Cold Shooting Rams Drop Opener

Cold Shooting Rams Drop Opener

Basketball can be a very simple game.  Make more shots than your opponenet and you will likely win the game.

Friday night at the Ryan Center, the Rhody Rams went stone cold from the floor in the second half and were beaten by Norfolk State 67-55.

URI got off to a decent start jumping out to a 30-25 halftime lead despite their poor shooting (7-24 FG - 29%). The Rams were paced by senior Nikola Mlesevic who scored a career-best 26 points while pulling down 9 rebounds.  Malesevic has 12 points at the break on (3-7) shooting from the field, (2-3) from three point range and was a perfect (4-4) from the free throw line.The rest of the team went a combined (4-17) from the field in the opening half.

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What helped the Rams to the halftime lead was their ability to take care of the basketball (2 TO's) and to turnover (9 TO's) the Spartans.

But an 8-0 run to start the second half heped Norfolk State take the lead and take control of the game.

Andre Malone was the only other URI player in double figures with 13 points.  Ryan Brooks didn't score but pulled down 8 boards in the opener and freshman Jordan Hare had a quiet debut playing only 6 minutes in the game while not attempting a shot.

The Spartans had four players in double figures led by Brandon Goode's 13 points.

The loss spoiled the debut of new head coach Dan Hurley at Rhode Island,  It was also the third consecutive home-opening loss for URI who will travel to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on former A-10 foe Virginia Tech Monday night.