ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Ahh, this is more like it. The pace is just a bit slower for this game so far. Okay, maybe a lot slower: Duquesne and La Salle had 29 combined points at the first media timeout; at the second one in Charlotte-Rhode Island, the teams had combined for just 19. Midway through the first half, the Rams are in front, 20-18. Both teams have led by a couple.

By far the sweetest play of the first half came from Charlotte's Michael Gerrity, who slashed down the right side of the lane and hit a reverse layup high off the glass.

Leemire Goldwire, who dropped 34 in Charlotte's 74-64 win in Kingston on March 8, has 5 points so far, as does An'Juan Wilderness (who also edges Duquesne's Reggie Jackson for best name of the night). For Rhode Island, junior guard Jimmy Baron has 8.