A rematch of last year's thriller against Oklahoma State is among the highlights of the Rams' nonconference schedule.

AP photo / Sue Ogrocki

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — The three-year run of success at the Ryan Center is coming home to roost.

Jim Baron's Rhode Island Rams have won 63 games over the last three seasons and established a reputation as a difficult team to beat in Kingston. That's made scheduling home games difficult outside of the Atlantic 10. For the second straight season, the Rams will play just six nonconference home games. Six other games will be played on the road, and one — against Oklahoma State — will be played on a neutral court at the Mohegan Sun casino.

URI hopes to announce its entire schedule Thursday, pending approval from the Atlantic 10. The school released the nonconference portion of its schedule on Wednesday in unique fashion. Beginning at 3:30, the athletic Web site announced one opponent every 15 minutes. The first game mentioned was no surprise: Providence College at the Ryan Center on Dec. 5.

Three hours later, all 13 games were announced. URI will face four teams that were among the field of 65 in the NCAA Tournament last March and seven teams that made postseason appearances. Eight of the teams established RPIs of 100 or less last season. There are six home games, six road games and the one neutral-site contest.

URI was in late talks to play in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament against national champion North Carolina in early November. New Florida International coach Isiah Thomas had balked at playing the Tar Heels in the event and threatened to pull his team out. However, FIU eventually relented.

URI finished its schedule in the last week by securing games at Davidson and Drexel. Both games are good ones. Davidson loses All-American guard Stephen Curry but will remain a dangerous team in the Southern Conference. Drexel (15-14) is seen as a sleeper team in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Rams also face tough road tests at Brown, Virginia Commonwealth, Akron and Boston College.

The Eagles and Rams have agreed to a three-game series in which two games will be played in Boston and one (in 2010-11) at the Ryan Center.

NOVEMBER

6 Concordia (exhib.)

10 Rhode Island College (exhib.)

18 at Brown

22 Holy Cross

24 Stony Brook

28 at Davidson

DECEMBER

2 at Virginia Commonwealth

5 Providence

8 Quinnipiac

10 Northeastern

13 at Boston College

20 Fairfield

29 at Drexel

JANUARY

2 Oklahoma State (at Mohegan Sun)

5 at Akron

kmcnamar@projo.com