The smallest state in the country will no longer have the distinction of also having the longest official name after voters approved a statewide referendum to strip the words “and Providence Plantations” from Rhode Island’s formal name.

Obi Toppin scored 22 points and led an opening 17-point spurt Tuesday night as No. 6 Dayton surged to an 81-67 victory over Rhode Island, dominating a match-up of the Toppin brothers and the Atlantic 10’s top teams.

Rhode Island’s attorney general and state police launched investigations Thursday after a truck drove through a group protesting federal immigration policies at a detention center, which has since placed an employee on leave.

Given their team’s success, die-hard fans of the New England Patriots have made Las Vegas like a winter home during Super Bowl week so they can enjoy a fair-weather party while placing bets on the team’s chances.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – I had been looking forward to this for a long time – a road trip in Rhode Island with two friends to see New England fall foliage at its best. The only problem was that while my friends and I were there, the foliage was a no-show. October is generally peak time to catch fall’s annual display of botanical pyrotechnics, but this year – due to the region’s unusually long, hot summer – trees were still emerald green, with not even so much as a wayward gold or orange leaf peeping through. So much for witnessing the blazing tapestry of colors.

A Rhode Island town is considering asking its departments to refrain from purchasing Nike products, and the American Civil Liberties Union is objecting.

The success of the 2020 census, which will be the first to include an online survey, could hinge on a single “dress rehearsal” underway right now in Rhode Island – and so far, many locals aren’t impressed.

The University of Rhode Island has promoted David Cox to be the school’s men’s basketball coach. Cox had served as associate head coach for the last four years under Dan Hurley, who left last month to become head coach at UConn.

Dan Hurley became a hot commodity after coaching Rhode Island to two straight NCAA Tournaments. On Thursday, he left for a bigger name in New England basketball. Hurley jumped across state lines to join a UConn team that has won four NCAA titles in 20 years but is under NCAA investigation and just finished a second straight losing season. The Huskies fired coach Kevin Ollie this month.

Duke is moving on to the Sweet 16 for the 24th time under coach Mike Krzyzewski. The second-seeded Blue Devils rolled by seventh-seeded Rhode Island 87-62 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

E.C. Matthews hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime and one more that sealed it to help Rhode Island hold off dynamic scorer Trae Young and beat Oklahoma 83-78 Thursday in the Midwest Regional.

Standing alone with the ball under the basket, St. Bonaventure forward LaDarien Griffin had only one thought come to mind.

Cyril Langevine scored a career-high 14 points and added eight rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench to help No. 18 Rhode Island beat Davidson 72-59 and tie a school record with its 15th win in a row. Jarvis Garrett scored 17 for the Rams. Kellan Grady scored 19 points for Davidson. The Wildcats had won eight of their previous 10.

Archaic laws that are a holdover from a time when people fought in duels a la Alexander Hamilton and rode horses on highways would be struck from the books in Rhode Island if a lawmaker has his way.

Rhode Island’s attorney general is criticizing an appeals court decision handing ownership of the nation’s oldest synagogue to a congregation in New York, saying it ignored state law and “overwhelming evidence” presented at trial and strips the Jewish community in Newport of the historic site.

Tyler Dorsey hit a contested go-ahead 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 38.4 seconds to play and third-seeded Oregon rallied in the second half to beat upstart No. 11 Rhode Island 75-72 on Sunday.

Jeff Dowtin scored a career-high 23 points with a perfect day at the free-throw line, upstart Rhode Island answered every threat and the Rams ran right into the next round of the NCAA Tournament by stunning cold-shooting No. 6 seed Creighton 84-72 on Friday in an opener of the Midwest Region.