KINGSTON, R.I. -- Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley thought the key to his players making shots was the way they selected them.

"I'm not sure we took any bad shots," he said Monday night after the 21st-ranked Rams beat Marist 107-65 in the Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament.

"I just think these guys really enjoy playing together," Hurley added after URI shot 56 percent from the field -- including 12 of 21 from 3-point range. "I don't think they want to let each other down by being a pig or being selfish, because they all care about one another."

E.C. Matthews scored 22 points for the Rams (2-0), shooting 8 of 10 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range. Hassan Martin had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Kuran Iverson and Jared Terrell scored 14 apiece for Rhode Island in its first appearance in The Associated Press Top 25 since 2007-08.

Matthews said the players know they don't have to take a shot if it's not there.

"Playing with great guards and great forwards, you've just got to rotate the ball," he said.

Khallid Hart scored 19 points and Brian Parker had 18 for Marist (0-2).

The Red Foxes scored the first five points of the game and led 7-2 before URI reeled off 16 in a row. Rhode Island scored six of the last seven points in the first half to open a 25-point lead at the break and then added the first five points of the second.

BIG PICTURE

Marist: The Red Foxes opened the season with back-to-back games against ranked teams, losing to No. 1 Duke in their opener on Friday.

Rhode Island: This is the easy part for the Rams, who beat Dartmouth by 23 in the opener. It's all a warmup for No. 24 Cincinnati, followed by either Penn State or Duke, in the Tipoff Tourney's championship rounds at Mohegan Sun Casino.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

URI moved up two spots in The Associated Press Top 25 this week after coasting to a season-opening, 84-61 victory over Dartmouth. But the Rams will have to earn their spot in next week's rankings, with games against No. 24 Cincinnati and then either Penn State or No. 1 Duke on the final day of the tournament.

BAD STARTS

It's the second time in as many games that URI started slowly before coasting to victory. Dartmouth led 12-11 with 5 minutes gone in the opener before the Rams pulled away.

"Minus a slow, kind of sluggish defensive start, I thought we hung in there," Hurley said. "We got on the first group about their start. We didn't like it against Dartmouth. We can't continue to dig holes for ourselves."

STATS

URI shot 57 percent from 3-point range. The Rams had 21 assists to seven for Marist, and outrebounded the Red Foxes 43-21.

"That was one of our goals," Hurley said. "Not just to win the glass, but to dominate the glass."

RESTING UP

Hurley used his bench in the second half, and no starter played more than 25 minutes. In all, 13 players saw the floor for the Rams, and all but one scored -- Mike Layssard, who did have three rebounds and an assist in 6 minutes. Eric Dadika and Will Leviton each made a basket after checking in for the final 2 minutes of the game.

Hurley said he wants his starters playing 30 minutes or more when the competition gets tougher.

"We wanted to build them up," he said. "Going into the weekend, we're going to need these guys in the 30s."

UP NEXT

Marist: Hosts Vermont on Wednesday night.

Rhode Island: Plays Brown in Kingston on Wednesday in the second of four games in the Hall of Fame tournament.