Getting runs at the start of both the first and second halves, the men's basketball team beat Rhode Island, 74-67, last night at Rec Hall to take a ½-game lead over the Rams (12-9, 8-4 in the A-10) for second place in the Atlantic 10.

Penn State shares second place with Rutgers (12-11, 8-3) who visits Rec Hall next Thursday night.

Last night the Lions (15-5, 8-3) jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first half and also scored 14 unanswered points at the beginning of the second half.

"We sure weren't expecting a situation like that," Coach Bruce Parkhill said. "Not that it was easy, but when we shoot the ball well and we're playing good defense, we can get on spurts like that. We haven't shot the ball well this year."

"There's no question that was the difference in the game," Rams' Coach Al Skinner said. "We just did not come out ready. The first half I wasn't overly concerned with it because I knew our guys were pumped up. And then in the second half we just kind of letdown."

At the start of both halves the 5,006 pom-pom waving, screaming fans raised the decibel level up a couple notches, especially in the first half. It was a good thing for the Lions' sake, Parkhill said.

"I thought the crowd really was a factor especially in our first half spurt," he continued. "I thought our guys were really flat yesterday in practice. And today I really couldn't get a read on them, it just didn't seem they were wired up the way they should be."

The Lions were led, as usual, by Ed Fogell and James Barnes. Both were 7-of-12 from the field, with Barnes scoring 19 and Fogell 18.

"I think we made a conscious effort to do it," Fogell said. "We've been having a ball out there just me and Barnsey. So, if we can keep doing that we'll be happy. It's just a lot of fun playing together."

The game started with the Lions' Monroe Brown hitting from five feet. Almost 1½ minutes later, Barnes hit on a layup after receiving a pass from Freddie Barnes. At that point the sky could have collapsed and no one would have heard it in a raucous Rec Hall.

Two baskets by Fogell and one by Brown set the score at 12-2. But the Rams went on a 20-12 run and entered the locker room down by only two, 24-22.

Like the first half, Brown scored the first points of the second. Freddie Barnes scored on a layup, James Barnes added four more points and then Fogell stole the ball and scored on a layup, playing catch with Freddie on the way.

It wasn't until after Fogell swished one from 15 feet that the Rams finally scored. Forward Brian Jenkins converted on one of two free throws for the Rams' first points. The Rams then went on a 13-5 run to pull to within five at 45-40.

As it turned out that would be the closest the Rams would come.

Whenever the Rams would score the Lions would return the favor. The exclamation point came with 41 seconds left. After getting the ball at midcourt James Barnes slammed it at the other end to put the Lions up by 10, 72-62.

The Lions have now won five in a row and eight out of their last nine games. Tomorrow they travel to Philadelphia to take on St. Joseph's (5-14, 3-8) in a rematch from last weekend. Penn State won that game at Rec Hall, 92-72.

"St. Joe's is a lot tougher at home," Parkhill said. "I'm really concerned about them and obviously it's a big game."