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• UMass renews its rivalry with Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
• The UMass Sports Network will feature the "Voice of the Minutemen" Josh Maurer handling play-by-play duties alongside analysts Tim Collins and Jason Germain. The game can be heard live starting at 6:40 p.m. ET on 105.5 FM WEEI (Springfield), 1440 AM WVEI (Worcester) and 1200 AM WXKS (Bloomberg Radio in Boston). The broadcast is also available online through www.UMassAthletics.com and on smart phones & tablets through the TuneIn app.
• the game will be televised nationally by the NBC Sports Network. Ryan Burr and David Kaplan will call the action.
QUICK HITTERS
• This is the 106th season of UMass Basketball. UMass has an all-time record of 1,239-1,088 (.531) in 2,327 games. UMass is 460-316 (.593) in conference games, including a 296-296 in Atlantic 10 play. The Minutemen have claimed 15 regular-season conference championships and five tournament titles.
• The Minutemen rank 80th nationally in scoring (71.1), 7th in FT made (304), 14th in FT attempted (432), 122nd in FT pct. (70.4%), 95th in steals (7.2) and 74th in blocks (4.6).
• The Rams lead the A-10 in scoring defense (57.9 ppg), rebounding defense (30.8), blocked shots (5.1 bpg) and are second in 3-point FG pct. defense (.277) and 14th in the country.
• UMass is 8-3 when scoring at least 70 points. It is 4-1 when leading at half and 1-0 when tied at the break.
• The Minutemen have scored at least 34 points in the first half seven times this season and are 6-1 in those games.
• UMass entered the year having won 70 games in the last 3 years (25, 21 & 24) and participated in 2 NITs (reaching Final Four in 2012) and 2014 NCAA tourney.
• The Minutemen return seven letterwinners, including starters Maxie Esho and Cady Lalanne, from last season that went 24-9 overall and 10-6 in Atlantic 10 play en route to it's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years (1998). The team also returned to the national rankings for the first time since 1998- 99, climbing as high as No. 12 in late January.
SERIES HISTORY WITH RHODE ISLAND
• Saturday marks the 144th all-time meeting between UMass and Rhode Island on the hardwood. UMass leads the series 85-58.
• The Minutemen have won the last six games, nine of 10 and 13 of the last 16. The current win streak is the fourth-longest for UMass in the series.
• UMass has won 41 of the last 55 games in the series. That includes season sweeps by UMass in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014; and URI in 1999 and 2003.
• Overall, for games played in Amherst, the Minutemen lead the series 52-20, with a 15-4 mark at the Mullins Center. UMass is 31-36 in the Ocean State and has won seven of the 12 meetings in the Ryan Center.
• The teams have met seven times in conference tournament play, with the Minutemen owning a 5-2 edge dating back to the 1981 Eastern 8 Tournament, which includes last year's 65-61 win in the A-10 1st Round in Brooklyn.
• UMass coach Derek Kellogg is 8-3 as a coach against the Rams. As a player at UMass from 1992-95, the Minutemen were 9-1 vs. Rhode Island, losing once in 1993 in Providence.
MULLINS CENTER
• UMass has been very strong in the Mullins Center this year with a 5-2 record, but has lost its last two to Atlantic 10 competition (St. Bona and Davidson). Over the past four seasons, the Minutemen are 34-9 in regular-season games and 18-8 in Atlantic 10 contests in the facility.
• The Minutemen have been strong during the winter break as well, winning their last 13 non-league games when the classes are not in session.
• UMass is in its 22nd season of play at the William D. Mullins Memorial Center and has posted an all-time record of 206-89 (.703) following the Davidson game. The Minutemen also own a 113-55 (.683) all time record in regular-season Atlantic 10 Conference games at the Mullins Center, and a 4-2 mark in Atlantic 10 Tournament contests. The first game was played on Feb. 4, 1993 as UMass defeated West Virginia 64-59 in overtime.
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