GAME NOTES: The Rhode Island Rams will try to end a two-game skid, as they return to the Ryan Center for an Atlantic 10 Conference tilt versus the La Salle Explorers.

La Salle notched its second win in three games last Saturday when it defeated Fordham, 60-49, in Philadelphia. The Explorers limited the Rams to 3-of-23 shooting from beyond the arc and outscored them, 19-8, at the charity stripe to improve to 2-3 in the A-10 standings. La Salle's defense limited Fordham to a 31.7 shooting from the field, making the Explorers 8-1 this season when holding an opponent under 40 percent from the field. Dr. John Giannini's team is ranked 11th in the conference in scoring offense (64.0 ppg) and fifth in scoring defense (61.8 ppg).

The sophomore duo of Jordan Price and Cleon Roberts led La Salle past Fordham, as they scored 15 and 12 points, respectively. Price is ranked fourth among A-10 players in scoring (16.9 ppg), and he continues to be La Salle's most consistent offensive performer. He has scored in double figures in 15 of 18 games this season. Roberts has scored in double figures in seven straight games, and has gone 27-of-58 from 3-point range over his last 14 games. La Salle has a solid front line as well with junior forward Jerrell Wright (11.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and junior center Steve Zack (8.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg) anchoring the paint.

La Salle is just 8-21 versus Rhode Island in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1976-77 campaign. This will be the first of two regular-season matchups. The Rams have lost their last four games versus the Explorers, including a 72-62 decision in the most recent meeting on Jan. 15, 2014 at Tom Gola Arena.

Rhode Island began its current losing streak with a 65-60 setback at home to VCU, and went on to fall, 60-56, at Massachusetts last Saturday. The loss to VCU was the first at home this season for the Rams, who own a 3-2 A-10 record. Rhode Island led the Minutemen, 51-45, with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation, before UMass took control for good with a 12-2 run. URI struggled to control the ball and it proved to be costly, as the Minutemen converted 15 turnovers into 19 points. Despite the current slide, the Rams are still pacing the A-10 in scoring defense with an allowance of only 58.1 ppg.

Rhode Island star sophomore E.C. Matthews did not have his best performance of the season at UMass, as he finished with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the floor, to go with six rebounds and four turnovers. Sophomore forward Hassan Martin led the way with 13 points and four blocks, while rookie point guard Jarvis Garrett handed out six assists. Matthews is the second-leading scorer in the A-10 at 17.3 ppg. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard set a conference-season low in field goal attempts his last time out with nine, and a season-low with just one try from 3-point range. Martin averages 11.8 points, 7.1 boards and 2.7 blocks per outing.

Although the Rams are thinking their return home should help swing momentum back in their favor, La Salle is not going to be a pushover. The Explorers seem to be coming together as a unit just in time for the heart of their conference schedule. This is a good opportunity for La Salle to put the league on notice as it takes on a struggling Rams team.