BubbleWatch and Top 25 Polls

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 9 years ago

This is the Duke box score from '78. One thing I did not remember was that Sly fouled out. And he was having a monster game as usual.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/box ... -duke.html

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 9 years ago

Looks like free throws haunted us back then too, 4-11. And yes, Percy's was the front end of a one and one.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 9 years ago

Gee, you're right. 4-11? We win if we make 60%.
Sly sitting out for 8 minutes was a killer. If he wasn't in foul trouble,
it's a win.
So many what ifs in that game. All we needed was to find two points anywhere.
That was our best team. Notice, Kraft played his five almost entirely.
That's how the game was back then.
It was a beautiful, graceful game, and players scorerd plenty.
Watching so many games yesterday, that resemble sumo matches.
Grinding defenses, refs calling charging and rarely blocking.
People banging and smashing, little scoring, awful passing and fundamentals.
Everyone trying for the spectacular play.
The game has gotten ugly.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

I never knew we went 4-11 from the line in that game.

Of course, we didn't have message boards and computers back then either. Well, computers that could fit inside a room, anyway.

Good thing.

Rod, great point. The A10 is morphing into the old Big East when it comes to basketball games becoming like football games.

Low scoring tugs of war. Most games in the 50's. Hell, most of the players now look like football players.

There has been talk about the college game adapting a 24 second clock. That only works if they outlaw zones.

I think Dan would like that.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 9 years ago

Even the NBA uses zones.
Guys like Step Curry are the exception, not the rule.
Exciting players who do many things.
Now, it's ju jitsu inside the lanes, and loads of three point misses.
They need to do something to help the offenses. A shorter time clock will
mean more bad shots, more rushed offense, but probably not much else.
That shorter clock I think, actually favors the defense.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:There has been talk about the college game adapting a 24 second clock. That only works if they outlaw zones.

I think Dan would like that.

The NCAA-operated NIT tournament this season will be testing a 30-second shot clock. There are quite a few people in college hoop who believe that next year we could have a 30-second shot clock for the regular season. I think it's two years away.

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 9 years ago

I have forgotten a lot from that first Duke game. I do remember that during the warmups, Randy backed into Sly, stepping on his foot and causing him to limp a little. I also remember that shot from the top of the key that gave them the lead. And, of course, the last miss by Nelson.
I had forgotten about the free throws. Now, if I can only forget about Nelson's shot....

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 9 years ago

ramfan85 wrote:I have forgotten a lot from that first Duke game. I do remember that during the warmups, Randy backed into Sly, stepping on his foot and causing him to limp a little. I also remember that shot from the top of the key that gave them the lead. And, of course, the last miss by Nelson.
I had forgotten about the free throws. Now, if I can only forget about Nelson's shot....

Why didn't Wilds play in that game? I know Irv took his minutes, but he didn't play at all. Wasn't Nelson's shot off of a long rebound? That's how I remember it. I don't remember who took the shot, but the rebound came out about 8 feet on the left. Time was running out, so Nelson rebounded the missed shot and in one motion went right back up with about an 8 footer....off backboard, around the rim and out. Is that how it happened?

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 9 years ago

Wilds was a guy like Watson. He was a banger, and Duke
was a finesse team.
Chatman was better suited to battling Giminski than Man Mountain Wilds was.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

78, you are correct. Nelson tried to use the backboard, but there wasn't much angle on the shot.

A couple inches to the right, and URI just might have been in the FF that year. They were good enough.

As I recall, Duke made the final, and lost to Kentucky who was lead by Jack Givens' 44 points.

The biggest "what if" in URI history, only matched imo by 1998.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 9 years ago

From that box score, it looks like Irv had a tough time with Gminski. And believe me, I remember how good Gminski was in college. Gminski, Spanarkel and Banks scored almost all of Duke's points.

Rammgr · Unread post by **Rammgr** » 9 years ago

Randy's knee was not good the whole 2nd half of the season. His mobility was very limited due to the injury. Jimmy played basically because he had to at that point. He turned in to a great player at URI but really didn't play much that freshman yr. They really were a 6 man rotation with Nelson getting big minutes against zones & Percy replacing him vs man to man. Jiggy played 40 minutes most every game.

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 9 years ago

IMO, Randy cemented his legacy with one play at the Civic Center.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

We will be mentioned in BubbleWatch this week.

We will also have more than one Top 25 vote.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

ATP, you beat me to it. Yes, we will.

But don't tell the players about it.

Rammgr · Unread post by **Rammgr** » 9 years ago

Misevicous (can't spell his name) never came near Randy after that. Randy also set the best picks for Jiggy when teams would press.. Jiggy would run them into the mountain. Bone crushing picks.

SmartyBarrett · Unread post by **SmartyBarrett** » 9 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:We will be mentioned in BubbleWatch this week.

We will also have more than one Top 25 vote.

Yes and yes. My brain is still saying we're not a tourney team YET, but dammit I want this team to start getting some ink when it comes to the conversation.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 9 years ago

The guy Wilds decked was not Miscevius (sp) it was
their backup center Rich Hunger.
In the first game, which PC won, Hunger started some hotdog dunks,
and playing to their crowd during garbage time..
I told someone, "Wilds will take care of him next game."
We were killing PC and Wilds clotheslined him coming over mid court.
I thought Randy killed the guy. Hunger went straight down, like he was shot.
All hell broke out after that.
Wilds always played well against Misevicious (sp). who was big and slow.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

We are now projected to be favorites in 7 out of our last 8 games, with only away at Dayton being a 4 pt. dog.

With heightened expectations, comes added pressure.

If we go 7-1, we will be on or very near the bubble come A10 tourney time.

One game at a time, I'm sure that's what the staff is preaching.

RoadyJay · Unread post by **RoadyJay** » 9 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:We are now projected to be favorites in 7 out of our last 8 games, with only away at Dayton being a 4 pt. dog.

With heightened expectations, comes added pressure.

If we go 7-1, we will be on or very near the bubble come A10 tourney time.

One game at a time, I'm sure that's what the staff is preaching.

If we go 7-1, it will very likely mean we finish 1st in the A10. VCU, with their injuries, will not win out the rest of the way. Hard to imagine finishing 1st in the conference and not getting an at-large bid.

giovanni · Unread post by **giovanni** » 9 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:78, you are correct. Nelson tried to use the backboard, but there wasn't much angle on the shot.

A couple inches to the right, and URI just might have been in the FF that year. They were good enough.

As I recall, Duke made the final, and lost to Kentucky who was lead by Jack Givens' 44 points.

The biggest "what if" in URI history, only matched imo by 1998.

That was our best team in my opinion. Sly was a real stud, incredible college player. Kraft a great coach. There is no doubt in my mind we would have gotten to the final 4. If we beat Duke we would have come back to Providence for the East regional semis and finals. I believe Penn and Villanova were there, neither nearly as good as Duke, not sure of the other team. Playing at the Civic Center we were not going to get beat. Duke did lose in final game that year. PC lost in first round to Michigan St with a freshman name Earvin Johnson.

PeterRamTime · Unread post by **PeterRamTime** » 9 years ago

It'll be nice to see us mentioned in bubble watch again.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

I think the other team was Notre Dame.

KMar970 · Unread post by **KMar970** » 9 years ago

just got some love from jon rothstein on inside college bball on cbssn

The Dude · Unread post by **The Dude** » 9 years ago

If Rhody goes 7-1 they're in the tournament. No doubt in my mind. Does anyone realistically see the A-10 getting less than two bids? In my opinion, whoever finishes first and second in the A-10 is most likely going to the tournament.
I think the real question is whether Rhody can do it? I think they can. I think it will be very tough. If Rhody can win the next 3 games and get past St. Joes & UMass without a loss, that's when I'll officially start to get excited, but not till then.
Go Rhody!

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 9 years ago

Dude, its ok to get excited now, tourney or not this year this is a program rising and national media taking note.

3 words we haven't had in a while: Others Receiving Votes

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 9 years ago

Koch said last night that he still thinks we have to win the A10 tourney to get in. Or, he said if we run the table and at least get to the semis, we might get in.

Keaney.Blue · Unread post by **Keaney.Blue** » 9 years ago

It's much to early to talk about the NCAAs. We want this team playing hard and taking it one game at a time, not looking ahead and hoping we make the tourney. Discipline, people!

PeterRamTime · Unread post by **PeterRamTime** » 9 years ago

If we go win both our games this week it probably won't move us up very much. Maybe down to 50. We could also use some of our non conference teams to stop losing every single game. That'll help with the RPI. We can get in with an RPI in the 30's without big wins. The committee really loves them some RPI.
We want UMASS to win their next two games so the magnitude of the game between us will be greater. Their RPI is high so beating them would put us comfortably in the 40's.
7-1 could do the trick. But only if the loss is against Dayton or La Salle. Our RPI would in all likelyhood be in the 30's at that point and we'd be in position to sure it up in the A-10 tournament.
Alas, one game at a time. I like our chances in every A-10 game from here on out. Defense wins championships.
On to Hawk hill!
Hawk for dinner!

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 9 years ago

Templon has Buffalo and Rhode Island playing each other in the NIT, and yes, the actual NIT would do something like that. They like to create stories when they can.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports. ... be-ranked/

McRam · Unread post by **McRam** » 9 years ago

My number says 47 in RPI will get us in. That was the math of auto bids and current rpi rankings. 11 seed

scine20 · Unread post by **scine20** » 9 years ago

If URI finishes say 15-3 in the A-10 and in first but doesn't win the conference tournament it's tough for me to fathom how they don't get in.

You could even make a good argument that 14-4 could do the trick if they lose in the finals. I know that their non-conference wins aren't good but 14-4 in a league as highly respected as the A-10 is very good and should mean something. Not to mention that if they do go 14-4 and lose in the finals that it would mean that they would have won 13 of their past 16 games.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 9 years ago

Does beating a ranked team, no matter that teams current record, count as anything? To me, that is still our best win. I think they are better than GW or Richmond. Neb has beaten decent Big 10 teams like Minn, MSU, and Illinois, and a really good Cincinnati team.

skwalk47 · Unread post by **skwalk47** » 9 years ago

Right now we have 2 wins against the RPI top 100 (GW & Richmond), Nebraska is currently 101 so good chance they become a 3rd.
I just saw a great example of how bad the RPI ratings really are. Kenpom has by far the best analytical rankings for CBB. He has Richmond at 55, UMASS at 108. RPI calculations have UMASS at 43 and Richmond at 83...

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

SKwalk, I disagree on Nebraska. They're not favored to win any more games this season and if that happens they finish around 110 RPI.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

bigappleram wrote:3 words we haven't had in a while: Others Receiving Votes

We heard that last week, lol. One ridiculous vote.

We are nowhere near the best 25 teams playing D1 hoops right now, but we know how the polls go. Streaking teams like ours pick up miscellaneous votes. My guess is we have 5 total votes this week.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

We have several more chances for RPI top 100 wins.

UMass, LaSalle, Dayton, Davidson. Dayton is top 50, so is UMass, but I don't think they [UMass] will stay there.

We have to beat at least 3 of them, and not stumble against any of the lower ranked teams left.

That's St. Joes [twice], SLU, and GMU.

We do that, [7-1] we're right there.

6-2 gets us a bye in NY. We would then have to win the tourney to get in imo, or at least get to the final.

Blue Man · Unread post by **Blue Man** » 9 years ago

Everyone pump the breaks. Woo-sah, have fun, enjoy the ride. But the expectations that we can be an at large team with an RPI in the 40s, an SOS outside of 100, and only 1 top 50 win is wrong.

If we want to be considered a bubble team, we need to run the table. The way the A10 is going right now, there won't be a "marquee win" left for us to have. Should we beat UMASS, they will become our best win, but I would assume they drop out of the top 50.

@Dayton would then slot into our best possible win on the road, but that will be a borderline top 50 team by the end of the year as well.

Expectation setting is the key to us not jumping off bridges come march. 23-5 is a phenomenal record. It's beyond what most of us could have predicted or dreamed in our 3rd year of a sherman-like leveling of a rebuild. But we do not have a single win that the committee can look at and say "wow, Rhode Island beat them."

This is the first year I can remember in a very very long time that we are a week in February without a "bad loss." We have beat who we were supposed to, and lost to teams that were better than us (GT not withstanding). But the committee will look at our selection sheet - see what would most likely be 0-3 top 25, 2-3 top 50, 4-1 top 100, and the rest of our wins outside of that, and say "ehhh" what has someone else done.

The one good thing we would have is a double digit win streak going into March, but I still think we would need 1 win in Brooklyn to feel comfortable.

That is a long way away. We still need to play our way into the bubble convo. Keep your expectations lower/realistic, and then be fucking PSYCHED if we exceed them.

Year 3 of a rebuild of a program who's earth was scorched and salted. NIT is grounds for a fiesta, NCAA would be grounds for a parde

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

BlueMan's on point today.

skwalk47 · Unread post by **skwalk47** » 9 years ago

I could be wrong but I think that A-10 regular season champs or co-champs with an RPI in the 40s has to get in. I think the conference has earned that much. A10 isnt going to be a 1 bid conference and it will be difficult to have others "leap frog" us if we both beat them and finish higher in the standings (plus we will have streaking momentum and possibly T25 if we actually do only lose 1 or 2 games.

TBH if we are having this discussion I will be happy with the controversy. If you put the over/under on losses for the rest of the year at 2.5 I would bet the over.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

I am eschewing expectations entirely and am more just curious how this team will respond to being in brand new territory. Should be fascinating to watch. Playing onto the bubble would be fantastic, but failing to do so wouldn't diminish anything this group has already accomplished this year - which is substantial.

gorhody89 · Unread post by **gorhody89** » 9 years ago

I disagree and think we are currently on the bubble, a bad loss this week changes that but i do not think we need to run the table...lunardi currently has us as next 4 out and he is about as accurate as it gets...I think we can afford 1 loss the rest of regular season and then win a game or 2 in NY and we got a decent shot...difficult order and i still expect the NIT...think we will slip up @Lasalle or @ St. Joes to go along with a L @ Dayton...

agree with the expect NIT if we exceed that then it is gravy but we do have a window of opportunity

Rhodysk · Unread post by **Rhodysk** » 9 years ago

All this talk about winning out and winning the A-10 is such great talk! Glad we are back to these days. I have to say tho IF we do win the A-10 does it take the athletic department 15 and counting to put up a championship banner? Sorry had to go there. Just in case people forgot we did win the A-10 in 1999.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

Those uniforms were the best in the history of college basketball.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

Well, my realistic expectations are now this:

A bye in NY, and an NIT bid.

It's going to be REALLY hard to run the table, 8-0, or even 7-1. That's asking an awful lot.

6-2 gets us the bye and a sure NIT bid. 5-3 probably gets us the bye, and 1 win in NY locks up an NIT bid.

Even without the bye, 1 win gets the NIT bid.

Yes we have a chance to win the A10 tourney. That's still our best chance to Dance, by far.

ChiPhiRhody03 · Unread post by **ChiPhiRhody03** » 9 years ago

The boys are damn close. They are playing like the early 90's Knicks with Ewing, Oakley, Starks, Smith, et al. Rough, physically play. Notice when we beat a team that team looks like they went 10 rounds with Tyson circa 1987? Love this style of play and it helps make up for the fact that we are not a great shooting team capable of putting 75-80 pts up each night. Rhody is becoming known for fast, physically basketball, and that will definitely intimidate some teams out there come March.

Not a tourney team yet...but damn close. Keep the momentum going! Go Rhody!

sandman012 · Unread post by **sandman012** » 9 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote: The game has gotten ugly.

I think they like to call the state of how the game is played now .... "athletic"

sandman012 · Unread post by **sandman012** » 9 years ago

with the (slim) margin of error this team has been playing with, I find it curious that people are talking about running the table/making A10 Tourney finals/etc.

Enjoy each win, but don't be surprised if this young team stumbles before the year is through.

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 9 years ago

everyone seems to be putting us in the next 4 out category (4-8 teams out)

Ramulous · Unread post by **Ramulous** » 9 years ago

I vote for winning the A-10 regular season championship and winning the A-10 tournament.....why not us??