It would be misleading if I didn’t start this recap with a note on the environment in Kingston, Rhode Island this afternoon. This storied rivalry has divided the Ocean State’s basketball scene for decades, and today the tradition continued. From the beginning of warm ups, the Ryan Center was loud, hostile, and tense, to the point where many whistles could not be heard from the floor. Climates like this are what make college basketball so great.
As for the game, the Rams defeated the Friars for the first time in seven years. Providence showed some toughness fighting back into this one, but Dan Hurley’s bunch just had the edge on Saturday.