AMHERST, Mass. — Much is different about the University of Rhode Island’s basketball team this season, but not everything. It has become clear, especially since the start of Atlantic 10 play, that this Jim Baron squad does have some things in common with his previous Rhody clubs.

One of the most important is toughness. It might be a different type of toughness. Still, the end result is the same. It is a characteristic that has helped the Rams win games.

It is one word that came up often in the last few years but was not mentioned at all in the first two months of this season. Until the Rams started winning so many close games, that is.

In the past, being physically strong was one of the team’s prime identities. The Rams played physical, gritty basketball and often won by out-toughing opponents.

This season, when the team turned to a running and gunning style, it needed more finesse. Being physically tough no longer seemed to fit the style. But another kind of toughness, being mentally strong, has become one of the team’s trademarks.

It was two weeks ago, when URI beat Massachusetts on “Pink Out Night” at the Ryan Center, that the word “tough” reappeared. UMass coach Travis Ford spoke about how URI deserved to win.

“We didn’t play hard enough,” Ford said. “(URI) was tougher than us tonight. That’s unusual for us and very disappointing.”

Ford was speaking about how URI, with a smaller team, outrebounded the Minutemen. The Rams physically were tough, he said, just as they have been in the past. But he spoke about more than that, about URI simply wanting the game more down the stretch. URI was mentally tough, too. As they used to say at UMass, the Rams refused to lose.

These Rams obviously share the same fight in close games as their predessors. Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg spoke about it Saturday, after URI had rallied for a 45-44 win over his team in the Bronx.

In a game that had first-place on the line — as all URI games have in the last two weeks — his team seemed unsure of itself in crunch time, Whittenburg said. URI, on the other hand, made the big plays down the stretch that won it. The toughness resulted in another victory.

It has happened a lot. URI has played 14 games decided in single digits. It lost the first two, to Houston and Troy. It has gone 9-3 since.

In A-10 play, URI has an 11-point victory over St. Bonaventure. The other eight games all have been decided in single digits. Almost all came down to the final minute. And URI is 6-2 in those games, including two victories by one point and two more by three.

The Rams have proven that if they can keep the game close, they will give themselves a chance to win at the end.

The Atlantic 10 is more balanced than ever. Games all over the conference have been close. One of the biggest reasons a URI team picked to finish 11th is leading the conference as the second half of the season kicks into gear is because it has been able to win more than its share of the close games.

Another sign of that is being able to come through on the road. Only two teams have won more than they have lost on the road — Rhode Island and Fordham are both 3-1.

URI gets one of its biggest tests yet when it visits the Mullins Center for a game against Massachusetts tonight (8 o’clock). In this week’s A-10 conference call, Ford again spoke highly of URI. He brought up the word “tough” again.

“Every time we’ve played them, I’ve been impressed with how tough they are, how well prepared they are. They get the most out of their ability,” he said “They’re just a really tough basketball team. Each player really plays to his strength, plays to his role. They all play their role. The don’t try to do what they can’t do.”

Tonight, UMass has many of the intangibles on its side. It is ``Black Out” night at Mullins, where all students who attend will be given T-shirts, a promotion that is expected to draw one of the largest crowds of the season. Also, UMass’ players know how their coach called them out for not being tough enough in the meeting at URI two weeks ago.

While Ford’s actions carry all the earmarks of the kind of challenge Rick Pitino uses so often -- Ford played for Pitino at Kentucky — the UMass coach said he is not talking about it to his players.

“I don’t need to. They understand it themselves,” he said. “I don’t need to do a lot of rah-rah speeches . . . This is a big basketball game. They know they got it handed to them (two weeks ago at URI).”

pkenyon@projo.com