KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island (14-13, 5-10) got a game-high 21 points from senior Ishmael El-Amin on Senior Day to defeat undermanned Duquesne (6-21, 1-14), 70-54, on Saturday afternoon at Ryan Center.

The Dukes, playing their first game without injured starting center Tre Williams (knee), were outscored 40-16 in the paint in dropping their 14th in a row.

Kevin Easley Jr. led the Dukes with 13 points. He was joined in double figures by Jackie Johnson III who finished with 10. Toby Okani added seven points and a career high 11 rebounds for DU, which was outshot 47 percent to 33 percent.

Duquesne went over five minutes without a field goal as Rhode Island built an early 19-9 lead.

DU cut it to 23-18 on a Leon Ayers III bucket, before the Rams scored the next six to take their largest lead at  29-18.

The Dukes then had a five-point possession, with a pair of technical foul free throws followed by an Easley Jr. 3-pointer to cut it to six.

Easley's bucket was DU's last of the half as the Rams closed with an 13-0 run, including a halfcourt 3-pointer at the horn, to take a 42-23 lead.

The Dukes pulled to within 12 on a Johnson III corner 3-pointer five minutes in to the half.

Easley Jr. hit another 3-pointer to make it 47-38, forcing a Rams' timeout with 13:04 left.

DU then missed its next eight field goal attempts as URI upped the lead to 16.

The Dukes battled back to cut it to nine once again in the closing minutes, but couldn't completely close the gap.

Duquesne heads to Washington, D.C. for its final regular season road game at George Washington on Wednesday, Mar. 2 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+).

NOTES

• The starting lineup combination of Mounir Hima, Toby Okani, Mike Bekelja, Tyson Acuff and Primo Spears was DU's 12th of the season and sixth in its past six games.
• Toby Okani recorded his first career double-digit rebound game with a career-high 11. His previous career-best was nine set earlier this year vs. New Hampshire. Okani finished with seven points.
• Mike Bekelja's five points, all in the first half, were one shy of his career high.
• Rhode Island's largest lead was +21 at 44-23 with 18:22 remaining ... Duquesne's largest lead came at 2-0 .... there were three lead changes before Ishmael El-Amin gave URI the lead for good on a 3-pointer with 16:44 left in the first half ... Rhode Island led for 37:26 ... Duquesne led for 1:30.