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Late Night Snacks: Rhode Island rivalry and VCU’s overtime

Bryce Cotton

Providence’s Bryce Cotton (11) shoots over Kentucky’s Aaron Harrison (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won 79-65. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Frank Franklin II

GAME OF THE NIGHT: Providence 50, Rhode Island 49

I bet you didn’t realize the Ocean State had a hoops rivalry like this, did you? The Rams and the Friars did battle on Thursday night in a game that turned into a dogfight pretty quickly. How emotional was it? At one point, Ed Cooley and Danny Hurley both drew technical fouls as they had to be separated at mid-court during an argument.

Bryce Cotton led the way for Providence with 15 points, but URI was able to erase an early nine-point lead and, eventually, tie the game on an E.C. Matthews runner with 53 seconds left. Kadeem Batts was fouled at the other end and hit 1-of-2 from the foul line, and Matthews missed a 17-foot fadeaway at the buzzer.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES:

1) No. 24 San Diego State was 97-0 under Steve Fisher in games they led with five minutes left, but San Diego nearly ended that streak. The Aztecs had a 57-47 lead in the final minutes, but Johnny Dee brought the Toreros back. Fisher decided to foul up three in the final seconds two times, and it almost backfired. With 3.2 seconds left, SDSU turned the ball over on a jump-ball. USD got a great look at a three to win it, but it bounced harmlessly off the rim.

2) VCU hung on to beat Eastern Kentucky in overtime, 71-68. I went a little more in-depth on VCU’s struggles here.

3) Vanderbilt blew a 13-point second half lead, but they managed to hold on as Marshall nearly came all the way back in Nashville. Damion Jones had 15 points off the bench for the ‘Dores, who held high-scoring Elijah Pittman to just 17 points. Kareem Canty led the way for Marshall with 18. The bad news? Josh Henderson has reportedly torn his ACL and MCL.

4) Seton Hall beat LIU 92-81, but it came at a price: Fuquan Edwin went down with an injury to his right ankle.

STARRED

1) With Edwin out, Brian Oliver had himself a day, finishing with 26 points to lead the way for the Pirates.

2) Anthony Myles went for 28 points on 7-for-10 shooting as Rider beat Monmouth.

3) Georgetown’s back court of D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and Markel Starks combined for 35 points and nine assists, hitting 5-for-11 from three, in a blow out win over High Point.

STRUGGLED

1) Marshall Henderson was 4-for-18 and 2-for-13 from three in a 61-58 loss at Kansas State. He airballed a step-back, 28-footer with a couple of seconds left on the clock that could have given Ole Miss the lead.

2) West Virginia entered the night as the No. 4 three-point shooting team in the country at 46.5%. They finished the night 4-for-19 from deep in an 80-71 loss to Missouri.