EC Matthews became the guy

[Blue Man]

This had kind of kicked up in the recruiting thread, but EC deserves his own thread here. I asked everyone to eat crow on Dan, I am happily dining on some for EC.

I have never been more wrong about anyone in my life. He was our best player this past week. He made intangibly good plays. He had key blocks. He had key steals. Every time we needed a big shot or a big score at the rim - EC delivered.

There were certainly flashes during the regular season - Cinci, UMass, @Davidson - but from OT of Davidson on, that looked like the EC that everyone kept telling me we had. From Davidson OT to the A10 championship he put us on his back. We are cutting down the nets because we have a true stud in our back court to depend on.

Davidson OT - 8 points in OT including a momentum changing, possibly player and program changing dunk. Bonnies - 20 points 5/11, 2/6, 8/8 from the line, 8 reb 1/1 2 TO, Davidson - 19 points 5/9, 4/4, 5/5 at the line, 3 reb 3/1 2 TO's. VCU - 19 points 6/11, 4/5, 3/4 at the line 9 reb 2/1/1 and 1 TO - big shot after big shot and a HUGE game saving acrobatic finish in the last minute.

He's played smarter. Played inside himself. Trusted his knee. Trusted his team. Made the pass when he needed. Has confidence in himself. Makes his open shots. Drives more. He's become more efficient.

He may have fallen short plenty of times in his early career, but I think at this point it is fair to say it really was the injury that affected him this year. He really is a stud. He really looks like he could make a run at the league if this play keeps up.

He just put himself in the annals of URI basketball history with what he's done in the last week. He won us the biggest 4 games in the last 2 decades.

If he plays this well and keeps this up, we can play multiple games in the next few weeks.

I am sorry for ever doubting him. I have never felt better than to be proven wrong. I am so happy I bought a Keaney Blue jersey with a #0 on it.

[josephski]

I think the big thing is he's been playing within himself and trusting his teammates. His 19 points on 9 shots against Davidson had to have been his most efficient game scoring while at Rhode Island. Hopefully he can continue the stellar play in the tournament.

[RI_Bred]

He rebounded incredibly well defensively tonight.