Friday, November 14th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Thomas F. Ryan Center (7,571) -- Kingston, Rhode Island. Television: None. Home Record: Brown 0-0, URI 0-0. Away Record: Brown 0-0, URI 0-0. Neutral Record: Brown 0-0, URI 0-0. Conference Record: Brown 0-0, URI 0-0. Series Record: Rhode Island leads, 97-52.

GAME NOTES: In-state rivals renew their relationship tonight as the Brown Bears drop in on the Rhode Island Rams for a non-conference bout at the Ryan Center in Kingston. The Bears, who are on the road for their first three games of the 2008-09 campaign, had a strong 2007-08 showing with a record of 19-10 and were 11-3 versus the rest of the Ivy League. The squad lost just two games after February 1st, once to Cornell and in an 80-74 setback versus Ohio University in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational. A change at the top welcomes this year's Bears after head coach Craig Robinson left for Oregon State and Jesse Agel was named the new head coach of the program in June. As for the Rams, who are off to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face Duke on Sunday, they were outstanding in the first half of the 2007-08 season, losing just once heading into the second week of January, but down the stretch the group fell apart with just one single victory after Valentine's Day. The program was chosen to take part in the NIT but quickly disappeared after a 74-73 loss to Creighton, leaving them with a 21-12 record and a 7-9 mark in A-10 play. URI won the meeting with the Bears last season by a score of 75-61 at the Pizzitola Center in Providence, which means the Rams are ahead in the all-time series by a count of 97-52.

The Bears will be revolving around Chris Skrelja this season, having lost two First Team All-Ivy League performers from last year's group. Skrelja, who also played quite a bit in the frontcourt a year ago, has emerged as one of the top all-around players in the league, averaging 8.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and better than four assists per outing a season ago. One of six players to appear in all 29 games last season, Adrian Williams figures to join Skrelja in the backcourt, with Steve Gruber supplying assistance in a backup role. Although just a sophomore, forward Peter Sullivan was one of the most impressive first- year players in the Ivy in 2007-08, posting 8.8 ppg and 2.7 rpg, ranking seventh in the conference in three-point shooting at 48 percent. A starter in 15 games, Scott Friske will have even more responsibility this time around, while Chris Taylor increases his exposure as well.

Losing Will Daniels will be tough to overcome for the Rams, but it won't be impossible. Taking up more of the scoring slack will by Jimmy Baron who finished second last year on the Rams with his 14.2 ppg. What makes Baron so important is his accuracy out on the perimeter (.406) and his nearly-perfect aim at the charity stripe (.913) in his 33 starts a year ago. Another one of the starters back for the ride in 2008-09 is Kahiem Seawright, the squad's top rebounder a year ago with almost eight and a half boards per contest. Seawright also posted a team-high 42 blocked shots and was fourth on the team with 9.2 ppg. His point production could have been more significant had he shot better than 64 percent at the free-throw line. Expected to help out Baron in the passing department is Keith Cothran who logged 63 dishes in limited time a year ago.

Both of these teams have lost significant players from last year's squads, but in the case of the Bears the changes seem to be more drastic, which gives URI the edge tonight.

Predicted Outcome

Rhode Island 82, Brown 66