Rivalry Game: Providence Faces Rhode Island in Ocean State Showdown

Providence Friars head coach Kim English prepares for a crucial rivalry game against the Rhode Island Rams on Saturday afternoon, November 18, 2025. Providence enters the matchup with a record of 5-4, while Rhode Island boasts a 7-2 record.

English, who took over the Friars in the 2023-24 season, has split his previous encounters in the Ocean State Rivalry, winning by 15 points in 2023 and losing 69-63 at URI last season. Only two players from Providence, Corey Floyd Jr. and Oswin Erhunmwunse, have experience playing in the rivalry, while Rhode Island's Drissa Traore is the only returning player from last year's matchup.

Rhode Island head coach Archie Miller emphasizes the challenge of playing at Providence's Amica Mutual Pavilion, noting that the Rams have not won there since 2002. Miller states, "Going into that environment is extremely difficult.

It's one of the best home courts in college basketball." The Rams recently beat Brown 66-56, with Tyler Cochran scoring a season-high 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Cochran leads Division I in steals with 34, averaging 3.8 per game.

Providence's Jason Edwards, a Vanderbilt transfer, leads the Friars with 19.2 points per game and scored 24 points in a recent 94-64 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson. Erhunmwunse leads the nation with 30 blocked shots, having blocked six in the last game.

As the rivalry heats up, English notes the historical significance of this matchup, stating, "It's a great game with great historical implications in this state, and we'll be ready to go."