Rhode Island
Massachusetts (UMASS) vs. Rhode Island Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 1-13-2024
A pair of Atlantic 10 rivals do battle on the hardwood in search of a victory in the Ocean State. The UMass Minutemen are on the road as they make the short trip to battle the Rhode Island Rams Saturday afternoon. UMass comes in off an 81-65 home win over La Salle in their previous contest Wednesday night, covering the line as an 8.5-point favorite. Rhode Island downed Davidson 79-74 on the road Tuesday night, winning outright as a five-point underdog in their previous contest. In the all-time series between the teams, the Minutemen own an 82-46 advantage and have won the last three meetings. That includes a 69-45 road victory in the most recent meeting on February 18, 2023.
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UMass Minutemen Seeking Second Straight Win
UMass won for the fifth time in six games as they took down La Salle at home in their previous contest Wednesday night. The Minutemen improved to 11-4 overall and they are 2-1 in Atlantic 10 play on the season, leaving them tied for fourth, half a game behind the top spot. Against La Salle, UMass led by as many as six in the opening half only to see their lead trimmed to one at intermission. The Minutemen were tied early in the second half before going on a 10-2 run that put them in front 47-39 with 12:32 to play and didn’t let the Explorers closer than four the rest of the way. UMass shot 49.2% from the field, including five of 13 from three-point range, and won the rebounding battle 44-31 in the contest. Josh Cohen led the Minutemen with 24 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.
On the season, the Minutemen are 35th in the nation in scoring offense with an average of 82 points per game on the year. UMass is collecting 39.1 boards a night while they stand 25th in assists by dishing out 17.2 dimes per contest. The Minutemen are slightly above average defensively as they are 149th in scoring defense by allowing 70.3 points per game. Josh Cohen leads the team with 17.1 points plus 6.7 rebounds per contest. Matt Cross (15.9 points, 8.3 rebounds) and Rahsool Diggins (11.8 points) each provide a good secondary scoring punch. Keon Thompson (9.5 points), Daniel Hankins-Sanford, Robert Davis Jr., Jaylen Curry, Jayden Ndjigue and Marqui Worthy provide quality depth for coach Frank Martin. UMass shoots 46.6% from the field this season as a team. The Minutemen splash 6.5 triples per night while shooting 31.6% from beyond the arc. UMass is below average at the charity stripe, converting a mediocre 68.3% of their chances this season.
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Rhode Island Rams Try to Maintain Momentum
Rhode Island won their third straight after a five-game slide as they took down Davidson on the road in their previous contest Tuesday night. The Rams improved to 8-7 overall on the season and stand tied for the top spot in the Atlantic 10 with a 2-0 mark. Against Davidson, Rhode Island led 13-4 early and held a four-point advantage at intermission. The Rams trailed by one with 13:08 to play before going on an 8-2 run to take a 58-53 lead and led the rest of the way. Rhode Island shot 51% from the field, including seven of 20 from three-point range, and controlled the boards by a 35-27 margin in the game. Luis Kortright led the Rams with 26 points and five assists in the win.
GAME. WINNER. @luiskortright2 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/obOVJVv5k1
— Rhody MBB (@RhodyMBB) January 4, 2024
The Rams put up an average of 73.5 points per game on the season, putting them 206th in the nation in scoring offense. Rhode Island is grabbing 38.9 rebounds a night while dishing out 13.7 assists per contest. The Rams have been slightly below average defensively, ranking 213th in the nation in scoring defense by allowing 72.5 points per contest. Zek Montgomery is one of four players averaging in double figures for the Rams with 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. Jaden House (13.9 points) is one of three other players scoring in double figures for the team. Luis Kortright (11.3 points), David Green (12.3 points), Jeremy Foumena, Brandon Weston, Cam Estevez, David Fuchs, Tyson Brown and Always Wright all have to be better on the offensive end to help the Rams succeed. Rhode Island is 61st in field goal percentage as they shoot 47.4% from the field as a team on the year. The Rams are knocking down six triples a game while shooting 33.6% from beyond the arc. Rhode Island has been awful at the charity stripe, converting at a 61.5% mark at the free throw line this season, putting them 356th in the nation.
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Best Bets for this Game
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
Rating:
UMass has been terrific offensively this season as they are led by Cohen and Cross on that end of the floor. Rhode Island has won three straight but that was coming off a stretch where they had dropped five straight and seven of nine games immediately prior to that. UMass dropped both their road games this season, falling by 10 at Towson and by four at Dayton, while Rhode Island has posted a 7-2 mark at home this season. The problem with the Rams is that they don’t have the pieces to match up with Cross and Cohen on the offensive end of the floor. Martin has the Minutemen ready to go and they earn their first road win of the season by herding the Rams.
Prediction: UMass Minutemen -3.5
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Full-Game Total Pick
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Rating:
UMass comes into this game having seen the over hit in eight of their 15 games on the season. The Minutemen are 120th in effective field goal percentage (51.8%), 63rd in two-point shooting (53.9%) and 61st in turnover percentage (15.6%) this season. UMass likes to run as they are 63rd in adjusted tempo according to KenPom with an average of 71.4 possessions a game. Rhode Island has seen the over post a 9-5 mark in their 14 games with a posted total this season. The Rams are 166th in offensive efficiency, 97th in effective field goal percentage (52.3%), 257th in turnover percentage (19.6%) and 94th in offensive rebounding percentage (32.1%) this season. Rhode Island plays at an average pace, ranking 176th in adjusted tempo according to KenPom with 68.7 possessions a night. This game should be a solid offensive night that edges over the total.
Prediction: Over 150.5
(WJAR) — An energy assistance program designed to help Rhode Islanders struggling to pay utility bills has extended its application deadline amid rising demand for financial assistance.
The United Way of Rhode Island announced that residents now have until June 30 to apply for aid through the Good Neighbor Energy Fund.
The program provides one-time emergency utility assistance to income-eligible households that need help paying a bill or avoiding a service shutoff but do not qualify for other state or federal assistance programs.
Demand for help has increased sharply.
According to United Way of Rhode Island, requests for assistance with electric bills rose 182% in May compared with the same month a year earlier. A total of 1,202 Rhode Islanders reported utility costs as a need last month.
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Residents interested in applying or determining their eligibility can call 211 before the June 30 deadline or visit the United Way of Rhode Island website.
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 8 drawing
03-24-34-43-49, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from June 8 drawing
Midday: 5-1-4-9
Evening: 6-0-8-6
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from June 8 drawing
02-04-17-22-32, Extra: 16
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 8 drawing
20-25-40-50-55, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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With time running out and no action scheduled yet, advocates are escalating their campaign to convince lawmakers to pass the Rhode Island “Voting Rights Act” introduced by Senate President Valarie Lawson and House Majority Leader Katherine Kazarian.
But it appears the bill has already been declared dead for the year.
Lawson, House Speaker Christopher Blazejewski and Secretary of State Gregg Amore issued this joint statement on Monday, June 8:
“From the beginning, we have all understood the importance of passing a strong Rhode Island Voting Rights Act. But we also understand that as the federal administration continues to work to make it more difficult to access the ballot box, we have to do it right.”
“Advocates and other parties raised several concerns,” the statement said. “It is imperative that we enact as strong, enforceable, and defensible a bill as possible. With those priorities in mind, we recognize there is more work to do.”
“As drafted this year, the provisions of the Voting Rights Act would not take effect until the 2028 election cycle. Therefore, we will work over the course of the off-session to put forward as strong a bill as possible for consideration in 2027 and will continue to prioritize the Voting Rights Act in the upcoming session,” the statement continued.
The reaction from one angry advocate, Sen. Tiara Mack: “I’m not done fighting.”
How did we get here?
The legislation was introduced in response to thwarted Republican efforts to pass a federal SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship to register to vote and came weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court hollowed out a landmark Civil Rights-era law that has increased minority representation in Congress and elsewhere, opening the door for more redistricting across the country that could aid Republican efforts to maintain control the House.
“This is not abstract. This is about power,” Shahidah Ali, chairwoman of the political arm of the Rhode Island Coalition of Black Women, said at a voting rights rally that packed the State House Library on March 31.
“This is about who gets to participate in our democracy, and who is pushed out of it.”
On Sunday, June 7, Ali reiterated that warning and her frustration that the bill appears, despite its high-powered sponsors, to be in limbo going into the expected final days of the legislative session, saying she didn’t understand why the bill wasn’t moving as quickly as she thought it would.
“I feel like when you’re in a super majority and it’s something that’s needed after … the gutting of the Federal Voting Rights Act, I would think that this would be a no-brainer, that the Democrats in this state would understand the importance and the urgency of a bill to protect voters, especially Black voters,” she said.
Why hasn’t the bill moved?
As of Sunday, Rep. Kathy Fogarty, a co-sponsor of the House version of the bill (H8334), has not given up hope the bill would still pass. But, she said, “my understanding is that they were concerned …. [and] wanted to review” some of Attorney General Peter Neronha’s comments about the bill after Secretary of State Gregg Amore asked him for his input.
Fogarty said the May 7 leadership change in the House put the newly elected Speaker Blazejewski and Kazarian, in her newly elevated role as majority leader, in front of a proverbial “fire hose,” with the finalization of the proposed new $15.2 billion state budget their first priority.
With the need to finalize the budget, which won House approval on June 5, “I think that this just kind of got pushed to the side,” Fogarty said of the voting rights bill.
The backdrop
The proposed Rhode Island Voter Rights Act was introduced to enshrine federal protections against voter suppression, vote dilution and “racially-based gerrymandering” in state law.
The legislation was introduced in response to the push by President Donald Trump and his GOP allies in Congress for passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, known more familiarly as the SAVE Act.
While Rhode Island already has its own Voter ID law requiring prospective voters to show a photo identification to cast their ballot, the SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship – such as a valid U.S. passport and certified birth certificate – to register to vote.
If the U.S. Senate were able to muster the votes to pass the SAVE Act, critics say millions could be disenfranchised, including married women whose adult names do not match the names on their birth certificates.
Speaking at the March 31 Rhode Island rally, U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner said not enough attention has gone to the proposed requirement that a voter present the same level of documentation to obtain a mail ballot, “but only if they showed up to their board of canvassers in person to prove their citizenship.” This would obviously be problematic for people too ill to leave their homes, hospitalized, out of the country or even, out of state on business.
As currently drafted, the proposed Rhode Island Voting Rights Act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
What were the concerns about the bill?
The edits Neronha’s staff suggested to the Secretary of State’s Office were largely cosmetic – the deletion of an extraneous word here or there, or clarification of a potentially muddy sentences.
In a June 6 letter to John Marion, executive director of the citizens-advocacy group Common Cause Rhode Island, Neronha said: “I do not view our comments on the proposed Act as particularly extensive nor burdensome nor time-consuming to implement, in whole or in part, should there be a desire to do so.”
Neronha’s letter said that his comments on the bill shouldn’t impede its passage, or be taken “even as a suggestion” that he doesn’t support the bill. His office’s role, he said, was to make a “laudable piece of legislation better if we could.”
“We undertook that task because we were asked to, and I agreed because I believe that passage of a Voting Rights Act is important to protecting the rights of Rhode Islanders and our democracy,” Neronha said.
Advocates are not giving up
In recent weeks, Ali said she went on radio to make an appeal to Black and brown men, in particular, to support the legislation, while she and other advocates distributed 3,300 postcards to be mailed to state lawmakers.
The message: “Dear Senator (Representative), The Voting Rights Act is one of the most important statutes we have in this country as it protects everyone’s right to vote and allows our country to function as a true democracy. Until it is codified into Rhode Island state law our fundamental Civil Rights are at risk.”
“We cannot afford to lose our Civil Rights with an election coming.”
This story has been updated with new information.
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