12/10 | Army | 2:00PM (YurView/ESPN+)

[spookydog]

University of Rhode Island vs Army
Ryan Center, Kingston, RI
Saturday, December 10, 2022
2:00PM

Media
TV: YurView
Online: ESPN +
Radio: Tune In Radio
App: Varsity Network

Previews:
Army Fan Forum

For the first time in almost 70 years, the University of Rhode Island will take on Army. The only time these teams squared off it was at the Richmond Classic & Army’s Mark Binstein dropped 50 against the Rams. I can imagine he walked away winning many Army awards for that performance. The current Army team is playing .500 ball so far this season albeit a couple of those wins coming to non-D1 teams, which is basically what Rhody is these days. The Black Knights will come to into the Ryan Center with a 3-game winning streak. Winning streak…what is that?

Senior forward Chris Mann is leading the Black Knights in scoring this season. He only played 19 minutes Wednesday night in a close win against NJIT, so I am not sure if he got hurt in that game because he was not in foul trouble. He is shooting an impressive 52% from the field this season. Junior point guard Jalen Rucker runs this offense. He is the only player averaging over 30 minutes per game & is averaging 14/4/3. He is an excellent free throw shooter (90+%), so if this is a close game at the end, you don’t want to foul him. Coleton Benson & Ethan Roberts are the Black Knights other double-digit scorers & their best three-point shooters. These two players alone have more made 3s than the entire Rhody team. Some good news for URI is that this team does turn the ball over quite a bit (14/game) & is only averaging 2 blocks per game. Rhody seems to get way too many shots blocked, hopefully they can avoid that from happening in this game. Charlie Peterson, Army’s leading rebounder, is the only notable player with any height on this team. So, Rhody may have an advantage downlow.

As for Rhody, losers of 5 of their last 6, look to…well win a game. Rhody had a dreadful performance in the last five & a half minutes against Brown Wednesday night. Up 10 they proceeded to get outscored 12-1 to lose the game in devastating fashion. The Rams have had 3 close losses in their last 5 that were winnable games. The only good thing from the Brown game was the play of Malik Martin. He played how many of thought he would this season, shooting efficiently while going for 13 & 7 & barely missed the game winning three pointer.

Once again, even with Rhody’s struggles, I am guessing they will still be favored by a few points. In theory there could potentially be a solid crowd at the Ryan Center Saturday afternoon given this game was part of the 5-game mini plan (damn you Rhody ticketing for throwing this horseshit game in the mini plan). But I also foresee many of these tickets being unused. My prediction is URI 62 – Army 60. Go Rhody!!

Opponent
Record:
5-5, 0-0 in the Patriot
15-16, 9-9 in the Patriot (Last Season)

Rankings (URI):
NCAA NET: 271 (305)
RPI: 313 (323)
KenPom: 293 (190)
BPI: 279 (249)
Sagarin: 290 (206)
Barttovik: 273 (212)

Leaders:
Points – Chris Mann 15.0 (Sr., G)
Rebounds – Charlie Peterson 6.7 (Jr., F)
Assists – Jalen Rucker 3.0 (Jr., G) (2.7 TO per game)

Historical
Series: 0-1
H: 0-0, A: 0-0, N: 0-1
Most Recent Matchup: 12/29/55 99-74 L at Richmond Classic
Most Recent Win Streak: 1 - Army
Match-up Predictor: 69.9% Chance of URI Winning

[section(105)]

And Team Rankings now has; their ranked #213, #14 A-10 Rams, with 75% chance to beat their #290 ranked Black Knights. Maybe Dan will give Army Navy football updates, as we probably cannot…..

[KeaneyBluBallz]

Go Army! Beat Navy!

[Jdrums#3]

Thanks, Spooky. We are on to Army.

Where’s your Drill Sargent, Rhody? Bloooown uuuup, sir!

[Billyboy78]

Huge day for Army fans. Their historic annual Army-Navy football game....but even much bigger, their basketball game vs. 2-7 URI.

[RhodyRams916]

I hate to say this, but expect a poor turnout from fans on Saturday. I have a feeling last night's loss was the final straw for students and anyone without season tickets. I think they can turn it around once conference play starts, but at this point they are really really hard to watch.

[reef]

I can see about 4500 for the Army game

[theblueram]

I'll have my ribbons on my URI sweatshirt. I was offered West Point, but at 20 years old couldn't make the commitment.

[Billyboy78]

I hate to say this, but expect a poor turnout from fans on Saturday. I have a feeling last night's loss was the final straw for students and anyone without season tickets. I think they can turn it around once conference play starts, but at this point they are really really hard to watch.

A lot of the season ticket holder seats were empty last night too. It might start looking like the end of last season soon.

[ram1980]

I hate to say this, but expect a poor turnout from fans on Saturday. I have a feeling last night's loss was the final straw for students and anyone without season tickets. I think they can turn it around once conference play starts, but at this point they are really really hard to watch.

A lot of the season ticket holder seats were empty last night too. It might start looking like the end of last season soon.

We're already there. Student turnout was terrible last night as was the rest of attendance.

[Billyboy78]

I hate to say this, but expect a poor turnout from fans on Saturday. I have a feeling last night's loss was the final straw for students and anyone without season tickets. I think they can turn it around once conference play starts, but at this point they are really really hard to watch.

A lot of the season ticket holder seats were empty last night too. It might start looking like the end of last season soon.

We're already there. Student turnout was terrible last night as was the rest of attendance.

Student sections might have been half full last night. Still not as bad as last season. The last couple of games last year, there were less than 50 students at the games.

[RhodyRams916]

I hate to say this, but expect a poor turnout from fans on Saturday. I have a feeling last night's loss was the final straw for students and anyone without season tickets. I think they can turn it around once conference play starts, but at this point they are really really hard to watch.

A lot of the season ticket holder seats were empty last night too. It might start looking like the end of last season soon.

yup... it's sad to think about. And these aren't fair weather fans, they're just sick of seeing awful basketball.

[ram1980]

Obviously winning will cure the laissez faire attitude. Even a more entertaining product heading in the right direction with a shot at winning some games they shouldn't win will help. Right now the entertainment factor is low. This team is tough to watch. But I will keep trekking it south and hope my loyalty is rewarded sooner rather than later.

[Rhody72]

I expect Army to show great team discipline. This will give URI problems.

[Jdrums#3]

I expect them to carpet bomb us with 3’s to start then grind us with tanks and infantry in the second half. Unless Army sends in special forces as a pre-emptive strike Friday night to force us into a forfeit so they can skip our game and go to the Army/Navy game instead.

This is what happens when you’ve watched the movie Patton around twenty times over the years, like me.

[PeteRI]

I really am torn about this game. I almost feel it's unpatriotic to root against Army.

But I'll be happy if we finally do win a damn game.

[Rhody72]

URI needs a player who views his role as a three point specialist who can make >40% of his open threes in practice and has no conscience about taking every open threes in games no matter how many in a row he misses. This specialist needs to review film of every missed three and determine why he missed and take corrective action in the future. It is the coaches job to take him out when he wants him to stop shooting open threes. Great shooters do not have a conscience about shooting. He must accept accountability to his team based on his three point percentage.

Find me an average basketball player with good shooting technique who can make > 40% of open threes in practice and can accept this role, and the team will have a valuable asset.

What is the primary role for each URI player? Do they know it? Are they accountable to the team to meet or exceed in this role? Will they acknowledge to their teammates where they failed? Winning or losing is a choice.

[Jersey77]

I really am torn about this game. I almost feel it's unpatriotic to root against Army.

But I'll be happy if we finally do win a damn game.

No conflict in my mind, I just want us to win.
Patriotism has nothing to do with it, this is just a college basketball game.
Our players need to gain confidence, especially after the way we lost the last game.

[Rammgr]

I think the last pure shooter we was Four McGlynn. And when EC got hurt he had to do more than what he was actually brought in to do.

[PeterRamTime]

I really am torn about this game. I almost feel it's unpatriotic to root against Army.

But I'll be happy if we finally do win a damn game.

In war I'll root for them

Screw their basketball team!

[PeterRamTime]

I think the last pure shooter we was Four McGlynn. And when EC got hurt he had to do more than what he was actually brought in to do.

Well we currently have the best 3 point shooter in the history of URI basketball

Monsieur Josophat Bilau

He's never missed

[KeaneyBluBallz]

I really am torn about this game. I almost feel it's unpatriotic to root against Army.

But I'll be happy if we finally do win a damn game.

I don't root against our services academies. Except for Saturday. Sink Navy!

as for the Bball game Saturday, to quote DC, it's a chance to go have some fun out there.

[Jdrums#3]

Archie should play the opening scene of the movie Patton (of George C Scott as Patton giving the speech in front of the flag) and have Rhody dubbed in in place of Americans in the audio for the team as a pregame speech.

[STC]

I'm very curious to see what Vegas does with this line.

Sorry to say it but PC -4.5 last weekend was free money.

[reef]

URI needs a player who views his role as a three point specialist who can make >40% of his open threes in practice and has no conscience about taking every open threes in games no matter how many in a row he misses. This specialist needs to review film of every missed three and determine why he missed and take corrective action in the future. It is the coaches job to take him out when he wants him to stop shooting open threes. Great shooters do not have a conscience about shooting. He must accept accountability to his team based on his three point percentage.

Find me an average basketball player with good shooting technique who can make > 40% of open threes in practice and can accept this role, and the team will have a valuable asset.

What is the primary role for each URI player? Do they know it? Are they accountable to the team to meet or exceed in this role? Will they acknowledge to their teammates where they failed? Winning or losing is a choice.

That shooter is coming here next year by the name of Dubsky

[RF1]

Of the four remaining OOC games, this game along with Milwaukee at home appear to be our best prospects for wins. Home versus UMass-Lowell and at Georgia State seem to be bigger climbs.

[Jdrums#3]

Although, RF1, I watched Georgia St play at Northeastern last week and they looked pretty bad. They were being out rebounded 25 to 5 the 2nd half of the first half and were down 17. They were down over 20 pts in the second half (however, I didn’t finish the game so I don’t know if the game finished with closer a score than the NU domination indicated).

Unless there were extraneous reasons for GSU’s play I am not aware of, I would hope and plead for a win against them - on the road, even.

That said, it would be nice to grab a couple more wins and maybe get some mojo going into conference play.

[reef]

I’m thinking we go 3-1 last 4 OOC

[Jersey77]

Although, RF1, I watched Georgia St play at Northeastern last week and they looked pretty bad. They were being out rebounded 25 to 5 the 2nd half of the first half and were down 17. They were down over 20 pts in the second half (however, I didn’t finish the game so I don’t know if the game finished with closer a score than the NU domination indicated).

Unless there were extraneous reasons for GSU’s play I am not aware of, I would hope and plead for a win against them - on the road, even.

That said, it would be nice to grab a couple more wins and maybe get some mojo going into conference play.

Yes JD, their game at Northeastern was very ugly.
The other losses were extremely close: Georgia Tech, Belmont, and Eastern Ky all combined by a total of only 5 points.
Their record is 5-4 and I am sure they will play much better at home against us.

Like Rhody they are going through a rebuild with a new HC.
Last season they won their conference tournament and lost to #1 seed Gonzaga in the NCAAT.
Unlike us, their HC Rob Lanier moved on to a bigger program in the AAC.

Yes, this game is winnable, but we need to be playing much better than we have been.

[RF1]

Per today's NET metrics for games through 12/09/2022, Army has a better ranking than URI.

289 Army 2-5
306 Rhode Island 2-7

[KingstonLane]

Todays the day. Upward momentum starts now.

Bray drops 25
Weston with 10+ points
Double digits rebounds from a big

Good vibes in the air

[RhodyRams916]

Per today's NET metrics for games through 12/09/2022, Army has a better ranking than URI.

289 Army 2-5
306 Rhode Island 2-7

Doesn't matter if URI is playing #350, they can lose to anyone this season. At this point I have extremely low expectations. They've lost to Quinnipiac, Brown and BC.

[RhodyRams916]

I’m thinking we go 3-1 last 4 OOC

idk about that. This team doesn't know how to win currently.

[PeterRamTime]

Per today's NET metrics for games through 12/09/2022, Army has a better ranking than URI.

289 Army 2-5
306 Rhode Island 2-7

Doesn't matter if URI is playing #350, they can lose to anyone this season. At this point I have extremely low expectations. They've lost to Quinnipiac, Brown and BC.

Quinnipiac is 8-2 put some respect on they name!

[adam914]

This team just needs a win right now. I don't care how they look, who scores, who gets the minutes, how bad Army plays....you get the point. Just get a damn win.

[reef]

I’m thinking we go 3-1 last 4 OOC

idk about that. This team doesn't know how to win currently.

I know just a guess

[Rhody74]

So far so good. Jalen’s back!

[PeteRI]

Thank goodness Army's 3-point shooting might be worse than ours.

[adam914]

Wow Army is bad...

[PeteRI]

Army on a 7-0 run. 18-14 URI @ 10:09

[RhodyRams916]

Bilau....

[PeterRamTime]

Army on a 7-0 run. 18-14 URI @ 10:09

Every single time we go on a run we follow it up with a million turnovers and let them right back in the game

[PeteRI]

Wow Army is bad...

We're in no position to say that about an opponent.

[RhodyRams916]

Why are our bigs so scared to take charges???

[reef]

Jalens back he’s back !!

[RhodyRams916]

Wow Army is bad...

dude come on... URI is one of the worst teams in the country lol

[reef]

We lead 23-14. 705

Ish has 9

Welcome back JAlen C

[KingstonLane]

Exciting to have Carey back. Can see a real difference when you have a 3rd guard who can score and create space.

[PeteRI]

Ish with 2 straight impressive buckets. Hangs in the air for a drive, then fakes his defender to nail a 3.

[PeterRamTime]

Like the effort so far!

Love Carey being back!

Was in Hendersonville TN at a Culvers earlier wearing a Rhody Hoodie and an old guy with a cowboy hat walks by and goes "I like your shirt" then immediately after he walked out a guy with a Rhody hoodie walked in and we talked

It's a sign! We are on the way back starting today!