TOLEDO, Ohio — Maybe it is because they were 14-1 at this point last season, so 11-4 does not seem as special. Maybe it is because they are college kids who have a different view of the world than their elders. Or maybe it is simply because they are a confident team.

Whatever the reason, there was no celebrating last night when the URI basketball team ended the nonconference portion of its season by beating Toledo, 86-77, at Savage Hall. Rather than being pleased with their record entering Atlantic 10 play, the Rams feel a bit disappointed.

“To tell you the truth, we thought we would have been better,” said forward Delroy James.

Never mind that the Rams were picked ninth in the A-10 this season and had to replace three key players.

“We don’t listen to what people say about us. We know what’s in our locker room.

“We never doubted ourselves,” James said. “We didn’t care what anybody said or where they picked us, we knew what we could do.”

“We know we can do better,” agreed co-captain Jimmy Baron. “Three of our losses came by four points or less. Villanova is the only team that really beat us. We’ve go to try to keep this going.”

They rang up victory number 11 last night with less than their best performance. Facing a team that entered with a 2-11 record, including six straight losses, the Rams did not have the intensity they have shown in other games, especially defensively. Still, they led all the way and never were in danger of losing. But they could never break the contest open, either.

Despite its record, Toledo matched up better with the Rams than some other teams.

“They’re similar to us in that they can get the ball up and run,” Jimmy Baron said. “We struggled defensively and gave up a lot of open layups, especially in our press.”

The Rockets, who came in averaging 57 points, made 14 of their first 20 shots — that’s 70 percent if you are counting. They had 40 points in the first half as they ran with the Rams throughout and more than held their own.

But they were still trailing by five at the break because URI was hitting on all cylinders on offense at the start. Toledo came out playing straight man defense with no extra attention for Baron. Baron made four 3-pointers and had 14 points in the game’s first eight minutes before Toledo began paying him more attention.

The Rams had 37 points in the game’s first 11 minutes and led by 12. But they slowed and made only two of their last 14 shots in the first half.

The margin was between 7 and 13 points most of the second half with Toledo never able to get over the hump and challenge seriously. In a game that featured so many points, URI coach Jim Baron felt defense was a key, especially that of Marquis Jones.

Rockets guard Tyrone Kent had scored 20 points in the first half. Baron put Jones on him in the second half and Kent went 12 minutes without scoring, although he had nine late points for 29 in the game. Toledo forward Mahamed Lo also did what he could to keep his team in it with 17 rebounds. The Rockets hurt whatever chance they had by going 5-for-18 from the foul line.

For URI, Baron had only two points after his great start and finished with 16. So did fellow co-captain Kahiem Seawright, whose 16 gave him 997 for his career. Seawright also had a season-high nine rebounds. Keith Cothran added 15 points and Will Martell 12.

Rhode Island had only five turnovers, only one in the first half. That went with 18 assists, five by Jones.

Rhody coach Jim Baron had a bit of a different view than his players about the 11-4 mark in nonconference play.

“We’re very, very fortunate,” he said. “We’ve had a tough schedule and we’ve been right there with the teams we’ve lost to.”

But like his players, Baron is optimistic that the late-season swoon that ended last season with a bad taste for the team will not be repeated this time around. The Rams have more depth, more ways to play. The record might not be as gaudy, but the attitude entering league play is every bit as good.

“We’re going to control our own destiny,” said coach Baron, whose team goes to Philadelphia to open the league season on Saturday against Saint Joseph’s.

“There’s no way there are eight teams in the A-10 better than us,” Seawright said in reference to his team being picked ninth. Now we’re going to get a chance to make all our hard work pay off.”

pkenyon@projo.com