton of work to do, clearly,” Martin said. “But given the stretch we’ve been through, just really happy for our players. Really excited for them.”
House closed with a team-high 16 points for the Rams (5-4), who followed a loss at Providence with another to a team from the state capital. David Fuchs added 11 points and eight rebounds while Josaphat Bilau led off the bench with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
“To look at them play with 12 assists and eight turnovers is a glaring statement about our defense,” Miller said. “We are not disruptive. We are very passive. We’re easy to play against. And you can’t play against good teams that way.
“Our defensive activity level isn’t able to force any transition right now for us.”
The Bears celebrated in the locker room with assistant coach Tyson Wheeler, the former URI great who was inducted into the school’s Ring of Honor at halftime alongside former teammates Cuttino Mobley and Antonio Reynolds Dean. Wheeler was available pregame alongside his old roommates and was applauded warmly on the floor by the announced 4,475 fans on hand.
“Obviously, one of the best players who’s ever worn the jersey here,” Martin said. “And as good of a player and coach as he was and is, he’s a better person. He makes us all smile.
“You love having a guy like him around. Our program is so fortunate he’s with us.”