Rory playing at the U20 Euros

[Jersey77]

100%

Though I still see him as much more than a 10th man, and I think the staff does as well.

Last season's roster was probably the least talented we've had at URI top to bottom. That whole team is gone. You had a non D1 PG playing the most minutes. Minus Ish you could make that case for a significant chunk of the team. Everyone transferred down to a lower level and there's not guarantee they'll make an impact there. Malik is an awesome dude and leader but wouldn't have seen the floor on any 20 win team in URI history.

Having 2-3 guys that can shoot and draw doubles will automatically mean that Rory is going to get open. More importantly, a good PG means that he will get the ball in a good shooting position while open.

Idk why we're worried about the average points for a 4th scoring option on a bad team with no PG last year. If your 4th guy is giving you efficient scoring when called upon - who cares? 1 of 2 things happens - he hits the open shots or he forces defenses to not leave him open letting House/Zek go to work/leaving an open big under the hoop.

6 years of Dan Hurley had everyone believing Dave Cox would get us to another level, but 4 years of Dave Cox has everyone believing that Archie is doomed and everything is terrible.

If the chief concern here is that our 4th shooting option on offense hits 40% of his 3's but doesn't score enough points, I think we'll be fine.

I also feel he will be farther up in the rotation than 10th.

Blue Man, I think most here are optimistic and not all doom and gloom.
Just need to be patient.

I'm totally optimistic. I just don't see how that mixes with patient...
How this next year's team performs...most likely has little or nothing to do with the following year's team.... outside of, if we're good, players will want to play here...jmho at this juncture. Hopefully, tomorrow is a good beach day.

Well NYG this is how I look at it.
I am optimistic that Archie and his staff will take us to the promised land.
I just think it will take longer than year 2.
I expect improvement, but don't feel 23-24 we will be a top tier team or a contender after coming off a 14th place finish.
Most successful teams have retained some core players from the previous season, especially mid-majors.

[adam914]

Yeah, the whole idea that everyone is believing that Archie is doomed and terrible is way overblown. I think the VAST majority of fans believe in Archie and think we'll be good. If there is any disagreement its just about whether it'll be this year or a year or two from now.

Personally I don't know what to expect this year, but I do believe we'll be much improved from last season. Whether that means middle of the pack or better, who knows. Neither would really surprise me.

[reef]

Yeah, the whole idea that everyone is believing that Archie is doomed and terrible is way overblown. I think the VAST majority of fans believe in Archie and think we'll be good. If there is any disagreement its just about whether it'll be this year or a year or two from now.

Personally I don't know what to expect this year, but I do believe we'll be much improved from last season. Whether that means middle of the pack or better, who knows. Neither would really surprise me.

I feel the same , big step up from the 9 win total this year but year 3 of the Archie era is when I think we get very dangerous in this league

[NYGFan_Section208]

I also feel he will be farther up in the rotation than 10th.

Blue Man, I think most here are optimistic and not all doom and gloom.
Just need to be patient.

I'm totally optimistic. I just don't see how that mixes with patient...
How this next year's team performs...most likely has little or nothing to do with the following year's team.... outside of, if we're good, players will want to play here...jmho at this juncture. Hopefully, tomorrow is a good beach day.

Well NYG this is how I look at it.
I am optimistic that Archie and his staff will take us to the promised land.
I just think it will take longer than year 2.
I expect improvement, but don't feel 23-24 we will be a top tier team or a contender after coming off a 14th place finish.
Most successful teams have retained some core players from the previous season, especially mid-majors.

Pre Portal-NIL-palooza, I would have probably agreed with 'longer than year 2' and 'retained core players', but I feel like this is only the 2nd year of true portal free-for-all combined with NIL, it's not necessarily all figgered out. I see year to year carryover of talent becoming less and less of a factor every year... The amount of cash it's going to take to influence some of these players jus isn't that large, so I think we'll be seeing massive churn. Ten or twenty grand might not seem like that much to us...but a lot of hoopsters will probably move based on small increments like that... "I was offered 35K to play here...45K there...so "there" I go....

[Jersey77]

I'm totally optimistic. I just don't see how that mixes with patient...
How this next year's team performs...most likely has little or nothing to do with the following year's team.... outside of, if we're good, players will want to play here...jmho at this juncture. Hopefully, tomorrow is a good beach day.

Well NYG this is how I look at it.
I am optimistic that Archie and his staff will take us to the promised land.
I just think it will take longer than year 2.
I expect improvement, but don't feel 23-24 we will be a top tier team or a contender after coming off a 14th place finish.
Most successful teams have retained some core players from the previous season, especially mid-majors.

Pre Portal-NIL-palooza, I would have probably agreed with 'longer than year 2' and 'retained core players', but I feel like this is only the 2nd year of true portal free-for-all combined with NIL, it's not necessarily all figgered out. I see year to year carryover of talent becoming less and less of a factor every year... The amount of cash it's going to take to influence some of these players jus isn't that large, so I think we'll be seeing massive churn. Ten or twenty grand might not seem like that much to us...but a lot of hoopsters will probably move based on small increments like that... "I was offered 35K to play here...45K there...so "there" I go....

NYG, 2 immediate examples come to mind about the significance of retaining some core players even in this current environment especially concerning mid-majors.
This past final 4 with FAU and SDSU:

FAU - Returned their best player (Martin) from 21-22 and 7 of their top 8 scorers this past season also returned from the previous season.

SDSU- Matt Bradley their best player returned from 21-22 including 4 of their 5 starters this past year were also on the previous season's roster.

[jcru]

I feel like this is going to very an enjoyable team to watch. Like a team that can beat anyone on their schedule on any given night.

Reason being, I think they have vastly improved the talent level of this team across the board during the off season. Like 2/3rds of the way it would take to be at the top of the Conference. They just don't have elite talent yet (relative to the conference). This is not Archie's best team. But it is a transition team, that will bring a lot more interest and memorable moments every night. I could see this team finishing about 6 or 7, from 14 last year. Of course that would depend on a lot of things, not just the talent level. That would depend on stealing a few, team cohesion of so many new players, and perhaps a couple of other teams under performing.

[section(105)]

100%

[Jersey77]

I feel like this is going to very an enjoyable team to watch. Like a team that can beat anyone on their schedule on any given night.

Reason being, I think they have vastly improved the talent level of this team across the board during the off season. Like 2/3rds of the way it would take to be at the top of the Conference. They just don't have elite talent yet (relative to the conference). This is not Archie's best team. But it is a transition team, that will bring a lot more interest and memorable moments every night. I could see this team finishing about 6 or 7, from 14 last year. Of course that would depend on a lot of things, not just the talent level. That would depend on stealing a few, team cohesion of so many new players, and perhaps a couple of other teams under performing.

Yes JCRU, it should be fun, and I am also excited to see this season get started.

And yeah, I think it is possible for us to finish 6-7, but if I had to make a prediction now, still sticking with 8-12.

[luke]

I don't know how at this moment anyone can make any truly educated guess as to the talent level or the A10 league finish of the URI 2023-24 team without even having seen hardly any of the players in actual current competition . I have no idea what the talent level of this group is . we don't even know how the players who remain from last season will play . There could be substantial growth from those players or not . There could be substantial improvement of the new players who have some track record or not . I do believe in Archie Miller as a coach and talent evaluator and so at this point
i have some optimism based on that alone because I have nothing else to go on and I prefer to be optimistic rather than be pessimistic when so little
is known . Maybe because things went so wrong last season expectations are lower than they should be . I don't know . Those low expectations may be justified or it could be that because this is virtually a completely different team that last season's results may be pretty much irrelevant to what
we can expect to see in the upcoming season . I sure hope so.

[theblueram]

Well NYG this is how I look at it.
I am optimistic that Archie and his staff will take us to the promised land.
I just think it will take longer than year 2.
I expect improvement, but don't feel 23-24 we will be a top tier team or a contender after coming off a 14th place finish.
Most successful teams have retained some core players from the previous season, especially mid-majors.

Pre Portal-NIL-palooza, I would have probably agreed with 'longer than year 2' and 'retained core players', but I feel like this is only the 2nd year of true portal free-for-all combined with NIL, it's not necessarily all figgered out. I see year to year carryover of talent becoming less and less of a factor every year... The amount of cash it's going to take to influence some of these players jus isn't that large, so I think we'll be seeing massive churn. Ten or twenty grand might not seem like that much to us...but a lot of hoopsters will probably move based on small increments like that... "I was offered 35K to play here...45K there...so "there" I go....

NYG, 2 immediate examples come to mind about the significance of retaining some core players even in this current environment especially concerning mid-majors.
This past final 4 with FAU and SDSU:

FAU - Returned their best player (Martin) from 21-22 and 7 of their top 8 scorers this past season also returned from the previous season.

SDSU- Matt Bradley their best player returned from 21-22 including 4 of their 5 starters this past year were also on the previous season's roster.

How much were they paid?

[Jersey77]

I don't know how at this moment anyone can make any truly educated guess as to the talent level or the A10 league finish of the URI 2023-24 team without even having seen hardly any of the players in actual current competition . I have no idea what the talent level of this group is . we don't even know how the players who remain from last season will play . There could be substantial growth from those players or not . There could be substantial improvement of the new players who have some track record or not . I do believe in Archie Miller as a coach and talent evaluator and so at this point
i have some optimism based on that alone because I have nothing else to go on and I prefer to be optimistic rather than be pessimistic when so little
is known . Maybe because things went so wrong last season expectations are lower than they should be . I don't know . Those low expectations may be justified or it could be that because this is virtually a completely different team that last season's results may be pretty much irrelevant to what
we can expect to see in the upcoming season . I sure hope so.

Yeah Luke I see your point, but what else do we have to do this off-season than to make these unknowledgeable predictions and speculations. It just keeps this board entertaining and active.

Just my opinion without knowing how good our talent level really is and how all the pieces will fit.
Plus a new roster which leads to questions about team chemistry.
This along with the returning core pieces and additions of our competition in the conference.

[theblueram]

I don't know how at this moment anyone can make any truly educated guess as to the talent level or the A10 league finish of the URI 2023-24 team without even having seen hardly any of the players in actual current competition . I have no idea what the talent level of this group is . we don't even know how the players who remain from last season will play . There could be substantial growth from those players or not . There could be substantial improvement of the new players who have some track record or not . I do believe in Archie Miller as a coach and talent evaluator and so at this point
i have some optimism based on that alone because I have nothing else to go on and I prefer to be optimistic rather than be pessimistic when so little
is known . Maybe because things went so wrong last season expectations are lower than they should be . I don't know . Those low expectations may be justified or it could be that because this is virtually a completely different team that last season's results may be pretty much irrelevant to what
we can expect to see in the upcoming season . I sure hope so.

Yeah Luke I see your point, but what else do we have to do this off-season than to make these unknowledgeable predictions and speculations. It just keeps this board entertaining and active.

Just my opinion without knowing how good our talent level really is and how all the pieces will fit.
Plus a new roster which leads to questions about team chemistry.
This along with the returning core pieces and additions of our competition in the conference.

You sound like the current VP who has no brains. Our conference sucks right now. Every team has new players. And next year, they will as well. Who is returning core pieces?

[Jersey77]

I don't know how at this moment anyone can make any truly educated guess as to the talent level or the A10 league finish of the URI 2023-24 team without even having seen hardly any of the players in actual current competition . I have no idea what the talent level of this group is . we don't even know how the players who remain from last season will play . There could be substantial growth from those players or not . There could be substantial improvement of the new players who have some track record or not . I do believe in Archie Miller as a coach and talent evaluator and so at this point
i have some optimism based on that alone because I have nothing else to go on and I prefer to be optimistic rather than be pessimistic when so little
is known . Maybe because things went so wrong last season expectations are lower than they should be . I don't know . Those low expectations may be justified or it could be that because this is virtually a completely different team that last season's results may be pretty much irrelevant to what
we can expect to see in the upcoming season . I sure hope so.

Yeah Luke I see your point, but what else do we have to do this off-season than to make these unknowledgeable predictions and speculations. It just keeps this board entertaining and active.

Just my opinion without knowing how good our talent level really is and how all the pieces will fit.
Plus a new roster which leads to questions about team chemistry.
This along with the returning core pieces and additions of our competition in the conference.

You sound like the current VP who has no brains. Our conference sucks right now. Every team has new players. And next year, they will as well. Who is returning core pieces?

Never claim to be an expert, just my own opinions.
But below is a list of some returning core players, which may not even start this season.
Didn't even add any of the new additions.

Bonnies- Venning, Flowers, Banks, Luc, Farell
Duquesne- Leading scorers Clark and Grant, plus Williams.
St. Joes- Reynolds, Brown, Greer, Klaczek
Dayton- Holmes, Smith, Brea, Elvis
Loyola- Norris, Schweiger, Alston,
Fordham- Rose, Charlton, Richards, Tsimbila
Richmond- Quinn, Bigelow, Roche
GW- Bishop, Edwards
UMass - Cross and Thompson.

[luke]

Yeah , you have a legitimate point Jersey 77 , and a bit tongue in cheek . What would be the fun of this board if we can't go a little overboard at times
in any particular direction that strikes our mood . I'm sure I would have to plead guilty to doing that on occasion . What is fun is seeing all the passion
that comes out on this board for a college basketball team . and I didn't even go to URI , my daughter did , but I love this team nonetheless just as
all of you do , and it's great . Can't wait for the new season to start and at this point still with high hopes.

[rhodylaw]

Pre Portal-NIL-palooza, I would have probably agreed with 'longer than year 2' and 'retained core players', but I feel like this is only the 2nd year of true portal free-for-all combined with NIL, it's not necessarily all figgered out. I see year to year carryover of talent becoming less and less of a factor every year... The amount of cash it's going to take to influence some of these players jus isn't that large, so I think we'll be seeing massive churn. Ten or twenty grand might not seem like that much to us...but a lot of hoopsters will probably move based on small increments like that... "I was offered 35K to play here...45K there...so "there" I go....

NYG, 2 immediate examples come to mind about the significance of retaining some core players even in this current environment especially concerning mid-majors.
This past final 4 with FAU and SDSU:

FAU - Returned their best player (Martin) from 21-22 and 7 of their top 8 scorers this past season also returned from the previous season.

SDSU- Matt Bradley their best player returned from 21-22 including 4 of their 5 starters this past year were also on the previous season's roster.

How much were they paid?

These examples bode well for us the next season - find a good core and get them to stick the next year and we are off. We did not find any core pieces last season. This is season we need to find core pieces and then PAY them if necessary to stay. No one worth going the extra mile to keep last year, Ish included (who is going to be a good player on a good team, just not a player I would build around).

[PeterRamTime]

FAU also brings back all but one back up guard next season FYI

Great Britain probably meeting their end against North Macedonia

Down 12 with 8 minutes in the third.

[reef]

FAU also brings back all but one back up guard next season FYI

Great Britain probably meeting their end against North Macedonia

Down 12 with 8 minutes in the third.

Updates on Rory ??

[PeterRamTime]

FAU also brings back all but one back up guard next season FYI

Great Britain probably meeting their end against North Macedonia

Down 12 with 8 minutes in the third.

Updates on Rory ??

1-7 FG 0-4 3FG 1-4 FT

Team lost 66-49

They just took him out of the game. North Macedonia was just better at basketball. Rory's team doesn't have a single guard worth a damn so they put a ton of pressure on him and Okonkwo.

[McRam]

NYG, 2 immediate examples come to mind about the significance of retaining some core players even in this current environment especially concerning mid-majors.
This past final 4 with FAU and SDSU:

FAU - Returned their best player (Martin) from 21-22 and 7 of their top 8 scorers this past season also returned from the previous season.

SDSU- Matt Bradley their best player returned from 21-22 including 4 of their 5 starters this past year were also on the previous season's roster.

How much were they paid?

These examples bode well for us the next season - find a good core and get them to stick the next year and we are off. We did not find any core pieces last season. This is season we need to find core pieces and then PAY them if necessary to stay. No one worth going the extra mile to keep last year, Ish included (who is going to be a good player on a good team, just not a player I would build around).

Law, I am curious of your reasoning that Ish is ..."not a player I would build around"

[NYGFan_Section208]

How much were they paid?

These examples bode well for us the next season - find a good core and get them to stick the next year and we are off. We did not find any core pieces last season. This is season we need to find core pieces and then PAY them if necessary to stay. No one worth going the extra mile to keep last year, Ish included (who is going to be a good player on a good team, just not a player I would build around).

Law, I am curious of your reasoning that Ish is ..."not a player I would build around"

Curious what kind of impact you think he'll have at Pitt. Same, better, or worse stats than here?

[Rhody72]

I feel like this is going to very an enjoyable team to watch. Like a team that can beat anyone on their schedule on any given night.

...

That is because we don't have a clue how good or bad the players are. Most posters here who are touting how good the team will be are the same posters who raved about the talent Archie assembled last year. One thing for sure, any good player who appears will be off to greener ($$$) pastures as soon as possible. Rhody basketball will be bleeding financially for some time. Archie is a good coach. The problem is URI Athletics and changes that have occurred in NCAA D1 basketball.

[jcru]

I feel like this is going to very an enjoyable team to watch. Like a team that can beat anyone on their schedule on any given night.

...

That is because we don't have a clue how good or bad the players are. Most posters here who are touting how good the team will be are the same posters who raved about the talent Archie assembled last year. One thing for sure, any good player who appears will be off to greener ($$$) pastures as soon as possible. Rhody basketball will be bleeding financially for some time. Archie is a good coach. The problem is URI Athletics and changes that have occurred in NCAA D1 basketball.

What's your point, 72? Why are you singling me out?

Aren't you the one that said last year was "year zero"? I admit I was pretty excited about last year's incoming players, because I was just happy to have players. Just like where I work at the hospital, in this day in age, they are just happy to have "bodies" because not all hospitals have that luxury. We have hospitals in this state that have to close their ERs on certain overnights because they don't have enough staff in certain depts. Fortunately the one I work at is not one of those.

I think the expectations have changed over the course of a year, and the quality of players they were able to secure also changed. I don't think that's an Earth shattering comment to say so. I'm very "intrigued" to see what they can do. That is to say, I'm excited to see what they can do.

[bigappleram]

I feel like this is going to very an enjoyable team to watch. Like a team that can beat anyone on their schedule on any given night.

...

That is because we don't have a clue how good or bad the players are. Most posters here who are touting how good the team will be are the same posters who raved about the talent Archie assembled last year. One thing for sure, any good player who appears will be off to greener ($$$) pastures as soon as possible. Rhody basketball will be bleeding financially for some time. Archie is a good coach. The problem is URI Athletics and changes that have occurred in NCAA D1 basketball.

We literally pay our coach 2mm/year, built a practice facility and got a 50mm pledge to renovate our athletics facilities. There hasn’t been a time in modern history that the program has been better supported. Go back to foul shots.

[NYGFan_Section208]

I thought we'd be good last year because ...Arch. No other reason. I had no clue about the players. Open practice was a massive eye opener though, even for someone like me who is no judge of talent. Seeing that they all transferred out to lower level programs, and we still have Arch...I don't see any way possible that we wouldn't be MUCH better, especially since some of the savants appear to have at least heard of some of the players. I just dread the day we hear someone say, "we have 9-10 guys competing for starting five"....that'll be the signal we're cooked. Again.

[TruePoint]

I feel like this is going to very an enjoyable team to watch. Like a team that can beat anyone on their schedule on any given night.

...

That is because we don't have a clue how good or bad the players are. Most posters here who are touting how good the team will be are the same posters who raved about the talent Archie assembled last year. One thing for sure, any good player who appears will be off to greener ($$$) pastures as soon as possible. Rhody basketball will be bleeding financially for some time. Archie is a good coach. The problem is URI Athletics and changes that have occurred in NCAA D1 basketball.

Oh bother

[rhodylaw]

How much were they paid?

These examples bode well for us the next season - find a good core and get them to stick the next year and we are off. We did not find any core pieces last season. This is season we need to find core pieces and then PAY them if necessary to stay. No one worth going the extra mile to keep last year, Ish included (who is going to be a good player on a good team, just not a player I would build around).

Law, I am curious of your reasoning that Ish is ..."not a player I would build around"

Simple - on a good team (let’s just say last 2 years of DH good or about there), Ish is a 6th man. He is Jarvis Garrett. This is not an insult to Ish, he is a really good player. So was Jarvis Garrett, but EC Dowtin and JT were the build around pieces on that team. If you think Ish was to the level of those 3 I can respect that, but I disagree. I would have wanted to keep him here, but I don’t feel like we lost Jeff or EC or JT.

You don’t build around a 6th man. You want to keep him if you have other foundational pieces, because he is a really good player.

[Jersey77]

These examples bode well for us the next season - find a good core and get them to stick the next year and we are off. We did not find any core pieces last season. This is season we need to find core pieces and then PAY them if necessary to stay. No one worth going the extra mile to keep last year, Ish included (who is going to be a good player on a good team, just not a player I would build around).

Law, I am curious of your reasoning that Ish is ..."not a player I would build around"

Simple - on a good team (let’s just say last 2 years of DH good or about there), Ish is a 6th man. He is Jarvis Garrett. This is not an insult to Ish, he is a really good player. So was Jarvis Garrett, but EC Dowtin and JT were the build around pieces on that team. If you think Ish was to the level of those 3 I can respect that, but I disagree. I would have wanted to keep him here, but I don’t feel like we lost Jeff or EC or JT.

You don’t build around a 6th man. You want to keep him if you have other foundational pieces, because he is a really good player.

Not sure I can agree with you Law.
Ish is definitely a core player that you can build around.
Granted he may not be of the same star quality of some of the others you mentioned, but aside from his solid stats last season 16 pts/ 6 rebs, he brings all the intangibles.
Which includes being the team leader, top defender, work ethic, and high character, also an 85% FT shooter.

Besides he is probably going to start on Pitt this season, which went 14-6 in the ACC(22-23) including 2 NCAAT wins (beating #6 seed ISU by 18 pts).
Granted that was last season but Pitt is a P5 team that won't be terrible this season.
They return 2 starters including their best player (F)Blake Hinson (15.3 pts 38% 3PT/ 6 rebs) and (C) Federiko, plus the Diaz twins. (RS) Freshman Dior Johnson will be available who was a top 35 (2022) 4* recruit.
They also have 3 top 100 ('23) 4* freshman recruits.
Added transfers Ish and Zach Austin (Big South FOY '22).

[PeterRamTime]

These examples bode well for us the next season - find a good core and get them to stick the next year and we are off. We did not find any core pieces last season. This is season we need to find core pieces and then PAY them if necessary to stay. No one worth going the extra mile to keep last year, Ish included (who is going to be a good player on a good team, just not a player I would build around).

Law, I am curious of your reasoning that Ish is ..."not a player I would build around"

Simple - on a good team (let’s just say last 2 years of DH good or about there), Ish is a 6th man. He is Jarvis Garrett. This is not an insult to Ish, he is a really good player. So was Jarvis Garrett, but EC Dowtin and JT were the build around pieces on that team. If you think Ish was to the level of those 3 I can respect that, but I disagree. I would have wanted to keep him here, but I don’t feel like we lost Jeff or EC or JT.

You don’t build around a 6th man. You want to keep him if you have other foundational pieces, because he is a really good player.

Yeah Ish is a solid starter player, but he wasn't a star player. You don't build around him, but you can add other solid players around him.

Kinda like our current team. I don't think we are building around anybody in particular, but we at least have a lot of solid players.

[Jersey77]

Great Britain lost the final game today against Switzerland 74-82, Rory with 4 pts/5 rebs.

In the 7 games Rory averaged: 29.2 minutes/ 7.9 pts (27% FG, 19% 3PT, 62% FT)/ 5.3 rebs.

[Rhody72]

We literally pay our coach 2mm/year, built a practice facility and got a 50mm pledge to renovate our athletics facilities. There hasn’t been a time in modern history that the program has been better supported. Go back to foul shots.

You are commingling capital and operational expenses. We may do better because the rest of the A1o is now "minor" league with us. And as usual, the investment in URI Athletics is a dollar short and too late to matter.

For the future, the program needs to win to get a major conference to add us. It will not be long until there are two post-season NCAA basketball tournaments.