#3 UCONN v. URI Exhibition Game - Rams Surprise in First Half, Then Reality Hit
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#3 UCONN v. URI Exhibition Game - Rams Surprise in First Half, Then Reality Hit
Then, it was a University of Connecticut blowout, with UConn downing URI by 27 points.
The preseason matchup of the back-to-back national champions UConn versus Rhode Island was an exhibition game at Mohegan Sun to benefit Coaches for Cancer.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe subtext was UConn coach Dan Hurley facing off against his former team.
UConn is #3 in the preseason poll.
Up Then Down
For the URI Rams fans, the first half was positive.
Javonte Brown scored 8 of URI’s first 10 points — he is a 7-foot transfer from Western Michigan.
At the first timeout, UConn led 16-10.
By the 13-minute mark, URI led 17-16. Then, UConn went up 21-19, and the Rams battled back.
And it was URI 29-26 over UConn at the 6:35 mark. URI had seven offensive rebounds.
The Rams trailed 44-40 at half-time. Brown led the Rams with 12 points and five rebounds.
Second Half- UConn Runs Away
UConn began to open it up in the second half, and the Huskies jumped to 59-47 at the 15:00 mark.
Solo Ball sliced and drained 3-pointers to ignite the Huskies. He finished with a team-high 18 points.
The Rams went ice cold missing eight straight shots and the Huskies went up 17 points with 13 minutes to go in the second half.
Then, the Huskies continued to ride the shooting and play-making of preseason All-American Alex Karaban (13 points), transfer Aidan Mahaney (17 points), and freshman star recruit (10 points) Liam McNeeley.
The bright spot for the Rams was Brown, who finished with a double-double 16-10.
UConn won 102-75.