Ocean State Rivalry

The Ocean State Rivalry (also called the Battle for the Ocean State) is an American college basketball rivalry between the Providence Friars and Rhode Island Rams. The Ocean State Rivalry is thought to be one of the most competitive college basketball rivalries in the New England region. It is also a crucial game for the Ocean State Cup.^[1][2][3][4] The name of the rivalry comes from the nickname of the State of Rhode Island which is the Ocean State.

Ocean State Rivalry

Providence Friars Rhode Island Rams
Sport	College Basketball
First meeting	1933–34 season
Latest meeting	December 7, 2024 Rhode Island, 69–63
Next meeting	December 6, 2025 Providence, Rhode Island
Stadiums	Amica Mutual Pavilion Ryan Center
Statistics
Meetings total	134
All-time series	Providence leads, 75–59
Current win streak	Rhode Island, 1 (2024–present)

History

The Providence Friars and the Rhode Island Rams have met 134 times since the 1933-34 college basketball season. The Ocean State Rivalry game is usually played in December, and the venue alternates between the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Downtown Providence in odd-numbered years and the Ryan Center on the campus of the University of Rhode Island in Kingston in even-numbered years. Providence leads the series 75–59.

13km
8.1miles

Amica Mutual Pavilion

Rhode Island

Providence

   

Locations of Providence and Rhode Island along with the Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence's home court)

Game results

Providence victories

Rhode Island victories

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 December 6, 1955 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 84–75 2 February 2, 1956 Providence, RI Providence 82–80 3 January 4, 1957 Kingston, RI Providence 70–56 4 February 12, 1957 Providence, RI Rhode Island 73–70 5 December 5, 1957 Kingston, RI Providence 55–45 6 February 11, 1958 Providence, RI Providence 59–30 7 February 7, 1959 Providence, RI Providence 71–59 8 February 26, 1959 Kingston, RI Providence 65–60 9 February 16, 1960 Providence, RI Providence 72–60 10 March 2, 1960 Kingston, RI Providence 80–49 11 January 11, 1961 Kingston, RI Providence 68–66 12 February 11, 1961 Providence, RI Rhode Island 78–76 13 January 11, 1962 Providence, RI Providence 68–65 14 February 13, 1962 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 71–61 15 January 10, 1963 Kingston, RI Providence 75–67 16 February 12, 1963 Providence, RI Providence 93–75 17 February 1, 1964 Kingston, RI Providence 83–76 18 February 13, 1964 Providence, RI Providence 86–72 19 January 26, 1965 Kingston, RI Providence 73–56 20 February 16, 1965 Providence, RI Providence 88–72 21 January 11, 1966 Kingston, RI Providence 86–79 22 February 17, 1966 Providence, RI Rhode Island 84–61 23 December 13, 1966 Kingston, RI Providence 56–52 24 February 23, 1967 Providence, RI Providence 99–73 25 December 16, 1967 Providence, RI Providence 80–63 26 February 12, 1968 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 53–51 27 December 12, 1968 Kingston, RI Providence 86–76 28 February 1, 1969 Providence, RI Providence 83–59 29 January 31, 1970 Providence, RI Rhode Island 93–85 30 February 25, 1970 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 81–74 31 January 5, 1971 Providence, RI Providence 98–92 32 February 17, 1971 Kingston, RI Providence 81–64 33 February 5, 1972 Providence, RI Providence 77–67 34 February 15, 1972 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 75–73 35 January 4, 1973 Providence, RI Providence 79–59 36 February 10, 1973 Providence, RI Providence 102–81 37 January 26, 1974 Providence, RI Providence 78–64 38 February 19, 1974 Providence, RI Providence 76–73 39 February 11, 1975 Providence, RI Providence 87–72 40 February 18, 1975 Providence, RI Rhode Island 79–69 41 January 17, 1976 Providence, RI Rhode Island 75–73 42 February 24, 1976 Providence, RI Providence 85–66 43 January 18, 1977 Providence, RI Providence 82–71 44 February 3, 1977 Providence, RI Providence 67–66 45 January 17, 1978 Providence, RI Providence 79–59 46 February 21, 1978 Providence, RI Rhode Island 73–64 47 March 4, 1978 Providence, RI Rhode Island 65–62 48 January 16, 1979 Providence, RI Rhode Island 86–42 49 February 17, 1979 Providence, RI Providence 84–77 No. Date Location Winner Score 50 January 16, 1980 Providence, RI Providence 74–59 51 February 13, 1980 Providence, RI Rhode Island 74–58 52 January 24, 1981 Providence, RI Rhode Island 53–44 53 January 20, 1982 Providence, RI Providence 49–47 54 February 8, 1983 Providence, RI Providence 81–69 55 December 17, 1983 Providence, RI Providence 69–58 56 December 8, 1984 Providence, RI Providence 53–52 57 December 7, 1985 Providence, RI Providence 78–71 58 December 6, 1986 Providence, RI Providence 100–90 59 December 19, 1987 Providence, RI Rhode Island 92–70 60 December 10, 1988 Providence, RI Providence 76–70 61 December 9, 1989 Providence, RI Rhode Island 78–77 62 December 8, 1990 Providence, RI Providence 78–76 63 December 7, 1991 Providence, RI Providence 77–74 64 December 8, 1992 Providence, RI Rhode Island 81–79 65 January 11, 1994 Providence, RI Providence 86–72 66 December 3, 1994 Providence, RI Providence 80–77 67 December 9, 1995 Providence, RI Providence 83–76 68 December 10, 1996 Providence, RI Rhode Island 96–79 69 December 9, 1997 Providence, RI Rhode Island 69–58 70 November 14, 1998 Providence, RI Providence 87–63 71 December 7, 1999 Providence, RI Providence 62–49 72 December 2, 2000 Providence, RI Providence 95–72 73 December 1, 2001 Providence, RI Providence 71–59 74 December 7, 2002 Providence, RI Rhode Island 73–71 75 December 6, 2003 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 89–79 76 December 4, 2004 Providence, RI Providence 65–58 77 December 3, 2005 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 77–69 78 December 2, 2006 Providence, RI Providence 95–66 79 December 4, 2007 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 77–60 80 December 6, 2008 Providence, RI Providence 66–65 81 December 5, 2009 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 86–82 82 December 4, 2010 Providence, RI Providence 87–74 83 December 23, 2011 Kingston, RI Providence 80–61 84 December 6, 2012 Providence, RI Providence 72–57 85 December 6, 2013 Kingston, RI Providence 50–49 86 December 10, 2014 Providence, RI Providence 68–60 87 December 5, 2015 Kingston, RI Providence 74–72 88 December 3, 2016 Providence, RI Providence 63–60 89 December 2, 2017 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 75–68 90 December 1, 2018 Providence, RI Providence 59–50 91 December 6, 2019 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 75–61 92 December 4, 2021 Providence, RI Providence 66–52 93 December 3, 2022 Kingston, RI Providence 88–74 94 December 2, 2023 Providence, RI Providence 84–69 95 December 7, 2024 Kingston, RI Rhode Island 69–63 96 December 6, 2025 Providence, RI Series: Providence leads 66–29

See also

• Ocean State Cup