Upsets happen, home losses happen, and even blowout losses happen, but we don’t often see what happened to the Rhode Island Rams in NCAA basketball action Tuesday night against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks. The Rams entered the game in first place in the Atlantic 10 with a 23-4 mark (15-1 in conference), plus a No. 17 ranking in the AP poll and a No. 16 ranking in the coaches’ poll, while the Hawks were 13-15 overall and 8-8 in the A-10 heading into this one. But Saint Joseph’s went on to hand Rhode Island one of the worst home losses ever suffered by a ranked team:
The largest margin of defeat for a ranked team, at home, to an unranked opponent: 41, when UConn won 77-36 at Virginia in November 1993.
Rhode Island is down 31 at home to St. Joe’s with 11 minutes left. That would be the second-largest MOD
— Brian Pedersen (@realBJP) February 28, 2018
Rhode Island just lost by 30 at home to Saint Joseph’s. Per @ESPNStatsInfo, that’s the second-largest home loss in AP poll history by a ranked opponent to an unranked opponent.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) February 28, 2018
Oh, and this was the Hawks’ first road win over an AP-ranked opponent in almost 40 years:
Saint Joseph's won 78-48 at No. 17 Rhode Island tonight, the Hawks' first road win against an AP ranked opponent since Jan. 2, 1979, at No. 12 Georgetown.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 28, 2018
That’s pretty remarkable. And this was a night where nothing at all worked out for the Rams:
It's been this kind of half for Rhode Island. pic.twitter.com/203GlohlJK
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) February 28, 2018
Saint Joseph’s led 35-16 after the first half, and Rhode Island was in trouble all night long. James Demery led the way for the Hawks, notching 21 points (on 10 of 15 shooting from the field) and seven rebounds, but he had plenty of help, with Taylor Funk adding 17 points and six rebounds and Shavar Newkirk chipping in 14 points and seven assists. And it wound up being a very memorable night for Saint Joseph’s fans. Not so much for Rhode Island fans.
[ESPN]
