11/15 | Stony Brook | 7:00PM (YurView/ESPN+)

[Jdrums#3]

I felt Lou deserved a video of his breakout game.

Faaaantaaaastic!

Thanks for posting, Stevey. Sincerely appreciate the time and effort to put this together.

Really love the 3 trailing on the break.

[Jersey77]

I felt Lou deserved a video of his breakout game.

Nice job Stevey, enjoyed watching him again.

I didn't expect this from him so soon, pleasantly surprised.

[Blue Man]

I felt Lou deserved a video of his breakout game.

Nice job Stevey, enjoyed watching him again.

I didn't expect this from him so soon, pleasantly surprised.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET LOU. (See Yorke, that would be fun).

It's nice to watch these replays, thanks Studs.

Lou really is going to be a difference maker as he grows - in both size and experience. Obviously this is Stony Brook. But he's got a very smooth stroke, he makes good decisions, he takes shots in rhythm. Having a 6'7 guy who can handle the ball like a guard is a big advantage. Very Kuran Iverson-like.

Breaking up a zone, and being able to consistently hit foul line jumpers will force a defense to collapse and leave more openings. God I love this kid.

The sequence at :28 - *chef's kiss. Get a rebound, don't put the ball on the floor, look up and push the ball in transition, follow the play, hit the open shot in rhythm. THIS KID IS A TRUE FRESHMAN. THAT IS BIG KID SHIT.

[Billyboy78]

We need to have a chant when Louis makes a good play. Everyone in sports name Lou has the chant.

[SGreenwell]

I suppose I'll be the cold water guy, and say that no, I'm not going to get too high after we beat Stony Brook by 10. I don't really think we played that differently, except that Stony Brook is likely to end up the year as 300+ in KenPom, whereas the other two teams we played were more in the 150 to 250 range. I'm glad we didn't lose, but I don't think we've turned a corner or anything like that. I'd feel better if we pasted them by 20 and put the game away, instead of letting them hang around for most of the second half.

re: Individual players, positives - the Rams best five by PER this year is Leggett, Samb, Tchikou, Hutchinson and Martin, in that order. Hutchinson has been promising so far, because he seems like a player who can get some buckets without needing a play drawn up for him. (Well, not that we'd want to draw plays up for him at this point anyway.) Samb has been the most surprising to me, because it's very rare that a player goes from 0 MPG to a valuable contributor, but there was the unique and unusual circumstance of him being blocked by 3 better players last year. Leggett, if you take away his 2021-22 and instead projected "normal" progression for him, it would look more like this. I think the four with eligibility left can be part of the next good URI team.

re: Individual players, negatives - Hopefully, the one game benching helps get Freeman out of his funk. He's currently at -17.0 in PER, which is really, really hard to do. Carey and Weston also have negative PERs, although there's at least injury reasons you can attribute that to, for both of them. Stewart is at -3.2 PER, and pretty much only been used when the lineup needs someone greater than 6'6" with a pulse to log some minutes. If his shot isn't falling, he hasn't crashed the boards or shown enough on defense to justify playing.

Thomas' PER has barely budged (8.5 last year, 9.9 this year). I'd be more excited about the 10 assists if they weren't almost entirely wiped out by missing seven 3-point shots. This happened last year, too, where gaudy assist totals obscured what was essentially a net "meh" from a value perspective. He's not playable like this (starting PG minutes) in the A-10 if URI wants to win, not without a significant improvement in his shooting.

[TruePoint]

Or just less shooting. The assists are good, all those missed shots just use up possessions though. No way that a 20% shooter (or whatever the actual number is) should be using so many possessions. That’s going to kill his efficiency.

[Jersey77]

[KingstonLane]

Or just less shooting. The assists are good, all those missed shots just use up possessions though. No way that a 20% shooter (or whatever the actual number is) should be using so many possessions. That’s going to kill his efficiency.

Agreed on Thomas. I hate being wet blanket guy too, it’s a rebuilding year after all. But Thomas isn’t just bad at shooting, he’s just simply not a D1 shooter.

You need to be really really good at a lot of other things to justify seeing significant time on a good team with that recipe. And at a minimum be capable from the FT line. A lot of work to do for him to do. But never say never

[steveystuds06]

Or just less shooting. The assists are good, all those missed shots just use up possessions though. No way that a 20% shooter (or whatever the actual number is) should be using so many possessions. That's going to kill his efficiency.

Agreed on Thomas. I hate being wet blanket guy too, it's a rebuilding year after all. But Thomas isn't just bad at shooting, he's just simply not a D1 shooter.

You need to be really really good at a lot of other things to justify seeing significant time on a good team with that recipe. And at a minimum be capable from the FT line. A lot of work to do for him to do. But never say never

I suppose I'll be the cold water guy, and say that no, I'm not going to get too high after we beat Stony Brook by 10. I don't really think we played that differently, except that Stony Brook is likely to end up the year as 300+ in KenPom, whereas the other two teams we played were more in the 150 to 250 range. I'm glad we didn't lose, but I don't think we've turned a corner or anything like that. I'd feel better if we pasted them by 20 and put the game away, instead of letting them hang around for most of the second half.

re: Individual players, positives - the Rams best five by PER this year is Leggett, Samb, Tchikou, Hutchinson and Martin, in that order. Hutchinson has been promising so far, because he seems like a player who can get some buckets without needing a play drawn up for him. (Well, not that we'd want to draw plays up for him at this point anyway.) Samb has been the most surprising to me, because it's very rare that a player goes from 0 MPG to a valuable contributor, but there was the unique and unusual circumstance of him being blocked by 3 better players last year. Leggett, if you take away his 2021-22 and instead projected "normal" progression for him, it would look more like this. I think the four with eligibility left can be part of the next good URI team.

re: Individual players, negatives - Hopefully, the one game benching helps get Freeman out of his funk. He's currently at -17.0 in PER, which is really, really hard to do. Carey and Weston also have negative PERs, although there's at least injury reasons you can attribute that to, for both of them. Stewart is at -3.2 PER, and pretty much only been used when the lineup needs someone greater than 6'6" with a pulse to log some minutes. If his shot isn't falling, he hasn't crashed the boards or shown enough on defense to justify playing.

Thomas' PER has barely budged (8.5 last year, 9.9 this year). I'd be more excited about the 10 assists if they weren't almost entirely wiped out by missing seven 3-point shots. This happened last year, too, where gaudy assist totals obscured what was essentially a net "meh" from a value perspective. He's not playable like this (starting PG minutes) in the A-10 if URI wants to win, not without a significant improvement in his shooting.

I do agree that I don't view him as a starter on a top A10 team that lands a bid. Not yet. . The difference between last year and this year is Thomas has found other ways to score. Against Richmond, he ended up with 0 pts. He had 13 last night.

If you look at the two games he played significant minutes this season, he's averaging 11.5 and 8 assists. Does he still have a terrible 3 pt %? 100%. I'm not arguing that. He can't shoot.

He's already a much better free-throw shooter compared to last year. He continues to get better and prove the doubters wrong. It wouldn't surprise me if his shot keeps improving, and he's one of the best pure point guards in the conference next season.

[TruePoint]

Those two little semi-floaters or whatever you’d call it that he hit from below the FT line (they were kind of push shots more than floaters) were very important makes in the context of the game. He can grow into a role on a good team without becoming a marksman from deep, he just needs to limit the 3pt attempts (he should not be taking seven in a game at his %) and come up with other ways to at least make defenses know where he is. If that little push shot from 8-12 feet is something he can reliably go to to get a bucket then that will help. If you get down into that area of the court and bigs have to come up to contest then you can unlock easy baskets at the rim for others. Ultimately, if we end up adding a point that can shoot it, it will be hard for Bassy to hold him off for minutes but until then he has an opportunity to grow into the job.

[Rhodymob05]

I see Lamonte Ulmer in him.

[section(105)]

I see Lamonte Ulmer in him.

Gotta ask, you see Ulmer in who, Bassey?

[Rhody15]

I see Lamonte Ulmer in him.

Gotta ask, you see Ulmer in who, Bassey?

I’m hoping/thinking he means Hutchinson.

[rhodylaw]

I don’t see Ulmer in anyone on this team…

[section(105)]

OK, maybe Hutch will develop big time hops, then we will really have something going.

[rhodylaw]

Those two little semi-floaters or whatever you’d call it that he hit from below the FT line (they were kind of push shots more than floaters) were very important makes in the context of the game. He can grow into a role on a good team without becoming a marksman from deep, he just needs to limit the 3pt attempts (he should not be taking seven in a game at his %) and come up with other ways to at least make defenses know where he is. If that little push shot from 8-12 feet is something he can reliably go to to get a bucket then that will help. If you get down into that area of the court and bigs have to come up to contest then you can unlock easy baskets at the rim for others. Ultimately, if we end up adding a point that can shoot it, it will be hard for Bassy to hold him off for minutes but until then he has an opportunity to grow into the job.

He does not need to be a marksmen from deep but he does need to get to about 35% on open 3s. It is doable, but his shot is not very good looking so I am not overly optimistic it happens this year.

[Rhodymob05]

I see Lamonte Ulmer in him.

Gotta ask, you see Ulmer in who, Bassey?

I’m hoping/thinking he means Hutchinson.

Yes Hutchinson, a similar size, and athleticism, mid-range guy.

[RhodyKyle]

Had to watch from my phone, but pumped for the team to get their first win.

I'm not going to reiterate what everyone else has said already, except that this team is already starting to be fun to watch because of the ball movement. I got the feeling in the 2nd half that everyone knew the outside shot wasn't really falling, but our ball movement kept getting people open in good positions. if those shots start falling later in the year, it is going to be fun to watch them develop into the A10 tournament.

I am still obviously keeping expectations low for this team, and maybe that is why they are already more fun to watch.

Phipsi, what app did you use to watch it on your phone?

Excellent comments, btw. I really am enjoying the comments from those who are able to watch in-person on from elsewhere.

Guessing the ESPN app as the first few games were on ESPN+

[bigappleram]

I always think Yuri Collins is a good comp for Thomas in terms of ceiling

The issue is his best skills in terms of playmaking, finding guys, facilitating are eventually limited if you don’t need to cover him outside 15 feet. It will kill spacing. There is just no scenario where you can have effective offense with a PG shooting below 10% from the three.

On the other hand our limited offense generally looks it’s best with him on the floor. There quite simply isn’t a better option. He does have great vision and a natural passing ability superior to anyone else on the roster. Ish isn’t a PG. Bray has been MIA.

He’s like a mid level floor but low ceiling guy right now bc his shooting percentages are so bad.

Many of us remember Carlos Easterling; he was eventually phased out for a PG who could score (Jason Gilliam).

[PeterRamTime]

I always think Yuri Collins is a good comp for Thomas in terms of ceiling

The issue is his best skills in terms of playmaking, finding guys, facilitating are eventually limited if you don’t need to cover him outside 15 feet. It will kill spacing. There is just no scenario where you can have effective offense with a PG shooting below 10% from the three.

On the other hand our limited offense generally looks it’s best with him on the floor. There quite simply isn’t a better option. He does have great vision and a natural passing ability superior to anyone else on the roster. Ish isn’t a PG. Bray has been MIA.

He’s like a mid level floor but low ceiling guy right now bc his shooting percentages are so bad.

Many of us remember Carlos Easterling; he was eventually phased out for a PG who could score (Jason Gilliam).

If he can be half as good as Yuri Collins one day I'll be thrilled

[ramster]

I always think Yuri Collins is a good comp for Thomas in terms of ceiling

The issue is his best skills in terms of playmaking, finding guys, facilitating are eventually limited if you don’t need to cover him outside 15 feet. It will kill spacing. There is just no scenario where you can have effective offense with a PG shooting below 10% from the three.

On the other hand our limited offense generally looks it’s best with him on the floor. There quite simply isn’t a better option. He does have great vision and a natural passing ability superior to anyone else on the roster. Ish isn’t a PG. Bray has been MIA.

He’s like a mid level floor but low ceiling guy right now bc his shooting percentages are so bad.

Many of us remember Carlos Easterling; he was eventually phased out for a PG who could score (Jason Gilliam).

But Easterling could shoot - not like Thomas at this point.
3P% / FT%
Freshman 30 / 77
Soph 46 / 77
Junior 52 / 79
Senior 40 / 81

Over 4 Years
3FG: 49-120 = 40.8%
FT: 192 - 245 = 78.4%

[SGreenwell]

I always think Yuri Collins is a good comp for Thomas in terms of ceiling

The issue is his best skills in terms of playmaking, finding guys, facilitating are eventually limited if you don’t need to cover him outside 15 feet. It will kill spacing. There is just no scenario where you can have effective offense with a PG shooting below 10% from the three.

On the other hand our limited offense generally looks it’s best with him on the floor. There quite simply isn’t a better option. He does have great vision and a natural passing ability superior to anyone else on the roster. Ish isn’t a PG. Bray has been MIA.

He’s like a mid level floor but low ceiling guy right now bc his shooting percentages are so bad.

Many of us remember Carlos Easterling; he was eventually phased out for a PG who could score (Jason Gilliam).

My problem with this comparison that's hard for me to prove - I don't think most guys develop into Collins, because improving your shooting is usually the toughest aspect of basketball to improve in. (This would be easier on Pro Basketball Reference, where the stat tools are a bit more robust, but fooling around with it earlier, I was having trouble identifying players with stat lines similar to Thomas' freshman year.)

Think of how long it took an otherwise all-time great like Jason Kidd to be able to hit corner 3s - by the time he could, he was a vet in his 30s. Plenty of guys, the difference between a college career and an NBA career is the ability to shoot 3s, and they just can't. All of the intel we got over the off-season was that Thomas was trying to improve and his shot, and the sample size is absolutely too small to draw definitive conclusions, but it's not looking great so far.

[Rhody15]

Yuri Collins is one of the best point guards in the country.

That is a TOUGH ceiling to put on Thomas.

[bigappleram]

It’s a ceiling it doesn’t mean he will reach it or is anywhere close. But Collins gets by with a below average perimeter game by being prob the best passer in the country. I think he has 36 assists after 3 games, crazy.

[bigappleram]

I always think Yuri Collins is a good comp for Thomas in terms of ceiling

The issue is his best skills in terms of playmaking, finding guys, facilitating are eventually limited if you don’t need to cover him outside 15 feet. It will kill spacing. There is just no scenario where you can have effective offense with a PG shooting below 10% from the three.

On the other hand our limited offense generally looks it’s best with him on the floor. There quite simply isn’t a better option. He does have great vision and a natural passing ability superior to anyone else on the roster. Ish isn’t a PG. Bray has been MIA.

He’s like a mid level floor but low ceiling guy right now bc his shooting percentages are so bad.

Many of us remember Carlos Easterling; he was eventually phased out for a PG who could score (Jason Gilliam).

But Easterling could shoot - not like Thomas at this point.
3P% / FT%
Freshman 30 / 77
Soph 46 / 77
Junior 52 / 79
Senior 40 / 81

Over 4 Years
3FG: 49-120 = 40.8%
FT: 192 - 245 = 78.4%

Wow those numbers surprise me but the volume is so low I prob forgot the .5 threes per game he made over course of his career. He just wasn’t a perimeter threat and it limited the offense over time.

[ramster]

I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of excitement here. I don't care that it's Stony Brook. I don't care they had missing pieces (so did we). I don't care if the game was played in a box. I don't care if it was played with a fox. FIRST WIN. YOUNG GUYS. LETS GO.

Again. This was another game where you saw improvement from the previous game and from the previous half.

I love watching this offense - even if sometimes I have to cover my eyes when we're shooting. We create a ton of open chances. We create a ton of confusion. We can get to the basket. We can effectively dismantle a zone with ball movement. And our fast break. Holy hell I forgot how much I missed it. This team looks to run and can finish.

But we're still improving - yes, I know what Archie said about Bassy's supposed shooting prowess in practice. But I also know what my eyes have seen. If he didn't take another 3 all year I wouldn't hate it. He does so many things well. He can push the ball. He can see the floor. He can put his guys is spots to make shots. He can get inside and score. Him shooting from outside is less than ideal.

Lou Hutch. I believe I said many times this kid was going to be our cornerstone in future years. I'm pretty sure that was poopoo'd because he was "too raw" or not the right body. B-b-b-bullshit! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED. Kid is clearly shaking off nerves, but when we needed him to step up, he effectively put the game away with those huge 3's in the 2nd half. He's big. He's a huge asset to distribute and break up a zone from the high post. He's smart. He is going to be this team's leader and cornerstone in 2-3 years, and I'm sure he'll have growing pains - but he's going to give us a lot of memories this season.

Weston is still hurt, back spasms are a lingering bitch, but you could see flashes tonight when he got loose.

Samb is really looking like a player and has had 2 games in a row of hitting freethrows at a rate I'm not accustomed to from our bigs.

Ish. Ish is coming back. New coach. New system. New him. He's starting to look like the kid we thought we were getting.

The effort. God this is so much fun. Guys diving on balls. Guys running. Guys trailing on breaks. Team defense. Archie is getting the best out of these guys. It was a hustle play in the backcourt from Weston and Bassy at the end that sealed the game.

That brings me to culture. All of that win happened while our "best" transfer sat on the bench. Watching Bray respond on the bench last night was refreshing. His body language had improved. He was cheering on the guys. He was joking with Rory and Mazzulla. He was learning a valuable lesson that no one is above the team - no matter their accolades or previous achievements.

Archie isn't going to let the kids call the shots. He's going to be the adult. He's going to mold them into men. Sitting your "best" player and letting him see there were opportunities for him to play and make us better, but we didn't NEED him. You play the right way or you don't play at all.

I love everything about this team. This coach. And what we're doing. My only expectation for this year is to get better and become a team that can win and win big in March and in future years. This is fun.

LETS GO! ARCHIES FIRST OF MANY! LETS SHOCK THE WORLD AND BEAT K STATE!!

Blue Man,

Don’t think it’s so much Hutchinson has been shaking off nerves or people underestimated him. He is just a freshman and he has been sick with mononucleosis. That takes a lot out of a person and takes time to fully recover.

Now having recovered (maybe not fully yet) he took full advantage (maybe an understatement) of the minutes provided to him vs Stony Brook. Freeman and Carey being out, Weston with some health challenges, plus some personal foul challenges for some players gave Hutch some opportunity minutes that he answered beautifully!

As he gains his strength and energy back it will be fun to watch his Freshman year progress.

[Billyboy78]

I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of excitement here. I don't care that it's Stony Brook. I don't care they had missing pieces (so did we). I don't care if the game was played in a box. I don't care if it was played with a fox. FIRST WIN. YOUNG GUYS. LETS GO.

Again. This was another game where you saw improvement from the previous game and from the previous half.

I love watching this offense - even if sometimes I have to cover my eyes when we're shooting. We create a ton of open chances. We create a ton of confusion. We can get to the basket. We can effectively dismantle a zone with ball movement. And our fast break. Holy hell I forgot how much I missed it. This team looks to run and can finish.

But we're still improving - yes, I know what Archie said about Bassy's supposed shooting prowess in practice. But I also know what my eyes have seen. If he didn't take another 3 all year I wouldn't hate it. He does so many things well. He can push the ball. He can see the floor. He can put his guys is spots to make shots. He can get inside and score. Him shooting from outside is less than ideal.

Lou Hutch. I believe I said many times this kid was going to be our cornerstone in future years. I'm pretty sure that was poopoo'd because he was "too raw" or not the right body. B-b-b-bullshit! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED. Kid is clearly shaking off nerves, but when we needed him to step up, he effectively put the game away with those huge 3's in the 2nd half. He's big. He's a huge asset to distribute and break up a zone from the high post. He's smart. He is going to be this team's leader and cornerstone in 2-3 years, and I'm sure he'll have growing pains - but he's going to give us a lot of memories this season.

Weston is still hurt, back spasms are a lingering bitch, but you could see flashes tonight when he got loose.

Samb is really looking like a player and has had 2 games in a row of hitting freethrows at a rate I'm not accustomed to from our bigs.

Ish. Ish is coming back. New coach. New system. New him. He's starting to look like the kid we thought we were getting.

The effort. God this is so much fun. Guys diving on balls. Guys running. Guys trailing on breaks. Team defense. Archie is getting the best out of these guys. It was a hustle play in the backcourt from Weston and Bassy at the end that sealed the game.

That brings me to culture. All of that win happened while our "best" transfer sat on the bench. Watching Bray respond on the bench last night was refreshing. His body language had improved. He was cheering on the guys. He was joking with Rory and Mazzulla. He was learning a valuable lesson that no one is above the team - no matter their accolades or previous achievements.

Archie isn't going to let the kids call the shots. He's going to be the adult. He's going to mold them into men. Sitting your "best" player and letting him see there were opportunities for him to play and make us better, but we didn't NEED him. You play the right way or you don't play at all.

I love everything about this team. This coach. And what we're doing. My only expectation for this year is to get better and become a team that can win and win big in March and in future years. This is fun.

LETS GO! ARCHIES FIRST OF MANY! LETS SHOCK THE WORLD AND BEAT K STATE!!

Blue Man,

Don’t think it’s so much Hutchinson has been shaking off nerves or people underestimated him. He is just a freshman and he has been sick with mononucleosis. That takes a lot out of a person and takes time to fully recover.

Now having recovered (maybe not fully yet) he took full advantage (maybe an understatement) of the minutes provided to him vs Stony Brook. Freeman and Carey being out, Weston with some health challenges, plus some personal foul challenges for some players gave Hutch some opportunity minutes that he answered beautifully!

As he gains his strength and energy back it will be fun to watch his Freshman year progress.

Louis has definitely lost weight. I saw him and the other guys throwing a football in early September. Louis didn't have a shirt on. He's a strong kid, very long and athletic. I had mono my freshman year at URI and I lost 40 pounds, going from 175 to 135. I'm sure he didn't lose that much, but when you have it you have zero appetite. You have to force food down your throat. He's probably still in the process of putting the weight back on.

[steviep123]

I always think Yuri Collins is a good comp for Thomas in terms of ceiling

The issue is his best skills in terms of playmaking, finding guys, facilitating are eventually limited if you don’t need to cover him outside 15 feet. It will kill spacing. There is just no scenario where you can have effective offense with a PG shooting below 10% from the three.

On the other hand our limited offense generally looks it’s best with him on the floor. There quite simply isn’t a better option. He does have great vision and a natural passing ability superior to anyone else on the roster. Ish isn’t a PG. Bray has been MIA.

He’s like a mid level floor but low ceiling guy right now bc his shooting percentages are so bad.

Many of us remember Carlos Easterling; he was eventually phased out for a PG who could score (Jason Gilliam).

You mean Jason Alexander, not Gilliam if memory serves. If I recall, Alexander transferred after the 93 season. I think he may have left the team mid season - I don't recall the details, but I do remember him missing a stretch for a non injury reason. Sports reference seems to back this up with only 17 games played that season, sitting out the next for his transfer to Stetson. All that said, I don't recall him playing in the NCAA tournament game vs. Purdue (and I blocked out the blowout loss to UNC).

All that said, Easterling was a pretty good shooter in his own right, but his role was to facilitate and was really good at it.

[bigappleram]

Jason Gilliam was his original name, changed it to Alexander at some point (I presume his mother's name). I actually went to Al Skinner URI camp with Gilliam when we were both about 12 years old. He was the best kid at camp and head and shoulders better than anyone else. He did transfer mid season I believe you are right. Carlos Cofield I believe was the PG on the team that beat Purdue.

Also while Easterling's percentages kinda shock me it's worth noting he averaged 1 three point attempt per game for his career. He just wouldn't take them; which ultimately limits effectiveness. And I'm sticking to my premise that a PG that isn't an outside threat ultimately creates a lower ceiling for a team.

[steviep123]

Jason Gilliam was his original name, changed it to Alexander at some point (I presume his mother's name). I actually went to Al Skinner URI camp with Gilliam when we were both about 12 years old. He was the best kid at camp and head and shoulders better than anyone else. He did transfer mid season I believe you are right. Carlos Cofield I believe was the PG on the team that beat Purdue.

Also while Easterling's percentages kinda shock me it's worth noting he averaged 1 three point attempt per game for his career. He just wouldn't take them; which ultimately limits effectiveness. And I'm sticking to my premise that a PG that isn't an outside threat ultimately creates a lower ceiling for a team.

Thanks bar - I didn't know he had a different name. I only remember him as Alexander. Too bad he transferred. The next couple of years would have been better.

[ramster]

Jason Gilliam was his original name, changed it to Alexander at some point (I presume his mother's name). I actually went to Al Skinner URI camp with Gilliam when we were both about 12 years old. He was the best kid at camp and head and shoulders better than anyone else. He did transfer mid season I believe you are right. Carlos Cofield I believe was the PG on the team that beat Purdue.

Also while Easterling's percentages kinda shock me it's worth noting he averaged 1 three point attempt per game for his career. He just wouldn't take them; which ultimately limits effectiveness. And I'm sticking to my premise that a PG that isn't an outside threat ultimately creates a lower ceiling for a team.

BAR, It was along time ago for Carlos Easterling, in fact not long after the 3P was approved. Al Skinner himself was adjusting to the new wrinkle.
Note that the 3 Point shot was not implemented by the NCAA until 1986-1987 Season
The team attempts increased over the 4 years Easterling played: 11.1, 13.7, 16.7 and 16.0

Our last 4 years 3P Attempts:
2021-22 - 493 in 31 games = 15.9
2020-21 - 458 in 25 games = 18.3
2019-20 - 539 in 30 games = 18.0
2018-19 - 615 in 33 games = 18.6

3P Attempt Data per Game:
1989-90
Eric Leslie - 4.5
Mike Brown - 2.8
Jeff Kent - 1.4
Carlos Easterling - 1.2
312 in 28 games = 11.1 per game

!990-91
Carlos Cofield - 3.9
Eric Leslie - 3.5
Mike Brown - 3.1
Jeff Kent - 1.9
Matt Keebler - 1.9
Andre Samuel - .9
Carlos Easterling - .9
Frenchy Tomlin - .6
383 in 28 games = 13.7 per game

1991-92
Mike Brown - 3.2
Carlos Cofield - 3.0
Abdul Fox - 2.8
Jason Alexander - 2.5
Jeff Kent - 2.5
Andre Samuel - 1.5
Matt Keebler - 1.1
Carlos Easterling - .7
534 in 32 games = 16.7 per game

1992-93
Abdul Fox - 4.3
Mike Brown - 3.6
Carlos Cofield - 3.6
Jason Alexander - 2.6
Andre Samuel - 2.6
Carlos Easterling - 1.3
Matt Keebler - .8
480 in 30 games = 16.0 per game

[URIFIJI]

I felt Lou deserved a video of his breakout game.

Nice job Stevey, enjoyed watching him again.

I didn't expect this from him so soon, pleasantly surprised.

I love Lou's first two shots from the FT line at the top of the zone. No dribble - kept ball high and put a nice shot up - even if he doesn't make - high percentage shot and low percentage T/O

[reef]

Love Lou , he does major work @ the FT line extended when teams zone us , he finds the open spots

[PeterRamTime]

I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of excitement here. I don't care that it's Stony Brook. I don't care they had missing pieces (so did we). I don't care if the game was played in a box. I don't care if it was played with a fox. FIRST WIN. YOUNG GUYS. LETS GO.

Again. This was another game where you saw improvement from the previous game and from the previous half.

I love watching this offense - even if sometimes I have to cover my eyes when we're shooting. We create a ton of open chances. We create a ton of confusion. We can get to the basket. We can effectively dismantle a zone with ball movement. And our fast break. Holy hell I forgot how much I missed it. This team looks to run and can finish.

But we're still improving - yes, I know what Archie said about Bassy's supposed shooting prowess in practice. But I also know what my eyes have seen. If he didn't take another 3 all year I wouldn't hate it. He does so many things well. He can push the ball. He can see the floor. He can put his guys is spots to make shots. He can get inside and score. Him shooting from outside is less than ideal.

Lou Hutch. I believe I said many times this kid was going to be our cornerstone in future years. I'm pretty sure that was poopoo'd because he was "too raw" or not the right body. B-b-b-bullshit! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED. Kid is clearly shaking off nerves, but when we needed him to step up, he effectively put the game away with those huge 3's in the 2nd half. He's big. He's a huge asset to distribute and break up a zone from the high post. He's smart. He is going to be this team's leader and cornerstone in 2-3 years, and I'm sure he'll have growing pains - but he's going to give us a lot of memories this season.

Weston is still hurt, back spasms are a lingering bitch, but you could see flashes tonight when he got loose.

Samb is really looking like a player and has had 2 games in a row of hitting freethrows at a rate I'm not accustomed to from our bigs.

Ish. Ish is coming back. New coach. New system. New him. He's starting to look like the kid we thought we were getting.

The effort. God this is so much fun. Guys diving on balls. Guys running. Guys trailing on breaks. Team defense. Archie is getting the best out of these guys. It was a hustle play in the backcourt from Weston and Bassy at the end that sealed the game.

That brings me to culture. All of that win happened while our "best" transfer sat on the bench. Watching Bray respond on the bench last night was refreshing. His body language had improved. He was cheering on the guys. He was joking with Rory and Mazzulla. He was learning a valuable lesson that no one is above the team - no matter their accolades or previous achievements.

Archie isn't going to let the kids call the shots. He's going to be the adult. He's going to mold them into men. Sitting your "best" player and letting him see there were opportunities for him to play and make us better, but we didn't NEED him. You play the right way or you don't play at all.

I love everything about this team. This coach. And what we're doing. My only expectation for this year is to get better and become a team that can win and win big in March and in future years. This is fun.

LETS GO! ARCHIES FIRST OF MANY! LETS SHOCK THE WORLD AND BEAT K STATE!!

We've also been incredibly unlucky with injuries

(Carey, Weston and Bilau)

Ant Harris not being eligible

Bray having his issues

I mean if we had all those guys ready to go we would probably have three straight 20+ wins.

That's what the Stony Brook win with half our team told me.

[Jersey77]

I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of excitement here. I don't care that it's Stony Brook. I don't care they had missing pieces (so did we). I don't care if the game was played in a box. I don't care if it was played with a fox. FIRST WIN. YOUNG GUYS. LETS GO.

Again. This was another game where you saw improvement from the previous game and from the previous half.

I love watching this offense - even if sometimes I have to cover my eyes when we're shooting. We create a ton of open chances. We create a ton of confusion. We can get to the basket. We can effectively dismantle a zone with ball movement. And our fast break. Holy hell I forgot how much I missed it. This team looks to run and can finish.

But we're still improving - yes, I know what Archie said about Bassy's supposed shooting prowess in practice. But I also know what my eyes have seen. If he didn't take another 3 all year I wouldn't hate it. He does so many things well. He can push the ball. He can see the floor. He can put his guys is spots to make shots. He can get inside and score. Him shooting from outside is less than ideal.

Lou Hutch. I believe I said many times this kid was going to be our cornerstone in future years. I'm pretty sure that was poopoo'd because he was "too raw" or not the right body. B-b-b-bullshit! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED. Kid is clearly shaking off nerves, but when we needed him to step up, he effectively put the game away with those huge 3's in the 2nd half. He's big. He's a huge asset to distribute and break up a zone from the high post. He's smart. He is going to be this team's leader and cornerstone in 2-3 years, and I'm sure he'll have growing pains - but he's going to give us a lot of memories this season.

Weston is still hurt, back spasms are a lingering bitch, but you could see flashes tonight when he got loose.

Samb is really looking like a player and has had 2 games in a row of hitting freethrows at a rate I'm not accustomed to from our bigs.

Ish. Ish is coming back. New coach. New system. New him. He's starting to look like the kid we thought we were getting.

The effort. God this is so much fun. Guys diving on balls. Guys running. Guys trailing on breaks. Team defense. Archie is getting the best out of these guys. It was a hustle play in the backcourt from Weston and Bassy at the end that sealed the game.

That brings me to culture. All of that win happened while our "best" transfer sat on the bench. Watching Bray respond on the bench last night was refreshing. His body language had improved. He was cheering on the guys. He was joking with Rory and Mazzulla. He was learning a valuable lesson that no one is above the team - no matter their accolades or previous achievements.

Archie isn't going to let the kids call the shots. He's going to be the adult. He's going to mold them into men. Sitting your "best" player and letting him see there were opportunities for him to play and make us better, but we didn't NEED him. You play the right way or you don't play at all.

I love everything about this team. This coach. And what we're doing. My only expectation for this year is to get better and become a team that can win and win big in March and in future years. This is fun.

LETS GO! ARCHIES FIRST OF MANY! LETS SHOCK THE WORLD AND BEAT K STATE!!

We've also been incredibly unlucky with injuries

(Carey, Weston and Bilau)

Ant Harris not being eligible

Bray having his issues

I mean if we had all those guys ready to go we would probably have three straight 20+ wins.

That's what the Stony Brook win with half our team told me.

\

Just trying to put things into perspective, we are talking about a win over Stony Brook at home.

3 straight 20+ wins, is a huge reach.
I thought we would be mid-level A10 at best, even with everyone.

All teams are dealing with injury issues, and much worse than us.
They knew about Ant's academic issues all along, shouldn't be a great surprise.

Look this rebuild will take some time, be patient.

[Rhodymob05]

I definitely would not agree that most teams are dealing with worse than URI.

Harris-Academic issues
Carey-Injured/limited
Foumena-Redshirt (personal reasons??)
Weston-Injured/limited
Bilau-Surgery/Injured
Hutchinson-Illness
Freeman-Out (coaches decision)

That's half the roster.

[Jersey77]

I definitely would not agree that most teams are dealing with worse than URI.

Harris-Academic issues
Carey-Injured/limited
Foumena-Redshirt (personal reasons??)
Weston-Injured/limited
Bilau-Surgery/Injured
Hutchinson-Illness
Freeman-Out (coaches decision)

That's half the roster.

First of all, take Harris off the table, he was never even enrolled.
Many teams lost impact/starting players indefinitely that are actually on the roster.

Foumena is redshirting because he isn't ready.
Not sure we are the only school redshirting a true freshman.

Weston and Hutch are both playing, but were previously slowed.
The biggest knock on Weston was his ability to stay healthy, again we knew his history.
Not unusual for any program to have players a little banged up.

Freeman sat one game to get his head straight.
The only big deal here is his early funk.

[Rhody15]

I definitely would not agree that most teams are dealing with worse than URI.

Harris-Academic issues
Carey-Injured/limited
Foumena-Redshirt (personal reasons??)
Weston-Injured/limited
Bilau-Surgery/Injured
Hutchinson-Illness
Freeman-Out (coaches decision)

That's half the roster.

First of all, take Harris off the table, he was never even enrolled.
Many teams lost impact/starting players indefinitely that are actually on the roster.

Foumena is redshirting because he isn't ready.
Not sure we are the only school redshirting a true freshman.

Weston and Hutch are both playing, but were previously slowed.
The biggest knock on Weston was his ability to stay healthy, again we knew his history.
Not unusual for any program to have players a little banged up.

Freeman sat one game to get his head straight.
The only big deal here is his early funk.

God damn Jersey me and you share 99% of the same opinions!

[Smokinjimit2]

Number 22 for Stony Brook shot so badly we asked him if he wanted to transfer here.

[Rhody72]

Brown beats Stony Brook by 11. Brown-URI should be interesting.

[PeterRamTime]

I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of excitement here. I don't care that it's Stony Brook. I don't care they had missing pieces (so did we). I don't care if the game was played in a box. I don't care if it was played with a fox. FIRST WIN. YOUNG GUYS. LETS GO.

Again. This was another game where you saw improvement from the previous game and from the previous half.

I love watching this offense - even if sometimes I have to cover my eyes when we're shooting. We create a ton of open chances. We create a ton of confusion. We can get to the basket. We can effectively dismantle a zone with ball movement. And our fast break. Holy hell I forgot how much I missed it. This team looks to run and can finish.

But we're still improving - yes, I know what Archie said about Bassy's supposed shooting prowess in practice. But I also know what my eyes have seen. If he didn't take another 3 all year I wouldn't hate it. He does so many things well. He can push the ball. He can see the floor. He can put his guys is spots to make shots. He can get inside and score. Him shooting from outside is less than ideal.

Lou Hutch. I believe I said many times this kid was going to be our cornerstone in future years. I'm pretty sure that was poopoo'd because he was "too raw" or not the right body. B-b-b-bullshit! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED. Kid is clearly shaking off nerves, but when we needed him to step up, he effectively put the game away with those huge 3's in the 2nd half. He's big. He's a huge asset to distribute and break up a zone from the high post. He's smart. He is going to be this team's leader and cornerstone in 2-3 years, and I'm sure he'll have growing pains - but he's going to give us a lot of memories this season.

Weston is still hurt, back spasms are a lingering bitch, but you could see flashes tonight when he got loose.

Samb is really looking like a player and has had 2 games in a row of hitting freethrows at a rate I'm not accustomed to from our bigs.

Ish. Ish is coming back. New coach. New system. New him. He's starting to look like the kid we thought we were getting.

The effort. God this is so much fun. Guys diving on balls. Guys running. Guys trailing on breaks. Team defense. Archie is getting the best out of these guys. It was a hustle play in the backcourt from Weston and Bassy at the end that sealed the game.

That brings me to culture. All of that win happened while our "best" transfer sat on the bench. Watching Bray respond on the bench last night was refreshing. His body language had improved. He was cheering on the guys. He was joking with Rory and Mazzulla. He was learning a valuable lesson that no one is above the team - no matter their accolades or previous achievements.

Archie isn't going to let the kids call the shots. He's going to be the adult. He's going to mold them into men. Sitting your "best" player and letting him see there were opportunities for him to play and make us better, but we didn't NEED him. You play the right way or you don't play at all.

I love everything about this team. This coach. And what we're doing. My only expectation for this year is to get better and become a team that can win and win big in March and in future years. This is fun.

LETS GO! ARCHIES FIRST OF MANY! LETS SHOCK THE WORLD AND BEAT K STATE!!

We've also been incredibly unlucky with injuries

(Carey, Weston and Bilau)

Ant Harris not being eligible

Bray having his issues

I mean if we had all those guys ready to go we would probably have three straight 20+ wins.

That's what the Stony Brook win with half our team told me.

\

Just trying to put things into perspective, we are talking about a win over Stony Brook at home.

3 straight 20+ wins, is a huge reach.
I thought we would be mid-level A10 at best, even with everyone.

All teams are dealing with injury issues, and much worse than us.
They knew about Ant's academic issues all along, shouldn't be a great surprise.

Look this rebuild will take some time, be patient.

Not sure why you're attacking my point so hard.

We clearly would be vastly better with a healthy ready to go Bray, Carey, Ant Harris, Bilau and Brandon Weston.

I mean we just lost two very close games and won a game by double digits with literally half of the players we thought we'd have producing.

All teams are dealing with injury issues? No they aren't and I question there are very many teams dealing with worse.

Do tell me when was the last time we opened the season with three guys injured (Bilau, Carey, Weston) Then Bray is all in his head and can't play and then Ant Harris isn't eligible.

Maybe the 04-05 year is the last time we had this many injury problems. Like one year ever pretty much.

I'm not here saying we go to the tournament with everybody, but we've been competitive with a skeleton of a team.

[Rhodymob05]

Yea I have to agree with PeterRamTime, I cannot remember the last time we had this many injuries/issues. I understand the transfer/past injuries deal, but these are new injuries and issues.

I simply do not believe or see another team that has this many players unable to play or that are limited, If anyone can name one, I'm all ears (or eyes).

When healthy, this roster will be very different. Point is, to withhold judgment until healthy.

[Jersey77]

We've also been incredibly unlucky with injuries

(Carey, Weston and Bilau)

Ant Harris not being eligible

Bray having his issues

I mean if we had all those guys ready to go we would probably have three straight 20+ wins.

That's what the Stony Brook win with half our team told me.

\

Just trying to put things into perspective, we are talking about a win over Stony Brook at home.

3 straight 20+ wins, is a huge reach.
I thought we would be mid-level A10 at best, even with everyone.

All teams are dealing with injury issues, and much worse than us.
They knew about Ant's academic issues all along, shouldn't be a great surprise.

Look this rebuild will take some time, be patient.

Not sure why you're attacking my point so hard.

We clearly would be vastly better with a healthy ready to go Bray, Carey, Ant Harris, Bilau and Brandon Weston.

I mean we just lost two very close games and won a game by double digits with literally half of the players we thought we'd have producing.

All teams are dealing with injury issues? No they aren't and I question there are very many teams dealing with worse.

Do tell me when was the last time we opened the season with three guys injured (Bilau, Carey, Weston) Then Bray is all in his head and can't play and then Ant Harris isn't eligible.

Maybe the 04-05 year is the last time we had this many injury problems. Like one year ever pretty much.

I'm not here saying we go to the tournament with everybody, but we've been competitive with a skeleton of a team.

Everyone is available except Bilau and he will return sometime in December.
I wouldn't put him in the same category as other teams losing a significant impact player for an indefinite period.
He was not going to give us 20+ wins or top tier A10.

Yes, we would have more depth upfront and we may be slightly better, but that's about it.

There are probably very few teams out there, that don't have some players banged up.

Archie is certainly not making any excuses for our losses or poor play, and neither should we.

[steveystuds06]

The only player that I think could have made a difference so far is Ant Harris. I think he would instantly be our best defensive guard and would have been able to slow down Harrell. With Ant, I think we would be 2-1.

[Jersey77]

The only player that I think could have made a difference so far is Ant Harris. I think he would instantly be our best defensive guard and would have been able to slow down Harrell. With Ant, I think we would be 2-1.

Because Ant is not part of our team, I don't really count him.
No reason to really speculate because we haven't seen him, and he is not here.

His academic issues probably caused many teams to back off of him in the portal.

We took a chance knowing the circumstances.
Hopefully he comes next semester and from what we hear contributes next season.

And yeah Stevey, if and when he does arrive, I think you are correct that he can make an impact on our team.

[Blue Man]

With or without Ant - we had multiple 3's go 3/4 down the cylinder and bounce out in game 1. if 2 of those just go all the way down we win that game.

If the refs don't make that boneheaded offensive basket interference that wasn't, we probably win game 2.

I don't care about who we beat or lose to at this point - that's a problem for year 3 when we're looking for an at-large. This year, OOC especially, is about building a culture and a team that can make a run in March this year, or win big in the years to come. By those standards I'm thrilled with what we've seen, understanding we have a long way to go. But we're a lot closer to winning these games than people on here are giving credit for.

Don't be surprised if we go and shock the world by knocking off K State on Monday night. Also don't be surprised if we lose by 40. REBUILDING BABY ENJOY THE RIDE!

[Jersey77]

With or without Ant - we had multiple 3's go 3/4 down the cylinder and bounce out in game 1. if 2 of those just go all the way down we win that game.

If the refs don't make that boneheaded offensive basket interference that wasn't, we probably win game 2.

I don't care about who we beat or lose to at this point - that's a problem for year 3 when we're looking for an at-large. This year, OOC especially, is about building a culture and a team that can make a run in March this year, or win big in the years to come. By those standards I'm thrilled with what we've seen, understanding we have a long way to go. But we're a lot closer to winning these games than people on here are giving credit for.

Don't be surprised if we go and shock the world by knocking off K State on Monday night. Also don't be surprised if we lose by 40. REBUILDING BABY ENJOY THE RIDE!

Yeah Blue Man, I am not too concerned about our record this season.

Besides if we were playing well, it should not have come down to some of those baskets going down or a bad call by the refs. Those were very winnable games at home.

[steveystuds06]

The only player that I think could have made a difference so far is Ant Harris. I think he would instantly be our best defensive guard and would have been able to slow down Harrell. With Ant, I think we would be 2-1.

Because Ant is not part of our team, I don't really count him.
No reason to really speculate because we haven't seen him, and he is not here.

His academic issues probably caused many teams to back off of him in the portal.

We took a chance knowing the circumstances.
Hopefully he comes next semester and from what we hear contributes next season.

And yeah Stevey, if and when he does arrive, I think you are correct that he can make an impact on our team.

I haven't gone back and read every post, but I think the topic of discussion is if we have had some bad luck so far this season, correct?...If so, I agree with Peterram that we took an unlucky hit once Ant became ineligible. We also got screwed in the Texas State game.

I count anyone that is still committed and signed to play this season.. It's not like Ant committed and then decommited. Archie didn't sign him thinking he would redshirt or sit out a year. Was it a risk? Sure. But I don't believe for a second that Archie would have brought him in if he knew this would happen. Because of that, I view it as bad luck because we are wasting a scholarship on a player we thought would immediately make a significant impact. Maybe that's our coaching staff's fault, but they are too experienced and good at their jobs not to confirm that Ant would be ready to play.

[Jersey77]

The only player that I think could have made a difference so far is Ant Harris. I think he would instantly be our best defensive guard and would have been able to slow down Harrell. With Ant, I think we would be 2-1.

Because Ant is not part of our team, I don't really count him.
No reason to really speculate because we haven't seen him, and he is not here.

His academic issues probably caused many teams to back off of him in the portal.

We took a chance knowing the circumstances.
Hopefully he comes next semester and from what we hear contributes next season.

And yeah Stevey, if and when he does arrive, I think you are correct that he can make an impact on our team.

I haven't gone back and read every post, but I think the topic of discussion is if we have had some bad luck so far this season, correct?...If so, I agree with Peterram that we took an unlucky hit once Ant became ineligible. We also got screwed in the Texas State game.

I count anyone that is still committed and signed to play this season.. It's not like Ant committed and then decommited. Archie didn't sign him thinking he would redshirt or sit out a year. Was it a risk? Sure. But I don't believe for a second that Archie would have brought him in if he knew this would happen. Because of that, I view it as bad luck because we are wasting a scholarship on a player we thought would immediately make a significant impact. Maybe that's our coaching staff's fault, but they are too experienced and good at their jobs not to confirm that Ant would be ready to play.

Yeah Stevey it didn't work out for Ant at least for now.

But it was a gamble that Archie was willing to take, just not sure bad luck had much to do with it.
Nothing stopped Ant from going to class and getting his academics in order.

Still, because Ant isn't a member of our team, I moved past him, at least for now.

Now in 97-98 Lamar was academically ineligible but was still on the roster and part of the team.

[PeterRamTime]

\

Just trying to put things into perspective, we are talking about a win over Stony Brook at home.

3 straight 20+ wins, is a huge reach.
I thought we would be mid-level A10 at best, even with everyone.

All teams are dealing with injury issues, and much worse than us.
They knew about Ant's academic issues all along, shouldn't be a great surprise.

Look this rebuild will take some time, be patient.

Not sure why you're attacking my point so hard.

We clearly would be vastly better with a healthy ready to go Bray, Carey, Ant Harris, Bilau and Brandon Weston.

I mean we just lost two very close games and won a game by double digits with literally half of the players we thought we'd have producing.

All teams are dealing with injury issues? No they aren't and I question there are very many teams dealing with worse.

Do tell me when was the last time we opened the season with three guys injured (Bilau, Carey, Weston) Then Bray is all in his head and can't play and then Ant Harris isn't eligible.

Maybe the 04-05 year is the last time we had this many injury problems. Like one year ever pretty much.

I'm not here saying we go to the tournament with everybody, but we've been competitive with a skeleton of a team.

Everyone is available except Bilau and he will return sometime in December.
I wouldn't put him in the same category as other teams losing a significant impact player for an indefinite period.
He was not going to give us 20+ wins or top tier A10.

Yes, we would have more depth upfront and we may be slightly better, but that's about it.

There are probably very few teams out there, that don't have some players banged up.

Archie is certainly not making any excuses for our losses or poor play, and neither should we.

OMG

Why won't you let me speculate how much better we would be if we had everyone including Harris???

I just don't think you are grasping what I'm trying to say at all dude.

I'm simply trying to be positive about Archie Miller's coaching. He has made a severely depleted and banged up team look competent! So I'm just trying to say we are further ahead than it looks like because, if we had everyone available and healthy the first three games, INCLUDING HARRIS IF HE WAS ELIGIBLE, like Archie had planned....we would easily be 3-0 and the rebuild would not look as daunting.

Besides that

No. Hardly any teams have had as many injuries as we have. Sorry you're wrong. Like why even say "we have everyone but Bilau available"??? Yeah NOW he's the only one not available. For the first three games that was not the case. Weston hurt no? Carey banged up no? Bray mentally not there which is basically an injury no?

So uh no we haven't had all our eligible players ready to go at all.

I'm talking about the first three games man.