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PC gets big win over Florida State

Journal photo / John Friedah
PC's Jeff Xavier, left, and Geoff McDermott tie up Florida State's Ralf Mims during the first half today in Providence.

The Friars have beaten Florida State, 101-95, at the Dunk in an impressive offensive showing by both teams.

Jeff Xavier led the Friars with an outstanding shooting game as he poured home 27 points and canned 7 threes. Weyinmi Efejuku was tough as well with 25 points and Randall Hanke added 15.

PC put together an 11-2 run that broke open a tight game and made it 88-77 with 4:20 left. PC still led by 11 points with three minutes to play but Florida State made one more push and cut the lead to 96-91 with 28 seconds left but the Friars hung on to win.

PC is now 8-3 on the season. FSU falls to 10-4.

-Kevin McNamara

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 8:22 PM to PC basketball | Permalink | Comments 0

Daniels leads Rams past Hofstra

Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson
Will Daniels shoots over Darren Townes, center, and Greg Washington in the second half of today's game at the Ryan Center.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN (AP) - Will Daniels scored 22 points and had 16 rebounds as Rhode Island beat Hofstra 88-69 on Saturday.

The Rams (11-1), off to their best start since the 1991-'92 season, also got 18 points and 13 rebounds from Kahiem Seawright and 14 points from Jimmy Baron. Daniels also had a team-high five assists.

Joe Mbang's two free throws with 9:22 left in the first half gave Rhode Island a 25-15 lead. After Hofstra (2-6) pulled within 34-27, the Rams closed the first half with a 13-2 run to take a 47-29 halftime lead.

Antoine Agudio, who came into the game leading Division I in scoring at 27.4 points per game, had 22 to lead the Pride. Charles Jenkins added 14 points.

The Rams outrebounded the Pride 52-40.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 8:19 PM to URI Basketball | Permalink | Comments 0

Boyes comes back to bite Bruins

AP photo / Lisa Poole
Jamal Mayers of St. Louis takes a shot against Boston goalie Tim Thomas during the third period today in Boston.

BOSTON (AP) - Brad Boyes is probably giving the Boston Bruins trader's remorse.

Making his first appearance in Boston since being sent to St. Louis at the deadline last February for defenseman Dennis Wideman, Boyes scored his 21st goal to lead the Blues to a 4-1 win over Boston on Saturday.

It was Boyes' 12th goal in 17 games. On Thursday, Boyes posted his 20th in the team's 31st game - the quickest to 20 goals since Brett Hull did it in 29 games during the 1994-95 season.

Boyes overcame some pregame jitters, missing a good chance early, before making it 2-0 in the second period.

"Early on, through warmups, but other than that I felt pretty good," he said of his nervousness. "I had a great chance, but put it over the net. I knew Timmy (Thomas) knew what I was trying to do so I tried to mix it up a little bit."

For a Bruins team that's struggled often to score goals, Boyes' upfront play might have fit in. It was the fourth time in five games Boston has been held to two goals or fewer and the 20th this season.

"It's a slump," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "But let's keep in mind the age of our upfront guys."

Lee Stempniak, Jamal Mayers and Keith Tkachuk also scored for the Blues, who won for just the second time in six games. It was the teams' only meeting this season. Manny Legace made 24 saves.

Zdeno Chara had a power-play goal for the Bruins, who started the week hoping to close the gap on Ottawa for the Eastern Conference's top spot, but lost their third straight and finished their homestand 1-4.

"It's not where we wanted to be on this homestand," defenseman Mark Stuart said. "It is disappointing."

Boston goalie Tim Thomas, starting his second straight game after missing six with a strained groin, had 25 saves.

The Blues made it 1-0 when Stempniak tipped Tkachuk's shot past Thomas 11:56 into the game. Tkachuk fired a wrist shot from the right circle and the puck slipped inside the far post.

In a second period that had a pair of crowd-pleasing fights, St. Louis made it 2-0 at 17:40 when Boyes collected Jay McClement's pass and snapped off a quick wrister.

"Yeah, he was stumbling, fumbling the puck around there in the first period and a half. He was pretty nervous coming in," Legace said of Boyes. "It was great to see him get that goal. It's just been a great trade for us."

Chara collected a rebound of Wideman's shot from the point, cutting it to 2-1 early in the third period. Mayers put it away with his goal with 2:58 to play while the teams were skating four aside. Tkachuk's was an empty-netter.

The Blues nearly made it 3-0 late in the second when Andy McDonald's shot had Thomas beat, but hit the right post.

During a somewhat listless opening period, a chant of "wake up Bruins!" could be heard coming from behind Thomas.

Notes: Bruins D Aaron Ward was sidelined after breaking his broken left foot in practice Friday when he was hit by a shot, but LW Shawn Thornton returned after missing 21 games with a broken foot. ... Boston D Andrew Alberts missed his third straight game with post-concussion syndrome and winger Glen Murray was sidelined with a hip flexor suffered in Thursday's 5-4 shootout loss against Pittsburgh. ... It was the anniversary of Phil Esposito's 500th career goal 33 years ago. ... Boston recalled D Matt Lashoff from Providence of the AHL Friday.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 8:15 PM to Bruins | Permalink | Comments 0

Rams win, 88-69

URI took control in the first half and led the rest of the way as it topped Hofstra, 88-69, at the Ryan Center.

Will Daniels led the way with 22 points and a career high 16 rebounds. Kahiem Seawright also had a double-double 18 points and 13 boards. Jimmy Baron added 14 points and Keith Cothran 10. Cothran had all his points in the first half when he provided a huge spark in helping URI build a 47-29 lead.

Hofstra got as close at 12 in the second half. Antoine Agdio, the nation's leading scorer had 22 for the Pride, althogh only six in the first half.

Posted by Paul Kenyon  at 4:17 PM to URI Basketball | Permalink | Comments 0

URI maintains control

There have been no big runs by either team in the second half here at the Ryan Center, which is good news for Rhode Island.

The Rams are on top, 64-47, with 11:35 left. Antoine Agudio, the Hofstra star who leads the nation in scoring, is doing his best to keep his team in it. He has nine second-half points and 15 in all.

Will Daniels leads URI with 17 points and 11 boards.

Posted by Paul Kenyon  at 3:46 PM to URI Basketball | Permalink | Comments 0

Rams rolling at the half

The URI basketball team just headed down the runway for the halftime break to rousing applause from the Ryan Center fans. It was well deserved.

Rhody leads Hofstra, 47-29. Any fears that the two-week exam break would kill the momentum the team had built with its 10-1 start proved to be needless.

The 47-point total is the second highest scoring first half of the season, to the 49 the team had against New Hampshire. What made it even more impressive is that the Rams made only three of 13 3-point attempts. But they also were 14 for 20 inside the arc.

Will Daniels has been outstanding with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Keith Cothran, once again, has been a huge factor off the bench. He has scored 10 points, but even more so has been flying all over the place on defense and forcing the game to be played at the breakneck pace URI loves.

Hofstra's Antoine Agudio, the national scoring leader, has been held to six points, with Parfait Bitee drawing most of the duty against him, with help from Cothran.

14-20 form inside the arc

Posted by Paul Kenyon  at 3:10 PM to URI Basketball | Permalink | Comments 0

The pace is fast at the Ryan Center

Hofstra has come willing to run along with Rhode Island this afternoon.

The Rams lead the Pride, 18-14, with 11:38 left in the first half. Kahiem Seawright has had three early hoops for URI, but he is on the bench now with two fouls.

Hofstra has shown some nice quickness with a three-guard lineup, but the Pride has early foul trouble. It already has been called for seven fouls. Antonie Agudio, the Hofstra guard who leads the nation in scoring, has only two point so far.

Posted by Paul Kenyon  at 2:36 PM to URI Basketball | Permalink | Comments 0

Back at the Ryan Center again

Finally, there is basketball again at the Ryan Center.

It feels as if it has been a long time between URI basketball games here, only because it has. Rhode Island last played a home game Dec. 4 when it beat Providence College, 77-60. Today, Hofstra is here.

The game might be a few minutes late. The Rhody women’s team is just now putting the finishes touches on a victory over Kent State. It is ahead, 74-50, with four minutes left.

The attractions in the men’s game include having the national scoring leader here. Hofstra’s Antoine Agudio enters with a 27.4 average.

For Rhody, the fun is just getting back into action after the long exam break. The Rams have a new player in uniform with Delroy James gaining his eligibility. The 6-foot-7 forward is wearing uniform No. 21.

James got off to an interesting start at his first practice Friday. Not surprisingly, he was the first player to arrive and dress. Soon after he got on the court, though, he realized he had forgotten something. He did not get taped. So he headed back to the locker room as freshman Hakim McCullar arrived and had the court for himself.

We will be back at regular intervals as the afternoon goes along.

Posted by Paul Kenyon  at 1:46 PM to URI Basketball | Permalink | Comments 0