KINGSTON, R.I. -- After coasting through its first two games, No. 21 Rhode Island finally played a team that wasnt out of contention by halftime.Jared Terrell scored 18 points and E.C. Matthews added 17 as the Rams staved off upset-minded Brown on Wednesday night in Round Two of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off.This is the first time we got challenged since weve been on the court, Rams coach Dan Hurley said. Its the first time we were in something tight where we had to make some plays.Some mind-boggling things went on. We got out-hustled. I think we were a little full of ourselves today and this was the perfect opponent for us to get upset. Can this be a positive for us? Yes.Steven Spieth paced the Bears (1-2) with 21 points while Brandon Anderson added 16. Hassan Martin added 12 points for the Rams (3-0).We knew we would be challenged and that if we took care of the ball we would have had a chance, Brown coach Mike Martin said. In a game like this, every possession is critical and we had a few empty chances in the second half.After trailing 36-21 in the first half, Brown pulled within 41-33 at intermission as Spieth scored six points in the last 27 seconds.Obviously Im happy to survive the game, Hurley said. My hats off to Mike and his team. He had his guys really ready to play.They were really scrappy. I thought Spieth was the best player on the court. On our end Im disappointed because we had several chances in the first half to extend it and get away like we did in our first two games.Even though Rhode Island shot 57.7 percent from the field in the second half, the fact Brown switched from man-to-man to a zone defense still gave the Rams trouble.At one point Brown trailed 58-53 before Martin and Matthews ignited a rally that enabled Rhode Island to pull away.Great teams at that point get separation, Hurley said of his teams first-half play. I have much respect for the way their guys showed up and competed.BIG PICTUREBrown: The Bears tied for last last season in the Ivy League. But they may have delivered a message that this scenario wont be repeated after they upset Niagara 77-67 in their home opener on Nov. 13 and played Rhode Island tough on Wednesday.Rhode Island: Season-opening routs of Dartmouth and Marist enabled the Rams to move up two spots in the Top 25 poll, to No. 21. Logic dictates their road will become more difficult to traverse as the season progresses.POLL IMPLICATIONS: At the least the Rams didnt hurt their standings in the poll but how much this hard-fought victory will enable them to move up is debatable.HIGHLIGHT REEL: Martin continues to guard his teams basket like it contains the crown jewels as he blocked six shots which gave him a total of 262. That number ranks second among all active NCAA Division I players.TURNING POINT: The Bears had sliced their deficit from 15 points to 58-55 with 10:39 left in regulation. But Martin blunted that rally by sandwiching a dunk and a tip-in around a free throw by Matthews.FRESHMAN STANDOUT: Browns Anderson, who had only scored three points in his first two games, finished with 16 points and four rebounds with four steals.UP NEXTBrown should be favored when it faces Marist on Saturday in the Springfield Bracket of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Red Foxes opened their season with a 94-49 loss to No. 1 Duke and a 107-65 defeat by Rhode Island.Rhode Island will face its most challenging, early season opponent on Saturday when it plays No. 24 Cincinnati in the Naismith Bracket of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Bearcats have won their first two games, outscoring Albany and Brown by an average score of 79-53. 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Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday.The battle for survival takes centre-stage on Wednesday night - and Paul Merson is here to preview the action. Sunderland can have the final say in this seasons race for survival, with victory at home to Everton enough to condemn Norwich, and north-east rivals Newcastle, to relegation with a game to spare.Liverpool then look to continue their rich recent vein of form when Chelsea travel to Anfield, live on Sky Sports. Read on to see who the Magic Man is backing... Last weeks predictions Result Merses prediction Norwich 0-1 Man Utd 2-3 Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle 1-1 Bmouth 1-1 West Brom 2-1 C Palace 2-1 Stoke 1-1 Sunderland 3-2 Chelsea 2-1 West Ham 1-4 Swansea 3-0 Leicester 3-1 Everton 2-1 Spurs 1-2 Southampton 2-2 Liverpool 2-0 Watford 2-0 Man City 2-2 Arsenal 1-2 Norwich v Watford - Wednesday, 7.dddddddddddd45pm Norwich have got to win, theyve got no other option. Saturdays defeat to Manchester United summed up their season, they missed chances and then shot themselves in the foot. It was a bad, bad result. They have to go for it against Watford and I expect them to get the three points, but whether thats enough to save their season remains to be seen.PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 13/2)Sunderland v Everton - Wednesday from 7pm, Sky Sports 1 HD Everton have shot a bolt. I watched them against Leicester and they were atrocious. They still have something to play for - they are playing for their managers job! Victory for Sunderland, meanwhile, condemns Norwich and Newcastle to relegation and the way they are playing at the minute I cant see past them. The job will be done and Big Sam keeps a club up once again... if anyone else had been appointed Sunderland simply wouldnt have survived.PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (Sky Bet odds 12/1)Liverpool v Chelsea - Wednesday from 7.55pm, Sky Sports 2 HD Chelsea looked as though they were going to spoil the party at Sunderland but they are not playing with the same intensity and twice gave up the lead.Some of the squad will have an eye on the Euros and I fancy Liverpool, who keep going from strength to strength, to get the victory.PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 15/2) Agree with Merses midweek selections? Leave a comment on the message boards or tweet @SkyFootball. Also See: Who gets into Europe? Relegation battle as it stands Premier League grades Stadiums final goalscorers ' ' '