After moving into the competition's top four last week, the Huskies had steeled themselves for a tough run of four games which had them playing the Rams in three consecutive games followed by a match-up with the fifth-placed Southland Sharks.

But they are now under pressure from the Sharks after trailing for the majority of the game against the Rams at home.

The visitors set up the result courtesy of a 21-10 first quarter that saw the host side shoot an ice-cold 3-15 from the floor.

The Huskies pulled the margin back to within four points at one stage of the second quarter, but the talented Rams side, which contained both Australian and New Zealand national team members, found another gear to keep their lead at 11 points at the main break.

The result threatened to get ugly for Anthony Stewart's team in the third quarter as an 9-0 run by Canterbury extended the gap to 17 points with just over three minutes to go, however they trimmed it back to that 11-point deficit again by three-quarter time.

Nine points was as close as the Huskies would get in the final term as the third-placed Rams pulled away to record a comfortable win.

Jalen Billups led the home side with 17 points, while Tre Nichols and Marcel Jones added 13 points apiece.

Isaiah Wilkins and Cameron Gliddon paced Canterbury with 18 points each.

The two sides will meet again at Launceston's Silverdome on Saturday at 7pm.