Tonight, two squads with the same mascot will face off in the Ryan Center, as Rhode Island hosts VCU in an Atlantic 10 clash.
Rhode Island, looking to win consecutive games for the first time in conference play, is coming off of a thrilling victory on its home floor. The Rams overcame Davidson on Saturday afternoon, and despite the nail-biting finish, yet another dagger from senior guard Sebastian Thomas kept the Rams afloat down the stretch in their 92-90 win.
VCU’s tough defensive look has the southernmost Ram of the A-10 in prime position for a return to the conference championship game for the third straight year. The Rams of black and yellow have won their last four, and they hope to keep their red-hot agenda going in Kingston.
The following are the keys to the game for Rhode Island and things to watch out for from VCU, as Rhody tries to take down one of the conference’s hottest teams.
Rhode Island Key Player: David Green
After a two-week stretch of injured play and missed games, senior forward David Green reminded fans in both Kingston and further regions what kind of player he is at 100%. The veteran tallied 22 points on 43.7% shooting from the field, while shooting 4/6 from the perimeter against the Wildcats.
The center position for VCU is rather by committee, with their starter, freshman Luke Bamgboye, recording the ninth-most minutes played in conference play. This rotational approach down low could cause some mismatches and allow Green to experiment and find what he likes.
VCU Key Player: Jack Clark
Defense was an issue for Rhode Island on Saturday, as it allowed the most points all season. 30 of the 90 points scored by the Wildcats came from the hands of their center, junior Bailey Reed. That is where Jack Clark comes in, who blends scoring and rebounding well from the forward position.
While Clark has not scored 30 points this season, the Clemson transfer has scored 25 points at one instance this season, and with a top-10 7.1 rebounds per game in the conference on his side as well, Clark could cause some trouble for the Rhody frontcourt if he can get going.
Rhode Island Key to the Game: Use The Home Crowd
While Rhode Island has done well with home attendance over the past few weeks, drawing over 5,000 fans in two of their three games in 2025, it has been missing a pivotal part of their gameday experience – students.
With classes beginning for the second semester on Wednesday, campus is set to be fully repopulated by tip-off. A student section could provide an advantage like none other in a Ryan Center shaking due to some ruckus.
VCU Key to the Game: Start Fast
Lately, Rhode Island is a slow starting team – that is no secret. The Rams have trailed after the first five minutes of the game in their last four contests, and VCU could prop themselves up by coming out of the gates quick.
Not only will that silence the home crowd, but it will also give Rhody a deeper hole to crawl out of when they inevitably wake up. VCU’s defense ranks inside the top-15 nationally in points per game allowed, so if the Rams end up having to crawl up a hill, the hill might as well be blanketed in ice.
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Rhode Island has taken down a top-15 defense before, as they overcame George Mason just a few weeks ago in a 62-59 win. VCU though, unlike the Patriots, possesses a top-three offense in the A-10, scoring just 2.8 points per game less than the A-10-leading Rhody.
It certainly will be a tough test for the Rams in Kingston. The game tips-off at 7:00 p.m. and can be streamed on CBS Sports Network with a radio broadcast available on the Varsity Network.
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