St. Bonaventure snaps No. 16 Rhode Island's 16-game winning streak
OLEAN, N.Y. (AP) Matt Mobley scored 26 points and grabbed a key rebound with 4.2 seconds left, and St. Bonaventure beat Rhode Island 77-74 to snap the 16th-ranked Rams' 16-game winning streak on Friday night.
LaDarien Griffin scored 10 of the Bonnies last 14 points over the final six minutes in rallying them back from a 67-61 deficit - St. Bonaventure's largest of the game. The Bonnies (20-6, 10-4 Atlantic 10) won their eighth straight and stayed in the hunt for the regular-season conference title.
Jared Terrell led the Rams with 23 points, but missed a potential go-ahead layup with 4.8 seconds left. Down 75-74, Terrell's shot banked off the backboard and off the front of the rim and out. Mobley came down with the rebound and was fouled.
The Rams (21-3, 13-1 A-10) had not lost since dropping a 68-64 decision at Alabama on Dec. 6. Rhode Island's winning streak was the longest active in the nation.
The loss also snapped Rhode Island's 21-game winning streak in conference play, dating to 53-43 loss against Fordham on Feb. 15, 2017.
The game wasn't decided until after the teams traded leads three times in the final 56 seconds.
The Bonnies went ahead 73-72 after Griffin scored four consecutive points by first putting back his own miss and then hitting two free throws with 56 seconds left. He was fouled while pulling down a defensive rebound after Terrell missed an awkward jumper.
Rhode Island's Cyril Langevine hit two free throws after he was fouled while attempting a dunk to put the Rams back up 74-73.
Griffin, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, then scored the go-ahead basket with 21.5 seconds left when teammate Jaylen Adams found him alone beneath the basket.
Adams, the Bonnies leading scorer, struggled in finishing 2 of 12 for 10 points.
Rams guard E.C. Matthews scored all of his 14 points in the second half in playing three days after hurting his left knee late in the first half of an 85-67 win over Richmond.
The game was played in front of a packed, loud and occasionally profane Reilly Center crowd that made for an electric atmosphere in what was described as one of the more highly anticipated games in recent memory.
The Bonnies haven't made the NCAA tournament since 2012, and have attracted some national attention for their performance this season, including receiving three votes in the latest AP poll.
The first half was played so tightly it featured 13 lead changes and the largest lead was the Rams up 36-32 with 2:04 left, when Terrell hit a 3-pointer off a transition break. The Bonnies, who led by no more than 3, closed the half by scoring the final five points, capped by Griffin's dunk with 35 seconds remaining.
Rams coach Dan Hurley kept forward Andre Berry in the game for three minutes after he appeared hobbled by an injury to his left ankle in the first two minutes of the second half. It wasn't until a timeout at 15:31 when Berry left the game and was escorted by a team official to the locker room. He then returned to the bench about a minute later and began riding a stationary bike but never returned to action.
BANG THE CHAIR
Hurley let his emotions show - as he often does - during a timeout with 11:45 left and the game tied at 50. He banged the feet of his folding chair on the court to catch his players' attention.
ROWDY CROWD
At least one Bonnies fan crossed the line. Fans in the end zone nearest the Rhode Island bench were warned during the first half when someone threw a wad a paper at the Rams players during a huddle. A technical foul was called with 12:48 left in the second half when something else was thrown during a timeout and picked up by Hurley. A fan was identified and escorted out of the arena.
BIG PICTURE
Rhode Island: With four games left, still has the inside track to clinch school's first A-10 regular season title.
St. Bonaventure: The Bonnies gave their chances of an at-large NCAA bid a nice boost.
UP NEXT
Rhode Island: at La Salle on Tuesday.
St. Bonaventure: hosts Duquesne on Wednesday.
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