Box score

Rhode Island shot 50 percent from three-point range, well above its season average, on its way to a 79-76 victory over the Northeastern University men's basketball team Thursday night at the Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I.

"We've played seven basketball games, all of them extremely close, coming down to the wire," Northeastern head coach Bill Coen said. "While we've played competitively, we've failed to come up with a key play. I thought Rhode Island played an extremely intense basketball game. I thought our guys did a good job executing down the stretch, getting the shots we were looking for. But we just couldn't come up with that stop or that rebound that we needed to beat a very good Rhode Island team."

The Rams came into the game shooting only 27.4 percent from behind the arc on the season and hadn't made more than seven in a game, but tonight they were 10-for-20 from downtown. Northeastern also lit up the scoreboard with a season-high 10 three-pointers. The Huskies last made 10 three-pointers in a game on Feb. 7, 2009 against UNC Wilmington.

Matt Janning led Northeastern (2-5) with 21 points. Chaisson Allen added 20 and tied his career high for three-pointers made with six. Keith Cothran led Rhode Island (7-1) with 19 points.

In the first half, Northeastern ran with the Rams, keeping up with their fast-paced offense. Cothran ran the show early with a pair of threes and a pull-up jumper in the game's first four minutes. Rhode Island took a 16-10 lead at 14:39 with a pair of free throws from Delroy James.

The Huskies answered nicely with a cool 12-1 run that was started by an Allen three-pointer. Joel Smith came up with his first collegiate three-pointer; then Manny Adako drained a wide-open 17-footer from the top of the key to put the Huskies up 18-17. After Baptiste Bataille picked up a steal, he fed Adako for an easy layup to make it 20-17.

Nkem Ojougboh closed the run at 8:49 on a nice move. Adako set up for screen for Bataille to his left, but Bataille went right, faking out his defender. He drove to the hoop and then dished to Ojougboh, who was underneath the basket for an easy layup. The Huskies led 22-17.

Rhode Island did not relent and came right back with an alley oop dunk from Mejia to Outerbridge, and then Stevie Mejia drained a three-pointer to quickly tie the game at 22-22.

Both teams then quickened the pace. Mejia popped another three, quickly answered by Allen. Good URI ball movement gave Akeem Richmond an open three; the Huskies came right back as Allen sprinted down the court and fed Janning with an easy layup. Allen nailed his third triple of the half to tie the game at 32-32, but a Will Martell reverse layup and a Cothran bucket in the lane gave the Rams a 36-32 lead. Adako's hookshot at 2:16 closed the scoring for the half as URI led 36-34 at the break.

In the second half, both teams continued to run up the scoreboard. The Huskies' last lead of the game came early when Allen drained a three-pointer to put NU up 41-40. However, the Rams quickly erased their deficit with a three-pointer from Marquis Jones. The game was tied at 50-50 after a steal and an Alwayne Bigby layup, but Mejia came up with another three-pointer to put the Rams up three, 53-50. For Mejia, it was his first three triples of the season after going 0-for-8 in the first seven games.

URI expanded its lead to six, 59-53, and then to seven, 66-59, after a Cothran layup at 4:43. However, the Huskies battled back valiantly as they got within three, 71-68, with under a minute left after free throws by Bataille. But the Huskies had to foul URI to stay in the game, and the Rams made 11 of 12 free throws in the final four minutes of the game.

That didn't stop Northeastern from trying though as it made a pair of treys inside of 40 seconds, include a very long triple from Janning. With 15 seconds left, the Huskies trailed 77-74 and forced a Cothran turnover on an inbounds play. On the ensuing possession, Smith made two free throws after drawing a foul while driving to the hoop. The Huskies then fouled Cothran, who made both his free throws. It was 79-76 with 11 seconds left. The Huskies had a chance to tie, but Janning was double teamed and Allen missed a three-pointer at the top of the key.

In addition to Janning and Allen's performances, Adako added 14 points and a season-high seven rebounds. The Huskies shot 46.8 percent for the game. Rhody shot 53.1 percent for the contest.

Northeastern will break for finals and return to the court on Tuesday, Dec. 22 when the Huskies take on St. Mary's in the first round of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game will tip at 3 p.m., Eastern, and will be televised on ESPNU.