Rhode Island basketball to face a national power in a cancer fundraiser at Mohegan Sun

Our first look at the University of Rhode Island men this basketball season will come against an old friend and the two-time defending national champions.

The Rams will face coach Dan Hurley and Connecticut in an Oct. 14 exhibition at Mohegan Sun. The former Yankee Conference rivals will meet on behalf of Coaches vs. Cancer and as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame’s enshrinement weekend.

The official announcement came Wednesday afternoon, as URI and the Huskies will both be on the floor three weeks before their scheduled Nov. 4 season openers. The matchup was approved through an NCAA waiver, and all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. Hurley and his wife, Andrea, have both done extensive work with the charity since her father, Ken Sirakides, passed away from kidney cancer in August 2005.

“There is no better measuring stick than the two-time defending national champions,” URI coach Archie Miller said in a statement. “To be able to play in a great venue like Mohegan Sun while benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer is a great way to get the season started.”

More: Rhode Island basketball to host Providence on Dec. 7. Here’s the full nonconference slate.

More: Rhode Island women’s basketball announces non-conference schedule; who the Rams will play

The Rams are fresh off an August trip to the Bahamas, posting a 3-0 record against international competition. They broke for the remainder of the summer and should begin returning to campus next week. URI was just 12-20 last season, and Miller is hoping to make a jump in his third year behind a transfer class that includes Sebastian Thomas (Albany), Quentin Diboundje (East Carolina), Jamarques Lawrence (Nebraska), Drissa Traore (St. John’s) and Javonte Brown (Western Michigan), a center who started his college career with a lone season at UConn in 2020-21.

“It will be a great opportunity for our fans to get their first glimpse at us in real game action, and also a great challenge as we continue to prepare for what we plan to be another special season,” Hurley said in a statement. “I have nothing but love and respect for Rhody and can’t wait to compete with Archie and his program.”

Hurley built an Atlantic 10 power during his six years in Kingston, bringing home a second conference tournament title in 2016-17 and the program’s first regular-season title in the league in 2017-18. The Rams closed 51-18 during that stretch and reached the Round of 32 in two straight NCAA Tournaments. Hurley recruited and developed some of the premier players in URI history – E.C. Matthews, Jared Terrell, Fatts Russell, Jeff Dowtin Jr., Hassan Martin and Cyril Langevine primary among them.

Kevin Ollie’s two-year downturn with the Huskies prompted athletic director Dave Benedict to make a coaching change, and he lured Hurley away with a six-year deal starting in 2018-19. UConn returned to the Big East and Hurley quickly restored their championship pedigree, reaching March Madness by his third season and capturing a first title in his fifth. Last year was a 37-3 tour de force that included conference regular season and tournament titles, a pair of winning streaks that lasted at least 13 games and six straight double-digit victories in the NCAA Tournament.

The Huskies return several key contributors from last year’s roster, including shooting forward Alex Karaban, point guard Hassan Diarra and athletic center Samson Johnson. UConn dipped into the transfer portal for Tarris Reed Jr. (Michigan) and Aidan Mahaney (Saint Mary’s), adding a frontcourt presence and a perimeter marksman. The Huskies also brought in a gifted freshman class headlined by Montverde Academy forward Liam McNeeley and Philadelphia guard Ahmad Nowell.

UConn and the Rams have met 143 times in men’s basketball. The Huskies remain the third most common opponent for URI, trailing only Brown and Massachusetts. The two programs haven’t faced off since early in the 2000-01 season, an 87-76 result that made it six straight wins for UConn in the series.

Miller enjoyed a 6-3 head-to-head advantage against Hurley during his six-year run at Dayton and won the last meeting between the two men in 2019-20. That came with Indiana, as the Hoosiers grinded to a 57-54 victory against the Huskies at Madison Square Garden. Miller was on track for an NCAA Tournament bid in his third season with Indiana before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to be canceled.

Coaches vs. Cancer has raised more than $167 million since its founding and is currently bringing in more than $10 million annually. Miller has participated in annual initiatives since his 2022-23 hiring at URI and works alongside Brown coach Mike Martin, who has served as a board member for the national organization. Both headlined a fundraising breakfast at Wannamoisett Country Club last fall with Bryant coach Phil Martelli Jr. and Providence coach Kim English.

Tickets will be on sale Sept. 13 via Ticketmaster and Sept. 14 at the Mohegan Sun box office. Game time and broadcast information will be announced at a later date. Visit hoophall.com for more information.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: URI basketball faces Dan Hurley, UConn in Coaches vs. Cancer scrimmage