3/7 | WBB – Dayton | 7:30PM (ESPN+) | A-10 2nd Round

[spookydog]

University of Rhode Island vs Dayton University
Atlantic 10 – 2nd Round
Henrico Sports & Events Center, Glen Allen, VA
Thursday, March 7, 2024
7:30PM

Media
TV: N/A
Online: ESPN +
App: Varsity Network

Previews
Dayton Fan Forum


The University of Rhode Island women’s team open conference tournament play against the Dayton Flyers. After being picked 1st in the preseason A10 polls, the Rams finished a disappointing 6th with a 10-8 record in the conference. Last season, Rhody went 14-2, so there was a bit of a drop off this season. The Rams will be better rested as the the Flyers just played Wednesday night in the opening round of the tournament where they beat the Bonnies by 14.

Dayton enters this game at just 5-13 in conference play. These two teams just squared off less than a week ago, where the Rams won going away in Dayton 77-42. Dayton used to be Rhody’s kryptonite once losing to them 19 times in a row between 2005 & 2022. The Flyers are led by Miami of Ohio transfer Ivy Wolf. The junior guard is leading the team in points with 12 per game & assists with 3 per game. She is an excellent free throw shooter at almost 95%, missing just 2 on the season. Senior guard Destiny Bohanon is second on the team in scoring with just over 10 per game. Junior forward Arianna Smith is leading the team in rebounding at 10.7 boards per game, which is good for 15th in the country. She is also averaging just over 9 points per game.

As for the Rams, they have a balanced scoring attack with 4 players averaging between 11 & 13 points per game. Once again leading the Rams in scoring is senior forward Maye Toure. Her numbers are down from last season, but she is still averaging almost 13 points per game & 7.7 rebounds per game. Second on the team in scoring is Syracuse transfer Teisha Hyman with 11.5 points per game. She is also third on the team in rebounding with 5.7 per game. Running the point is Manhattan transfer Dee Dee Davis. The 6th(!) year senior has been looking for her offense more as the season progresses, scoring double-digits in her last 9 games. She is third on the team in scoring at 11.2 & second on the team is assists with 2.6 per game. Lastly is Sophie Phillips, who comes in at just over 11 points per game. She is the team’s top 3-point shooter, having attempted roughly 150 more than the next closest player. With an increased roll this season, opposing teams put more of a defensive focus on her causing her three-point percentage to be 6.5% less than the previous year. Phillips is just two 3-point buckets away from passing Charise Wilson for most 3s made in a season. She is also the only player in Rams history to have made 70+ 3s in two different seasons.

Can Rhody make a run in the A10 tournament? The winner of this game takes on the 3 seed Saint Joseph’s Friday night at 7:30. The Rams were swept by the Hawks this season. If they happen to squeak by that one they would then probably take on a very good VCU team. Both the Hawks & VCU Rams went 15-3 in conference play. As for the game Thursday night, the Rams held the Flyers to just 23% shooting & they missed all 13 three-point attempts the last time these two teams played. If they play defense anything like that, they should win easily. My prediction URI 70 – Dayton 58. Go Rhody!!



Opponent
Record:
12-18, 5-13 in the A10
7-21, 5-10 in the A10 (Last Season)


Rankings (URI):
NCAA NET: 252 (83)
RPI: 243 (88)

Leaders:
Points – Ivy Wolf 12.0 (Jr., G)
Rebounds – Arianna Smith 10.7 (Jr., F)
Assists – Ivy Wolf 3.4 (Soph., G) (3.1 TO per game)

URI Leaders:
Points – Maye Toure 12.9 (Sr., F)
Rebounds – Maye Toure 7.7 (Jr. F)
Assists – Ines Desbroise 3.2 (Soph., G) (1.3 TO per game)


Historical
Series: 6-27
H: 4-11, A: 1-15, N: 1-1
Most Recent Matchup: 3/2/24 77-42 W at Dayton
Most Recent Win Streak: 2 – URI

[Billyboy78]

Thanks Spooky. I thought I read that this game was on ESPNU. I looked all over the place for it. I should have looked here first. I don't see them going on a run. They just not as good as they were last year, not enough good shooters and they turn the ball over way too much.. They should win pretty easily tonight though, but after that it will be tough. Disappointing season so far. I believe Toure was picked as the pre-season player of the year. She made 2nd team. No one else made it, although Sophie made all academic. But, get hot and play smarter and who knows. Go Rhody.

[Billyboy78]

Down by one after the first quarter to a bad team. I don't know what happened to Maye Toure. She was so much better last year. She has zero points going 0-4 from the field.

[spookydog]

Really need to start hitting shots.

[Billyboy78]

Really need to start hitting shots.

Teisha:2-7....Maye:1-8.

[PeteRI]

Our Ladies are playing like our Men. Tammi has barely played the freshmen all year and here we are at the end of the season with a short bench. Not good.

[kal-65]

they need to get phillips more looks at the basket

harrick used to preach,go inside then pass out for a 3

[PeteRI]

Turnovers killing us.

[PeteRI]

Debroise throws it away, then picks up a charge.

[PeteRI]

Phillips such a nonfactor Tammi took her out for part of Q3. Rhody 41-40 @ 4:34.

[PeteRI]

Komara playing instead of Toure. That's just sad.

[PeteRI]

I'm a broken record on this but Tammi's reluctance to play highly recruited freshmen is a terrible strategy.

[PeteRI]

Davis already with a double double. She came to play tonight.

[PeteRI]

We beat this team by 33 just 5 days ago. They're playing their second game in 2 nights and we're only up by 3 points in Q4.

[PeteRI]

Dee Dee with her 4th 3 to open up an 8- point lead.

[PeteRI]

Why is Tammi keeping Davis in the game when we're comfortably ahead and she has to play again tomorrow?

[PeteRI]

URI with a 70-57 win against the 12th place Flyers. Davis the star with 23 points, 11 rebounds, Hyman with 13, Debroise with 10 and Toure with 10 rebounds and 9 points as she misses a double double with 2 late missed free throws.

DeChent: 0 minutes.
Leddeck: 0 minutes.
Vital: 0 minutes.

[kal-65]

we need a better all around game to beat st. joo

[Billyboy78]

Grad transfers played well tonight along with Ines. On to the next one.

[spookydog]

I almost nailed the exact score in my prediction. Missed it by just one point.

[SGreenwell]

I'm a broken record on this but Tammi's reluctance to play highly recruited freshmen is a terrible strategy.

I think if they were good, they'd be playing more. DeChent is going to finish the year shooting close to 29 percent, on a team that's been starved for shooting, and she's mostly had open looks. Ledden hasn't exceeded 6 minutes in any game. I think there's probably a good chance that neither is truly ready for competitive minutes at the Atlantic 10 level, and if they're going to improve, it's probably between seasons. Phillips was the Class C player of the year in New York, and she totaled 32 minutes her freshman year, so there's precedent for that happening more in women's basketball than men's basketball.

[Billyboy78]

I'm a broken record on this but Tammi's reluctance to play highly recruited freshmen is a terrible strategy.

I think if they were good, they'd be playing more. DeChent is going to finish the year shooting close to 29 percent, on a team that's been starved for shooting, and she's mostly had open looks. Ledden hasn't exceeded 6 minutes in any game. I think there's probably a good chance that neither is truly ready for competitive minutes at the Atlantic 10 level, and if they're going to improve, it's probably between seasons. Phillips was the Class C player of the year in New York, and she totaled 32 minutes her freshman year, so there's precedent for that happening more in women's basketball than men's basketball.

Maye didn't play much early on either.