1/25 | Richmond | 6:30PM (CBSSN)

[brady1]

I think that's wrong...the Cox hire never ever made sense.

The Cox hire 100% made sense.

99% of people here wanted him to save the recruiting class. There was a clause in his contract he was the head coach in waiting, or else there would be a buyout. Also, the pool of candidates who interviewed wasn't overwhelming, and not many here wanted one of them instead of Cox.

Hiring Cox was the right move for multiple reasons.

Firing Cox is now the right move for multiple reasons.

I disagree. It didn't make sense and I think your 99% is way high. I know there are many here now saying, "I wanted Cox then...but now I see", which is nice...but I'd say the Cox bandwagon was far from unanimous...

Never hire a coach to save a recruiting class!!

The Cox railroading was not unanimous but it was within the Walls of the University. Those people F’d up that’s for Damn sure.

GO RHODY!

[ramster]

Thomas' Game High 7 Assists:

1st half
10:58 Makhi Mitchell Layup
3:22 Antwan Walker 3FG
2:32 Malik Martin 3FG

2nd half
12:24 Makhel Mitchell jumper
11:16 Malik Martin layup off steal by Thomas
10:36 Makhi Mitchell layup
8:31 Antwan Walker dunk

7 assists to Martin (2), Walker (2), Makhi (2) and Makhel (1) - getting the big men involved in the offense

Sheppard - 501 minutes - 52 assists / 30 turnovers = 1.7 assist/turnover ratio
Per 40 minute game:
4.2 assists

Thomas - 256 minutes - 37 assists / 11 turnovers = 3.4 assist/turnover ratio
Per 40 minute game:
5.8 assists

Fact that David Cox played Thomas 38 minutes could be an indication that he is handing the reins to Thomas, moving Sheppard to SG where he is more suited AND Sheppard would also provide a good passing ability to increase offensive efficiency.

[Billyboy78]

Thomas played 38 minutes because he's the only point guard on the team. He came out in the 1st half for about 30 seconds, then fouled out late in the 2nd half. Otherwise, his minutes would have been around 39:30.

[Taylor Swift]

Thomas played 38 minutes because he's the only point guard on the team. He came out in the 1st half for about 30 seconds, then fouled out late in the 2nd half. Otherwise, his minutes would have been around 39:30.

So when Cox says “fatigue”, Sebastian is the only one who’d really qualify as “fatigue”

[steviep123]

“Blow it all up” doesn’t take as long to fix when transfers don’t have to sit out a year. Hire the right coach - maybe someone recently let go like Mack - and the improvement will be immediate.

Leave Cox for 1 more year and you lose an entire fan base.

The right coach can work with the Mitchell twins. The right coach can get 1 more year out of Walker.

Thorr - Go spend money and stop paying discount prices for the one program that drives University revenue and interest. The ROI will be immediate with the right guy.

I supported the Cox hire. It made sense. It didn’t work, but thankfully new rules with immediate eligibility make a “rebuild” a lot quicker and make this job much more attractive - regardless of what remains.

I think that's wrong...the Cox hire never ever made sense.

Strong disagree. Terrible take. It was absolutely the right move based on what we knew at the time.

If you want to take the "next step" as a program, you build on your foundation from within.

Xavier is the perfect example. When they were in the A-10 - Pete Gillen had them on the rise, he left and the grabbed Skip Prosser (basically from within he left for a year after 8 years as an assistant). When Skip left they grabbed Thad Matta, a rising star from the outside at Butler. When Thad left? Sean Miller, from within. When Sean left? Chris Mack, from within. When Mack left? Travis Steele from within.

All throughout that run they continued to win conference titles, be a constant fixture in the top 25 and NCAAT, and moved up to the Big East.

That's the right model to follow.

We took a shot and we missed. You can't predict how someone will do for their first time in the HC chair.

But Miller, Mack, and Steele all got their first shots via a promotion.

Cox had seen everything Hurley did for 4 years. He helped recruit our best PG and a few others. He saw what it took to build a program and then keep it at a high level. I wasn't a fan of his hiring because of the recruiting class. I was a fan of his hiring because of the continuity of the culture. That culture that just won an A10 tourney, A10 title, and 2 NCAA games in 2 trips. Hurley said that "culture of winning" was the hardest thing to build. In keeping Jeff, Fatts, Cyril, Christion, it gave us an opportunity to build off of what we already saw they could do. The recruiting class was a bonus.

Cox was under Thompson, Rice, and Hurley for over 2 decades. 3 of the hardest-assed coaches to ever roam a sideline. How in the hell was anyone supposed to know he was going to be this soft in the #1 chair?

Hindsight is 20/20. He's a great "nice guy" to have on your bench if you're a hard-ass coach. You definitely need that. He's a high character guy who knows basketball and you want him around your program.

It just doesn't translate as a head coach. Unfortunately the only way to figure that out is to try. We tried. He failed. Onto the next.

But it's completely disingenuous to say the "Cox hire never made sense." It made a ton of sense and was completely defensible at the time. It just didn't work out.

This 100%!

[adam914]

Interesting timing of story.

Nothing to lose. Kid has surprised on the upside since committing to URI. Need a spark, leadership, enthusiasm.
I remember when some said Jeff Dowtin wasn’t a point guard his freshman year. Wouldn’t surprise me if Thomas takes the starting position the rest of the year similar to what Dolly Cairns has done on the WBB team and what Jeff did his freshman year.

I would be shocked if Thomas takes the starting position the rest of the year for any reason other then injury. Don't think he's there yet.

Will be interesting to see what David Cox does for the URI (12-6) @ Dayton (13-7) Game on Friday Night ESPN2. My guess is he starts the Freshman Thomas against the Dayton Freshman Malachi Smith. Thomas performed quite well considering he was going up against a 5th year PG the caliber of Jacob Gilyard.

Thomas played a URI Team high 38 minutes before fouling out. 0-8 FG but several of his shots just missed (I know about horseshoes and hand grenades).
2 rebounds
7 assists - game high
1 steal 2 turnovers

Gilyard played a Game high 39 minutes 3-11 FG, 0-7 3FG, 9-9 FT, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 15 points

I'd certainly be fine with him making the switch at this point. Probably makes more sense to replace El-Amin then Sheppard. But I'll still be shocked if he actually does it (assuming everyone is healthy of course).

[ramster]

Looking at the 3 big men in the last two games - bad losses to GW and Richmond:

Makhel Mitchell
GW 30 min, 5-6 FG, 1-4 FT, 7 reb, 2 fouls, 2 assists, 0 TO, 6 blocks, 1 steal, 11 points
Richmond 32 min, 5-11 FG, 7 reb, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 1 TO, 4 blocks 1 steal, 10 points

Makhi Mitchell
GW 24 min, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-12 FT, 10 reb, 4 fouls, 0 assists, 2 TO, 0 blocks, 2 steal, 4 points
Richmond 28 min, 4-12 FG, 0-2 3FG, 1-3 FT, 12 reb, 2 fouls, 0 assists, 1 TO, 2 blocks, 2 steals, 9 points

Antwan Walker
GW 26 min, 4-9 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 5 reb, 3 fouls, 0 assists, 4 TO, 0 blocks, 0 steal, 8 points
Richmond 20 min, 5-8 FG, 2-4 3FG, 0-1 FT, 4 reb, 3 fouls,1 assist, 1 block, 0 steal, 12 points

Combined last 2 games - Best performer in green:
Shooting
Makhel 62 min: 10-17 FG, 1-4 FT - 21 points
Makhi 52 min: 5-15 FG, 3-15 FT - 13 points
Antwan 46 min: 9-17 FG, 0-1 FT - 20 points

Rebounds
Makhel 62 min: 14
Makhi 52 min: 22
Antwan 46 min: 7

Blocked Shots
Makhel 62 min: 10
Makhi 52 min: 2
Antwan 46 min: 1

Steals
Makhel 62 min: 2
Makhi 52 min: 4
Antwan 46 min: 0

Assists
Makhel 62 min: 5
Makhi 52 min: 0
Antwan 46 min: 1

Turnovers
Makhel 62 min: 1
Makhi 52 min: 3
Antwan 46 min: 5

Fouls
Makhel 62 min: 5
Makhi 52 min: 6
Antwan 46 min: 6

[RhodyFanNotAlum]

Fact that David Cox played Thomas 38 minutes could be an indication that he is handing the reins to Thomas, moving Sheppard to SG where he is more suited AND Sheppard would also provide a good passing ability to increase offensive efficiency.

I think you're giving Cox too much credit if you think it's an indication of anything.

[SGreenwell]

Thomas absolutely should not start. Again, seven assists are nice, but he shot 0-for-8 with 0 FTAs. Sheppard's average game - like 3 or 4 assists and 10 or 11 points - is way more valuable, even if it doesn't seem as pretty or good to the eye. As frustrating as URI's recent stretch has been, it's not a coincidence that they lost the Richmond game by more than the others. I think Thomas has earned more time with his play, but he's essentially Stevie Mejia as a player right now.

[RI_Bred]

I think Cox used the term "fatigue" so much in the post game presser because Thomas was sitting right next to him and Cox was buttering him up. Cox was clearly making a reference to Thomas' minutes. He also praised the crap out of Thomas (most deservedly) during the spot. He wants to keep Thomas here.

[rambone 78]

We want to keep Thomas here.

Not Cox though lol.

[rhodylaw]

Looking at the 3 big men in the last two games - bad losses to GW and Richmond:

Makhel Mitchell
GW 30 min, 5-6 FG, 1-4 FT, 7 reb, 2 fouls, 2 assists, 0 TO, 6 blocks, 1 steal, 11 points
Richmond 32 min, 5-11 FG, 7 reb, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 1 TO, 4 blocks 1 steal, 10 points

Makhi Mitchell
GW 24 min, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-12 FT, 10 reb, 4 fouls, 0 assists, 2 TO, 0 blocks, 2 steal, 4 points
Richmond 28 min, 4-12 FG, 0-2 3FG, 1-3 FT, 12 reb, 2 fouls, 0 assists, 1 TO, 2 blocks, 2 steals, 9 points

Antwan Walker
GW 26 min, 4-9 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 5 reb, 3 fouls, 0 assists, 4 TO, 0 blocks, 0 steal, 8 points
Richmond 20 min, 5-8 FG, 2-4 3FG, 0-1 FT, 4 reb, 3 fouls,1 assist, 1 block, 0 steal, 12 points

Combined last 2 games - Best performer in green:
Shooting
Makhel 62 min: 10-17 FG, 1-4 FT - 21 points
Makhi 52 min: 5-15 FG, 3-15 FT - 13 points
Antwan 46 min: 9-17 FG, 0-1 FT - 20 points

Rebounds
Makhel 62 min: 14
Makhi 52 min: 22
Antwan 46 min: 7

Blocked Shots
Makhel 62 min: 10
Makhi 52 min: 2
Antwan 46 min: 1

Steals
Makhel 62 min: 2
Makhi 52 min: 4
Antwan 46 min: 0

Assists
Makhel 62 min: 5
Makhi 52 min: 0
Antwan 46 min: 1

Turnovers
Makhel 62 min: 1
Makhi 52 min: 3
Antwan 46 min: 5

Fouls
Makhel 62 min: 5
Makhi 52 min: 6
Antwan 46 min: 6

Good stats - backs up my eyeball test that the end of game should be Makhel and Antoine. Makhi still has a lot of value but clearly is not ready to close out games yet with Makhel.

[ramster]

Thomas absolutely should not start. Again, seven assists are nice, but he shot 0-for-8 with 0 FTAs. Sheppard's average game - like 3 or 4 assists and 10 or 11 points - is way more valuable, even if it doesn't seem as pretty or good to the eye. As frustrating as URI's recent stretch has been, it's not a coincidence that they lost the Richmond game by more than the others. I think Thomas has earned more time with his play, but he's essentially Stevie Mejia as a player right now.

Thomas Passing Ability
Thomas moves the ball and sees the court better similar to Jeff Dowtin and Tyler Kolek at Marquette. They see passes coming well in advance - like chess players. Great passers are a valued commodity by good coaches. Great passers make the other players around them better. Great passers get as much or more joy from a pass leading to a hoop than from scoring a hoop themselves. Thomas checks these boxes.

Take URI's toughest opponent this year by NET - PC.

• Thomas was +11 in 13.5 minutes. Highest on the team. Thomas was 2-2 FG, 0-2 FT, 1 reb, 3 assists and 0 TOs. He guarded his man well.

• Sheppard was -25 which was worst on the team. Sheppard 31 min, 3-13 FG, 0-5 on 3FGs, 4-4 FT, 4 reb, 2 assists, 1 TO.

• El-Amin -23 2nd worst on the team. El-Amin 22 min was 3-8 FG, 1-3 on 3FGs, 1 reb, 0 assists and 2 TOs

So Thomas in 13 minutes had 3 assists, 0 TO while Sheppard and El-Amin combined 53 minutes had combined only 2 assists and 3 TOs.

It's no wonder the team looked better with Thomas in than with Sheppard and El-Amin.

We played PC even for 35 minutes. We got crushed by Croswell when Cox took out Makhel and Makhi at the same time late in the 1st half with 5 minutes to go. PC won by 14 but 11 of those points came from Croswell's heroics - literally superman. Cox put in Illeri for Mitchell while Cooley countered with Minaya, Croswell and Watson. Game, Set, Match that fast in 4 minutes.
I was sitting about half court and PC fans all around me were impressed by Thomas. Guy next to me had coached Thomas at a younger age in summer basketball camp and was impressed with what he has become.

There is a good chance URI wins this game IF Cox did not put Illeri in the game late in the 1st half (He should have left 1 Mitchell in the game always - Monday am quarterbacking I know - but also know that Cox learned from that). Also, Thomas had played 30 minutes or more I think URI stands a good shot to have beaten PC.

Thomas Shooting
I posted the link to the David Cox Show last week - it's a good listen - highly recommend. Cox talked about how Thomas hits FTs and 3FG's in practices and he was not worried about Thomas' shooting performance. He said that his shooting in the games will come. I believe that 100%.


Sheppard as PG.
I really looked forward to Jeremy taking control this season. He was a big part of my 26-6 Obadiah prediction - still alive I might add. Jeremy has not claimed the leadership that a Jeff Dowtin exhibited. I hoped for more passing and more of a in-charge director of the offense approach. No problem, I was wrong, so just move Jeremy to SG where Thomas can get him the ball in good position to shoot.

Risk? What Risk?
Tammi Reiss moved Dolly Cairns, a sophomore, into the starting line up 5 games ago, replacing a 5th year senior Marta Vargas who was the last on the team to recover from Covid. Tammi said Dolly took the opportunity and ran with it. Tammi took the risk.
David Cox can do a similar thing here with Thomas. Give him the opportunity. See if he runs with it. Why is the worst that can happen? Sheppard and El-Amin are 5th year Seniors. Worst thing is Cox moves back to the same lineup he has had all year.
Thomas shows how he can find and feed the big men. All 7 of his assists went to Makhel, Makhi, Antwan and Malik vs Richmond. He knows how to get them involved. The big men will not go 1 on 1 as much because their moving without the ball to gain position will only increase if they know a guy like Thomas is in the game.

Freshmen vs Upperclassmen Risk
Much different game today than when Stevie Mejia played. I was actually glad when Mejia transferred to Hofstra. I don't see Thomas and Mejia similar at all.
It only took 1 game for 13 minutes of playing time for PC fans to see Thomas has talent and is special. Thomas was a spark of optimism that game.
Thomas said recently that a URI Assistant Coach told him "You know, you are making it difficult for us to Red-Shirt you". So the URI Coaching Staff saw something special in Thomas.
In today's game you need to play the talented guys enough minutes. I talked to Toppin's family and friends often while he was here. I knew Toppin wanted more minutes. DC_Rams told me he was getting the right minutes. I knew better from listening to those close to him. Toppin talked to some of those close to his brother and Kentucky came up. Of all the players for URI, Toppin his freshman year was the player I was most excited to watch. The guy I would buy a ticket to see the next year and the year after. We lost him, We lost Tyrese Martin. Some posters said don't let the door hit you on the way out. Some said Toppin would never play for Kentucky, some said Martin would not start at UCONN.
In today's game players are being watched more closely because of immediate eligibility. 1800 in the transfer portal next year.
Play Thomas and Leggett. They are the future.
Play now to win the A10 Tournament. Try different line ups, different amounts of playing time. This is like Spring Training. No NCAA At-Large is coming URI's way. The biggest Risk will be taking no Risks at all.
Thomas has seen what Kolek did. Thomas could end up at PC one day - wouldn't that be a hoot.

[SGreenwell]

Thomas and Leggett have arguably been our worst rotation regulars this year, and you want to play them more? I mean, if Cox wants to wave the white flag on the season, sure, go ahead. Might as well just start Thomas, Berry, Leggett, Ayo-Faleye and get Samb out of mothballs, then.

[ramster]

In regard to Thomas' ability to score, he was amazing in the D1 Championship game at CCRI 2 years ago when he scored 32 points. He hit 11-11 FTs in this game.

The Hawks were paced by junior guard Sebastian Thomas, who scored 32 points, 23 coming in the second half.

Hendricken trailed by seven points with 3:28 remaining, but Thomas would go off for 17 points from there to propel the Hawks to the win and top seed in the upcoming open state tournament.

“He’s done it all season long, I’m not surprised. In my opinion, he is one of the best, if not the best guard in the state of Rhode Island. He’s got speed, he’s got quickness, he’s a baller and has a lot of confidence. He’s becoming a leader as well,” said Hendricken coach Jamal Gomes after the win.

https://www.warwickonline.com/stories/h ... ion,151960

[ramster]

Thomas and Leggett have arguably been our worst rotation regulars this year, and you want to play them more? I mean, if Cox wants to wave the white flag on the season, sure, go ahead. Might as well just start Thomas, Berry, Leggett, Ayo-Faleye and get Samb out of mothballs, then.

Have you watched Leggett and Thomas play defense? Leggett has played his ass off this year. He often is assigned the opponent's best offensive player.
Leggett has hit 11 of his last 12 FTs in the past 2 games.

White towel? Are you freaken kidding me?

When all that gets posted on this board is negative after negative after negative post. The board is a cesspool of negativity - fine. Posters don't even want others going to games good grief like that matters. There are a lot of white towels being waved around here but not by me. Been to every game except Milwaukee and Davidson and will miss this Friday at Dayton. So spare me the waving the White Flag nonsense.

I think this team can win the A10 Championship - still do.

How many weeks ago did I say URI is not going to get an At-Large? Also the A10 is a 1 Bid League - possibly 2 if there is a Bid Stealer in the Championship game.

This team needs a Quarterback. Teams needs energy, optimism and toughness. I admit my hopes for Sheppard look to have been wrong but he is still a good player. Thomas can be that guy, but we will never know if he plays only 8-12 minutes per game. I think, and hope, that David Cox turns the PG position over to Thomas.

I picked El-Amin to lead the team in scoring in Obadiah's contest. I was wrong again. His defense has been solid. Shooting good, passing less than expected. Good guy to have on the team leadership wise.

I'll take Ishmael Leggett on my team anyday. Kid is a warrior, he is a winner, he is playing the toughest defensively on the team on a consistent basis. he gets in the middle of the pack and rebounds in the trees. He does the dirty work, he carries a lunchbox to work. We miss the rebounding that EC Mathews and Jared Terrell provided from the 3rd guard position. Leggett is filling that void the best he can.

[SGreenwell]

Grit is great. Grit and production are better. We can measure what Thomas and Leggett have contributed to this year's team. Thomas kind of gets a mulligan from me in some respects - He's a true freshman adjusting to D1 basketball, and he shows promise. He should be playing 10 to 20 MPG, not starting.

Leggett's ORTG has gone down from 109.1 to 96.7, and his shooting rates have plummeted, while his FTA per 100 have stayed level. He's playing better than last year on defense, but it doesn't make up for the regression in his offensive game. At this point, I'd argue that bringing him in off the bench might be warranted, just to see if it helps him improve his shot, and then start him again later in the year if he does show improvement.

[Jersey77]

Thomas and Leggett have arguably been our worst rotation regulars this year, and you want to play them more? I mean, if Cox wants to wave the white flag on the season, sure, go ahead. Might as well just start Thomas, Berry, Leggett, Ayo-Faleye and get Samb out of mothballs, then.

Have you watched Leggett and Thomas play defense? Leggett has played his ass off this year. He often is assigned the opponent's best offensive player.
Leggett has hit 11 of his last 12 FTs in the past 2 games.

White towel? Are you freaken kidding me?

When all that gets posted on this board is negative after negative after negative post. The board is a cesspool of negativity - fine. Posters don't even want others going to games good grief like that matters. There are a lot of white towels being waved around here but not by me. Been to every game except Milwaukee and Davidson and will miss this Friday at Dayton. So spare me the waving the White Flag nonsense.

I think this team can win the A10 Championship - still do.

How many weeks ago did I say URI is not going to get an At-Large? Also the A10 is a 1 Bid League - possibly 2 if there is a Bid Stealer in the Championship game.

This team needs a Quarterback. Teams needs energy, optimism and toughness. I admit my hopes for Sheppard look to have been wrong but he is still a good player. Thomas can be that guy, but we will never know if he plays only 8-12 minutes per game. I think, and hope, that David Cox turns the PG position over to Thomas.

I picked El-Amin to lead the team in scoring in Obadiah's contest. I was wrong again. His defense has been solid. Shooting good, passing less than expected. Good guy to have on the team leadership wise.

I'll take Ishmael Leggett on my team anyday. Kid is a warrior, he is a winner, he is playing the toughest defensively on the team on a consistent basis. he gets in the middle of the pack and rebounds in the trees. He does the dirty work, he carries a lunchbox to work. We miss the rebounding that EC Mathews and Jared Terrell provided from the 3rd guard position. Leggett is filling that void the best he can.

Yes Ramster, I love the energy Ish brings plus all the intangibles. He is our best perimeter defender and has the toughest assignments.
He is in a little shooting slump, but I have confidence he will break out of it.

As we keep saying Bassy is still green but has unexpectedly played himself into the rotation.
He does have a great basketball IQ and am looking forward to see his growth here.

[ramster]

Grit is great. Grit and production are better. We can measure what Thomas and Leggett have contributed to this year's team. Thomas kind of gets a mulligan from me in some respects - He's a true freshman adjusting to D1 basketball, and he shows promise. He should be playing 10 to 20 MPG, not starting.

Leggett's ORTG has gone down from 109.1 to 96.7, and his shooting rates have plummeted, while his FTA per 100 have stayed level. He's playing better than last year on defense, but it doesn't make up for the regression in his offensive game. At this point, I'd argue that bringing him in off the bench might be warranted, just to see if it helps him improve his shot, and then start him again later in the year if he does show improvement.

If I'm Leggett and you bring me off the bench while you start El-Amin or Sheppard or god-forbid Carey I'm out on the next train.

Cox puts Leggett on the opponent's best player for a reason - he is tough as nails. He never gripes to Referees, he is unselfish and a superb individual.

Go to a game in person, sit court-side and watch the effort that Leggett puts in on both ends of the floor. And watch the effort Malik Martin puts in on both ends too. These two guys are warriors - they give it their all. And they give it 100% whether we are up 20, down 20 or tied.

You will see the two of them hanging together, sometimes attending the WBB games and the study hall together. Can't think of a better guy than Leggett on the team for Martin to hang with or a better guy than Martin for Leggett to hang with. Two guys I'll take on my team in a heartbeat and proud that they represent my beloved institution.

A couple games ago Leggett had play inside go awry. Antwan Walker stopped as they moved up the court and patted Leggett on the head as if to say don't worry, we are with you all the way. Leggett is a concrete building block for this team. The players and coaches know that.

[RI_Bred]

Thomas absolutely should not start. Again, seven assists are nice, but he shot 0-for-8 with 0 FTAs. Sheppard's average game - like 3 or 4 assists and 10 or 11 points - is way more valuable, even if it doesn't seem as pretty or good to the eye. As frustrating as URI's recent stretch has been, it's not a coincidence that they lost the Richmond game by more than the others. I think Thomas has earned more time with his play, but he's essentially Stevie Mejia as a player right now.

Thomas Passing Ability
Thomas moves the ball and sees the court better similar to Jeff Dowtin and Tyler Kolek at Marquette. They see passes coming well in advance - like chess players. Great passers are a valued commodity by good coaches. Great passers make the other players around them better. Great passers get as much or more joy from a pass leading to a hoop than from scoring a hoop themselves. Thomas checks these boxes.

Take URI's toughest opponent this year by NET - PC.

• Thomas was +11 in 13.5 minutes. Highest on the team. Thomas was 2-2 FG, 0-2 FT, 1 reb, 3 assists and 0 TOs. He guarded his man well.

• Sheppard was -25 which was worst on the team. Sheppard 31 min, 3-13 FG, 0-5 on 3FGs, 4-4 FT, 4 reb, 2 assists, 1 TO.

• El-Amin -23 2nd worst on the team. El-Amin 22 min was 3-8 FG, 1-3 on 3FGs, 1 reb, 0 assists and 2 TOs

So Thomas in 13 minutes had 3 assists, 0 TO while Sheppard and El-Amin combined 53 minutes had combined only 2 assists and 3 TOs.

It's no wonder the team looked better with Thomas in than with Sheppard and El-Amin.

We played PC even for 35 minutes. We got crushed by Croswell when Cox took out Makhel and Makhi at the same time late in the 1st half with 5 minutes to go. PC won by 14 but 11 of those points came from Croswell's heroics - literally superman. Cox put in Illeri for Mitchell while Cooley countered with Minaya, Croswell and Watson. Game, Set, Match that fast in 4 minutes.
I was sitting about half court and PC fans all around me were impressed by Thomas. Guy next to me had coached Thomas at a younger age in summer basketball camp and was impressed with what he has become.

There is a good chance URI wins this game IF Cox did not put Illeri in the game late in the 1st half (He should have left 1 Mitchell in the game always - Monday am quarterbacking I know - but also know that Cox learned from that). Also, Thomas had played 30 minutes or more I think URI stands a good shot to have beaten PC.

Thomas Shooting
I posted the link to the David Cox Show last week - it's a good listen - highly recommend. Cox talked about how Thomas hits FTs and 3FG's in practices and he was not worried about Thomas' shooting performance. He said that his shooting in the games will come. I believe that 100%.


Sheppard as PG.
I really looked forward to Jeremy taking control this season. He was a big part of my 26-6 Obadiah prediction - still alive I might add. Jeremy has not claimed the leadership that a Jeff Dowtin exhibited. I hoped for more passing and more of a in-charge director of the offense approach. No problem, I was wrong, so just move Jeremy to SG where Thomas can get him the ball in good position to shoot.

Risk? What Risk?
Tammi Reiss moved Dolly Cairns, a sophomore, into the starting line up 5 games ago, replacing a 5th year senior Marta Vargas who was the last on the team to recover from Covid. Tammi said Dolly took the opportunity and ran with it. Tammi took the risk.
David Cox can do a similar thing here with Thomas. Give him the opportunity. See if he runs with it. Why is the worst that can happen? Sheppard and El-Amin are 5th year Seniors. Worst thing is Cox moves back to the same lineup he has had all year.
Thomas shows how he can find and feed the big men. All 7 of his assists went to Makhel, Makhi, Antwan and Malik vs Richmond. He knows how to get them involved. The big men will not go 1 on 1 as much because their moving without the ball to gain position will only increase if they know a guy like Thomas is in the game.

Freshmen vs Upperclassmen Risk
Much different game today than when Stevie Mejia played. I was actually glad when Mejia transferred to Hofstra. I don't see Thomas and Mejia similar at all.
It only took 1 game for 13 minutes of playing time for PC fans to see Thomas has talent and is special. Thomas was a spark of optimism that game.
Thomas said recently that a URI Assistant Coach told him "You know, you are making it difficult for us to Red-Shirt you". So the URI Coaching Staff saw something special in Thomas.
In today's game you need to play the talented guys enough minutes. I talked to Toppin's family and friends often while he was here. I knew Toppin wanted more minutes. DC_Rams told me he was getting the right minutes. I knew better from listening to those close to him. Toppin talked to some of those close to his brother and Kentucky came up. Of all the players for URI, Toppin his freshman year was the player I was most excited to watch. The guy I would buy a ticket to see the next year and the year after. We lost him, We lost Tyrese Martin. Some posters said don't let the door hit you on the way out. Some said Toppin would never play for Kentucky, some said Martin would not start at UCONN.
In today's game players are being watched more closely because of immediate eligibility. 1800 in the transfer portal next year.
Play Thomas and Leggett. They are the future.
Play now to win the A10 Tournament. Try different line ups, different amounts of playing time. This is like Spring Training. No NCAA At-Large is coming URI's way. The biggest Risk will be taking no Risks at all.
Thomas has seen what Kolek did. Thomas could end up at PC one day - wouldn't that be a hoot.

Very nice.

[SGreenwell]

Grit is great. Grit and production are better. We can measure what Thomas and Leggett have contributed to this year's team. Thomas kind of gets a mulligan from me in some respects - He's a true freshman adjusting to D1 basketball, and he shows promise. He should be playing 10 to 20 MPG, not starting.

Leggett's ORTG has gone down from 109.1 to 96.7, and his shooting rates have plummeted, while his FTA per 100 have stayed level. He's playing better than last year on defense, but it doesn't make up for the regression in his offensive game. At this point, I'd argue that bringing him in off the bench might be warranted, just to see if it helps him improve his shot, and then start him again later in the year if he does show improvement.

If I'm Leggett and you bring me off the bench while you start El-Amin or Sheppard or god-forbid Carey I'm out on the next train.

Cox puts Leggett on the opponent's best player for a reason - he is tough as nails. He never gripes to Referees, he is unselfish and a superb individual.

Go to a game in person, sit court-side and watch the effort that Leggett puts in on both ends of the floor. And watch the effort Malik Martin puts in on both ends too. These two guys are warriors - they give it their all. And they give it 100% whether we are up 20, down 20 or tied.

You will see the two of them hanging together, sometimes attending the WBB games and the study hall together. Can't think of a better guy than Leggett on the team for Martin to hang with or a better guy than Martin for Leggett to hang with. Two guys I'll take on my team in a heartbeat and proud that they represent my beloved institution.

A couple games ago Leggett had play inside go awry. Antwan Walker stopped as they moved up the court and patted Leggett on the head as if to say don't worry, we are with you all the way. Leggett is a concrete building block for this team. The players and coaches know that.

It's pretty obvious that Leggett busts his ass and works hard. However, sometimes players like that need to be sat, because they can get deep inside their own head. I've got no clue if that's the case with him, but the deterioration in his offensive game is concerning. Coming into the year, he was the best "breakout" candidate on the roster, and he's regressed. He's played 18 games and 26.1 MPG this year, so I kind of think we're past the "let him play and work it out" phase.

[ramster]

Grit is great. Grit and production are better. We can measure what Thomas and Leggett have contributed to this year's team. Thomas kind of gets a mulligan from me in some respects - He's a true freshman adjusting to D1 basketball, and he shows promise. He should be playing 10 to 20 MPG, not starting.

Leggett's ORTG has gone down from 109.1 to 96.7, and his shooting rates have plummeted, while his FTA per 100 have stayed level. He's playing better than last year on defense, but it doesn't make up for the regression in his offensive game. At this point, I'd argue that bringing him in off the bench might be warranted, just to see if it helps him improve his shot, and then start him again later in the year if he does show improvement.

If I'm Leggett and you bring me off the bench while you start El-Amin or Sheppard or god-forbid Carey I'm out on the next train.

Cox puts Leggett on the opponent's best player for a reason - he is tough as nails. He never gripes to Referees, he is unselfish and a superb individual.

Go to a game in person, sit court-side and watch the effort that Leggett puts in on both ends of the floor. And watch the effort Malik Martin puts in on both ends too. These two guys are warriors - they give it their all. And they give it 100% whether we are up 20, down 20 or tied.

You will see the two of them hanging together, sometimes attending the WBB games and the study hall together. Can't think of a better guy than Leggett on the team for Martin to hang with or a better guy than Martin for Leggett to hang with. Two guys I'll take on my team in a heartbeat and proud that they represent my beloved institution.

A couple games ago Leggett had play inside go awry. Antwan Walker stopped as they moved up the court and patted Leggett on the head as if to say don't worry, we are with you all the way. Leggett is a concrete building block for this team. The players and coaches know that.

It's pretty obvious that Leggett busts his ass and works hard. However, sometimes players like that need to be sat, because they can get deep inside their own head. I've got no clue if that's the case with him, but the deterioration in his offensive game is concerning. Coming into the year, he was the best "breakout" candidate on the roster, and he's regressed. He's played 18 games and 26.1 MPG this year, so I kind of think we're past the "let him play and work it out" phase.

There are two parts to this game. Offense and Defense. This Board deals 99.9% with only offensive statistics.
Defensive statistics include only steals. Some players go for steals and the media tabs them as superior defensive players. They don't see or even know how to look at how some steal oriented players get beat by their man to the hoop on a regular basis.

Right now it's like Cox can't do anything right on this Board and with the Local Media. Cox has done a solid job in turning this year's team into a strong defensive team. If you falter defensively I have seen Cox take the player out on numerous occasions.

No way I am pulling Leggett from the starting rotation. Still a lot of season left.

[SGreenwell]

If I'm Leggett and you bring me off the bench while you start El-Amin or Sheppard or god-forbid Carey I'm out on the next train.

Cox puts Leggett on the opponent's best player for a reason - he is tough as nails. He never gripes to Referees, he is unselfish and a superb individual.

Go to a game in person, sit court-side and watch the effort that Leggett puts in on both ends of the floor. And watch the effort Malik Martin puts in on both ends too. These two guys are warriors - they give it their all. And they give it 100% whether we are up 20, down 20 or tied.

You will see the two of them hanging together, sometimes attending the WBB games and the study hall together. Can't think of a better guy than Leggett on the team for Martin to hang with or a better guy than Martin for Leggett to hang with. Two guys I'll take on my team in a heartbeat and proud that they represent my beloved institution.

A couple games ago Leggett had play inside go awry. Antwan Walker stopped as they moved up the court and patted Leggett on the head as if to say don't worry, we are with you all the way. Leggett is a concrete building block for this team. The players and coaches know that.

It's pretty obvious that Leggett busts his ass and works hard. However, sometimes players like that need to be sat, because they can get deep inside their own head. I've got no clue if that's the case with him, but the deterioration in his offensive game is concerning. Coming into the year, he was the best "breakout" candidate on the roster, and he's regressed. He's played 18 games and 26.1 MPG this year, so I kind of think we're past the "let him play and work it out" phase.

There are two parts to this game. Offense and Defense. This Board deals 99.9% with only offensive statistics.
Defensive statistics include only steals. Some players go for steals and the media tabs them as superior defensive players. They don't see or even know how to look at how some steal oriented players get beat by their man to the hoop on a regular basis.

Right now it's like Cox can't do anything right on this Board and with the Local Media. Cox has done a solid job in turning this year's team into a strong defensive team. If you falter defensively I have seen Cox take the player out on numerous occasions.

No way I am pulling Leggett from the starting rotation. Still a lot of season left.

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds. He's doubled his steals per 40 minutes, while not increasing his fouls, and his DRTG has gotten better, from 104.7 to 97.5. That's partially a "team context" stat, but it matches up with the eye test. All of that's good! Leggett has improved, but it's not enough to offset the losses in his offensive game. Without the offense, Leggett's peak is being a Stan Robinson-type of player - still a valuable rotation piece, but going into the year, I was hoping he would develop more defensively while maintaining his previous offense. That's more aligned with an All-A10 level player.

[RIFan]

I can’t think of many seasons when we did not have a legit star guard or guards, as a group this may be the weakest I have seen in my 30+ years following the team.

[ramster]

I can’t think of many seasons when we did not have a legit star guard or guards, as a group this may be the weakest I have seen in my 30+ years following the team.

Imagine this team with Toppin and Tyrese Martin on the wings.

[Rhody15]

I can’t think of many seasons when we did not have a legit star guard or guards, as a group this may be the weakest I have seen in my 30+ years following the team.

Imagine this team with Toppin and Tyrese Martin on the wings.

Can’t just really add those two to this team.

If those two had stayed, multiple players on this current team wouldn’t be here.

[steveystuds06]

I'm all for Thomas starting, but I think we still need Shep in the starting lineup, so we have some offense. We need to keep in mind it's likely teams aren't scouting Thomas much right now. The more Thomas plays, the more teams know they can dare him to shoot. They will lag off of him and double the frontcourt more and more. I still think he can impact because he's our smartest player and is a pure point guard.

My starting 5 would be
Thomas
Shep
EA
Walker
Makhel

Carey has earned more minutes, and I hope he gets them.
Ish needs to play less until he figures it out. There is no reason he should be playing a lot more minutes than Carey and Thomas.
Malik will keep doing his thing.
Makhi should play closer to the high teens, and Walker should be playing 25+

[steveystuds06]

I can’t think of many seasons when we did not have a legit star guard or guards, as a group this may be the weakest I have seen in my 30+ years following the team.

Imagine this team with Toppin and Tyrese Martin on the wings.

Can’t just really add those two to this team.

If those two had stayed, multiple players on this current team wouldn’t be here.

Ya, I think Malik was basically the replacement for Tyrese.

[ramster]

Imagine this team with Toppin and Tyrese Martin on the wings.

Can’t just really add those two to this team.

If those two had stayed, multiple players on this current team wouldn’t be here.

Ya, I think Malik was basically the replacement for Tyrese.

Of course others would not be on the team if Toppin And Tyrese Martin had stayed. El-Amin wouldn't be here if Russell hadn't left.

[ramster]

I'm all for Thomas starting, but I think we still need Shep in the starting lineup, so we have some offense. We need to keep in mind it's likely teams aren't scouting Thomas much right now. The more Thomas plays, the more teams know they can dare him to shoot. They will lag off of him and double the frontcourt more and more. I still think he can impact because he's our smartest player and is a pure point guard.

My starting 5 would be
Thomas
Shep
EA
Walker
Makhel

Carey has earned more minutes, and I hope he gets them.
Ish needs to play less until he figures it out. There is no reason he should be playing a lot more minutes than Carey and Thomas.
Malik will keep doing his thing.
Makhi should play closer to the high teens, and Walker should be playing 25+

The big complaint about the Mitchell's was turnovers. They have had a combined 4 Turnovers in the past two games - George Washington and Richmond. Walker by himself had 4 Turnovers in just the George Washington game.

[rambone 78]

Why are we arguing about the deck chairs when the Titanic is going tail up?

[adam914]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

[SGreenwell]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

I'm old and washed, so, GoneBaronGone might know a better current site that's doing advanced basketball stats analysis. But I usually just look at Sports Reference, which does offer conference vs. non-conference stats and other breakdowns, at least for teams of the past 20 years or so. I would caution that the conference sample size for this year is only six games so far, and in general, college seasons and stats have way more variance than pro stats.

[adam914]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

I'm old and washed, so, GoneBaronGone might know a better current site that's doing advanced basketball stats analysis. But I usually just look at Sports Reference, which does offer conference vs. non-conference stats and other breakdowns, at least for teams of the past 20 years or so. I would caution that the conference sample size for this year is only six games so far, and in general, college seasons and stats have way more variance than pro stats.

Cool, going to try and dive in to that a little if I can. I'm mostly curious at this point how much the opponent has mattered in this case. My eyes tell me the defense has been much better this season, so wondering if the stats agree when you look deeper at opponents. Solid point about the sample size though.

[SmartyBarrett]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

KenPom is great... best $20 a year I could spend. He does a lot of advanced defensive stuff for teams (nothing on an individual player level, unfortunately) and breaks it out by full season and conference-only. To that point, URI's defense has been *slightly* better in conference play then it was in non-conference play, but on a whole it has been solid all season (currently ranked 55th in the country and 3rd in A-10 play in his efficiency metric).

The offense is another story...

[adam914]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

KenPom is great... best $20 a year I could spend. He does a lot of advanced defensive stuff for teams (nothing on an individual player level, unfortunately) and breaks it out by full season and conference-only. To that point, URI's defense has been *slightly* better in conference play then it was in non-conference play, but on a whole it has been solid all season (currently ranked 55th in the country and 3rd in A-10 play in his efficiency metric).

The offense is another story...

Thank you, I really should just sign up for it. Couldn't hurt for wagering purposes either!

[rhodysurf]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

KenPom is great... best $20 a year I could spend. He does a lot of advanced defensive stuff for teams (nothing on an individual player level, unfortunately) and breaks it out by full season and conference-only. To that point, URI's defense has been *slightly* better in conference play then it was in non-conference play, but on a whole it has been solid all season (currently ranked 55th in the country and 3rd in A-10 play in his efficiency metric).

The offense is another story...

Its worth every penny

[SGreenwell]

There are WAY more defensive statistics than steals, blocks, PF and rebounds.

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

KenPom is great... best $20 a year I could spend. He does a lot of advanced defensive stuff for teams (nothing on an individual player level, unfortunately) and breaks it out by full season and conference-only. To that point, URI's defense has been *slightly* better in conference play then it was in non-conference play, but on a whole it has been solid all season (currently ranked 55th in the country and 3rd in A-10 play in his efficiency metric).

The offense is another story...

I don't subscribe now, but yeah, KenPom's site is great - used to have a sub in the past. "Unfortunately," I can only be obsessive in some interests now that I'm married and have a full-time job, haha.

[reef]

Anyone have the plus minus stats for our players those would be interesting

[ramster]

Anyone have the plus minus stats for our players those would be interesting

Reef,
I only know by individual game. Maybe someone knows where cumulative totals are by player.

Go to GoRhody.com
MBB Basketball
Statistics
Pick PDF Games
I attached the PC URI Game as an example. + - to far right of Box Score for each player.

012B3561-6170-4405-AE3C-0634A77A59AD.jpeg

0E012BD0-DF2D-4F46-BB4E-A3CBCD04F668.jpeg

[SGreenwell]

Sports Reference has adjusted +/- numbers - basically, they estimate based on box scores. Makhel (+6.1) and Walker (+4.4) are the highest on the team, because Makhel's actual minutes played trumps Walker's superior efficiency in less minutes. Leggett, Makhi and Thomas are in the negatives, in that order. It's the "BPM" column on this page.

[ramster]

Sports Reference has adjusted +/- numbers - basically, they estimate based on box scores. Makhel (+6.1) and Walker (+4.4) are the highest on the team, because Makhel's actual minutes played trumps Walker's superior efficiency in less minutes. Leggett, Makhi and Thomas are in the negatives, in that order. It's the "BPM" column on this page.

Great site
Do they have BPM for only Conference Games?

Really like the 40 minute conversion data
thanks

[SGreenwell]

Sports Reference has adjusted +/- numbers - basically, they estimate based on box scores. Makhel (+6.1) and Walker (+4.4) are the highest on the team, because Makhel's actual minutes played trumps Walker's superior efficiency in less minutes. Leggett, Makhi and Thomas are in the negatives, in that order. It's the "BPM" column on this page.

Great site
Do they have BPM for only Conference Games?

Really like the 40 minute conversion data
thanks

Hm, if you click on an individual player, there's a blank for conference only adjusted + / -. I'm not sure if it's because they don't have enough data yet, or if data is missing.

[ramster]

Sports Reference has adjusted +/- numbers - basically, they estimate based on box scores. Makhel (+6.1) and Walker (+4.4) are the highest on the team, because Makhel's actual minutes played trumps Walker's superior efficiency in less minutes. Leggett, Makhi and Thomas are in the negatives, in that order. It's the "BPM" column on this page.

Great site
Do they have BPM for only Conference Games?

Really like the 40 minute conversion data
thanks

Hm, if you click on an individual player, there's a blank for conference only adjusted + / -. I'm not sure if it's because they don't have enough data yet, or if data is missing.

What I mean is like on the A10 Statistics Site. They have the data for All Games and then data for A10 Conference Only Games - by Team and by Individual
Not sure I was clear on that.

[SGreenwell]

Great site
Do they have BPM for only Conference Games?

Really like the 40 minute conversion data
thanks

Hm, if you click on an individual player, there's a blank for conference only adjusted + / -. I'm not sure if it's because they don't have enough data yet, or if data is missing.

What I mean is like on the A10 Statistics Site. They have the data for All Games and then data for A10 Conference Only Games - by Team and by Individual
Not sure I was clear on that.

Yes - If you go to an individual player's stats, they have all games, then further down the page, they're broken down into conference only games.

[SmartyBarrett]

Just out of curiosity, what sites do you recommend for the more advanced defensive metrics? And do they break things down by games, say conference and non-conference or anything like that? I would be curious to check that out. I'm wondering if things have gotten better, worse, or relatively the same defensively since conference play started.

KenPom is great... best $20 a year I could spend. He does a lot of advanced defensive stuff for teams (nothing on an individual player level, unfortunately) and breaks it out by full season and conference-only. To that point, URI's defense has been *slightly* better in conference play then it was in non-conference play, but on a whole it has been solid all season (currently ranked 55th in the country and 3rd in A-10 play in his efficiency metric).

The offense is another story...

Thank you, I really should just sign up for it. Couldn't hurt for wagering purposes either!

If you wanna try out some similar nerdy stuff that doesn't involve putting down a credit card, there's also:

BartTorvik: https://barttorvik.com/

Haslametrics: https://haslametrics.com/ratings.php

Very similar stuff to KenPom.

[RhodyKyle]

KenPom is great... best $20 a year I could spend. He does a lot of advanced defensive stuff for teams (nothing on an individual player level, unfortunately) and breaks it out by full season and conference-only. To that point, URI's defense has been *slightly* better in conference play then it was in non-conference play, but on a whole it has been solid all season (currently ranked 55th in the country and 3rd in A-10 play in his efficiency metric).

The offense is another story...

Thank you, I really should just sign up for it. Couldn't hurt for wagering purposes either!

If you wanna try out some similar nerdy stuff that doesn't involve putting down a credit card, there's also:

BartTorvik: https://barttorvik.com/

Haslametrics: https://haslametrics.com/ratings.php

Very similar stuff to KenPom.

And be wary of using KP for betting. I find most sportsbooks set their line within a half point of his predictions so you need to find value when the ill-informed public bets their team heavy and then fade them when the line follows. I love fading Kansas and Michigan fans when I can.