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Rhode Island forward Gilvydas Biruta hurt in exhibition win

Dan Hurley

Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley questions a call in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Butler in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. Butler defeated Rhode Island 75-68. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

AP

Rhode Island came up with a 93-77 win over Division II Southern Connecticut on Friday night in an exhibition contest, but after losing sophomore forward Jordan Hare to a leave of absence earlier in the day, the team is hoping for the best as another one of their big men went down.

Junior forward Gilvydas Biruta went down with a right ankle injury, according to the Providence Journal, as the 6-foot-8 transfer from Rutgers ran into the bench and appeared to be in immediate pain.

Rams head coach Dan Hurley told the Providence Journal after the game that “it looked a lot worse than it is,” and termed his forward as being “day to day.”

The loss of Biruta for a few days isn’t huge, but it is a temporary setback as Rhode Island still deals with the loss or Hare. Biruta averaged 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Rutgers and started every game for the Scarlet Knights that season, so he will provide plenty of minutes inside for the Rams after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Rhode Island senior guard Xavier Munford paced the Rams with 18 points in the win.

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