 won their eighth straight and stayed in the hunt for the regular-season conference title.Jared Terrell led the Rams with 23 points, but missed a potential go-ahead layup with 4.8 seconds left. Down 75-74, Terrell's shot banked off the backboard and off the front of the rim and out. Mobley came down with the rebound and was fouled.The Rams (21-3, 13-1 A-10) had not lost since dropping a 68-64 decision at Alabama on Dec. 6. Rhode Island's winning streak was the longest active in the nation.The loss also snapped Rhode Island's 21-game winning streak in conference play, dating to 53-43 loss against Fordham on Feb. 15, 2017.The game wasn't decided until after the teams traded leads three times in the final 56 seconds.The Bonnies went ahead 73-72 after Griffin scored four consecutive points by first putting back his own miss and then hitting two free throws with 56 seconds left. He was fouled while pulling down a defensive rebound after Terrell missed an awkward jumper.Rhode Island's Cyril Langevine hit two free throws after he was fouled while attempting a dunk to put the Rams back up 74-73.Griffin, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, then scored the go-ahead basket with 21.5 seconds left when teammate Jaylen Adams found him alone beneath the basket.Adams, the Bonnies leading scorer, struggled in finishing 2 of 12 for 10 points.Rams guard E. C. Matthews scored all of his 14 points in the second half in playing three days after hurting his left knee late in the first half of an 85-67 win over Richmond.The game was played in front of a packed, loud and occasionally profane Reilly Center crowd that made for an electric atmosphere in what was described as one of the more highly anticipated games in recent memory.The Bonnies haven't made the NCAA tournament since 2012, and have attracted some national attention for their performance this season, including receiving three votes in the latest poll.The first half was played so tightly it featured 13 lead changes and the largest lead was the Rams up 36-32 with 2:04 left, when Terrell hit a 3-pointer off a transition break. The Bonnies, who led by no more than 3, closed the half by scoring the final five points, capped by Griffin's dunk with 35 seconds remaining.Rams coach Dan Hurley kept forward Andre Berry in the game for three minutes after he appeared hobbled by an injury to his left ankle in the first two minutes of the second half. It wasn't until a timeout at 15:31 when Berry left the game and was escorted by a team official to the locker room. He then returned to the bench about a minute later and began riding a stationary bike but never returned to action.BANG THE CHAIRHurley let his emotions show - as he often does - during a timeout with 11:45 left and the game tied at 50. He banged the feet of his folding chair on the court to catch his players' attention.ROWDY CROWDAt least one Bonnies fan crossed the line. Fans in the end zone nearest the Rhode Island bench were warned during the first half when someone threw a wad a paper at the Rams players during a huddle. A technical foul was called with 12:48 left in the second half when something else was thrown during a timeout and picked up by Hurley. A fan was identified and escorted out of the arena.BIG PICTURERhode Island: With four games left, still has the inside track to clinch school's first A-10 regular season title.St. Bonaventure: The Bonnies gave their chances of an at-large NCAA bid a nice boost.UP NEXTRhode Island: at La Salle on Tuesday.St. Bonaventure: hosts Duquesne on Wednesday.---More college basketball: https://collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/-Top25)
Feb 16, 2018 No. 16 Rhode Island has a school-record 16-game winning streak, but there is cause for concern with the left knee injury suffered by fifth-year senior guard E. C. Matthews on Tuesday in a victory over Richmond.With 53 seconds left in the first half, Matthews appeared to bang the knee on the court going for a loose ball while tangled up with Richmond's Grant Golden. He did not return to the game and is now listed as day to day with a bruise.Unable to practice this week, Matthews is questionable Friday when Rhode Island (21-3, 13-0 Atlantic 10) visits a formidable St. Bonaventure (19-6, 9-4) that is on a seven-game winning streak."No MRI needed," Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley said of Matthews' knee. "Just picked up a scare and a bruise. He'll be fine. ... I don't think much beyond Friday he'll miss, if (he misses) Friday." Earlier this season, Matthews missed nearly six weeks with a broken wrist, which he suffered against Nevada. He has started 16 of the 18 games in which he has played, averaging 12.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game."We're better when he's in there, but we're comfortable without our depth," Hurley said. "The games that we played without him in December and November certainly helped." Matthews scored 20 points in an 87-73 win over St. Bonaventure on Jan. 13. Sophomore guard Jeff Dowtin added 18 points and nine assists, and senior guard Jarvis Garrett came off the bench to score eight of his 10 points in the first half.St. Bonaventure lost to Davidson after falling to Rhode Island last month, but the Bonnies have not lost since.Senior backcourt tandem Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley combined for 56 points in St. Bonaventure's 79-68 win over La Salle. The two were 9 of 17 from 3-point range.Mobley, who had 30 points and nine rebounds, has 12 games of 20 points or more. Adams posted his fourth straight game of more than 24 points. He is the highest scoring guard in St. Bonaventure history with 1,765 points."This is where teams play their best basketball," Adams said of the season winding down. "February's coming, you can feel the end of the season. It's kind of tightening up. That's been the motto all week -- that we've got to play our best basketball now. It's time to turn it up and give it all we got." Adams and Mobley have accounted for at least 48 points in each of the last four games. They have helped St. Bonaventure climb out of a 2-4 hole in conference play on Jan. 19."We just stayed together, didn't panic, put our heads down and worked," Adams told the Olean (N. Y.) Times Herald. "I think if we keep doing that, sky's the limit. We got the formula now. We understand we've got to win it on defense. We're excited for Friday." Mobley added, "We can't wait. The two hottest teams in the A-10, at home, Friday night, ESPN2. It's about to be a movie."
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