Game 10: URI at Nebraska (Sunday, Dec. 13, 2 p.m., ESPN3)

[sf2010]

I just don't get why they won't look in the mirror and see the offense just won't work against good teams. It's goes all the way back to X. They are 7-22 against Kenpom top 100 teams in the last three years (including this year) and only one top 50 win. So, you and I can haggle on how much talent they have on offense, but you can clearly see the scheme is lacking, right?

This "why won't they just look in the mirror" talk is part of what gets me so frustrated. Do you think Hurley doesn't know that the offense hasn't been good this year? Do you think it is just as easy as "oh let's go hire a tremendous offensive assistant coach" as if they fall from trees, or, "oh Davidson has a tremendous offense why don't we just play the same way they do" as if it is easy to play that style without specifically recruiting players for that system (who also happen to have severe defensive deficiencies - as I've said elsewhere, it's clear what Hurley prioritized). if a drastic offensive scheme shift was all that was necessary to make this team above-average on that side of the court, I have no doubt that the coaching staff would implement it. If it was that easy we'd all be HoF coaches after two weeks of watching film. What bothers me is when people say it is a lack of preparation, or drive, or what have you.

I was flabbergasted that Four got that great look against Valpo. It's one of the few times in four years they didn't call "hero ball" in the closing seconds. Good, opposing coaches know exactly what is coming.

Defending end-game situations is one of the easier things to do. Generally, coaches will have a sense of the two or three primary options, and they know exactly how long before the other team has to shoot the ball. Last-possession shots have a much lower success rate for all teams overall. This is not unique to URI. The last time I recall URI going "hero ball" (if that is what you call running EC off a high-ball screen) was the game against Fordham last year. Since then, I haven't seen that. I've seen good plays that were not executed - Jared's missed 3 against Davidson, Four's missed 3 against Valpo, and even Jared's look against Nebraska wasn't awful.

Without EC, this team is destined to play close games against better teams and bad FT shooting and bad coaching is not the recipe we need.

We will play lots of close games. Agreed that the FT shooting is deplorable and needs to improve but once again, pinning that on a lack of preparation or a failing of the coaching staff is asinine. I guarantee you Hurley and Co have tried everything in the book. And they will keep trying. I would not blame any of our losses this year on poor coaching, either in preparation or in-game. This is not to give Hurley a pass, undoubtedly he can do better and there are things that the coaching staff can do to improve, but there have been other factors.

I do think the roster, in total, is as good as GW, Davidson, and Richmond. Bob McKillop would have this team 8-2/9-1 right now.

This team is not as good as GW, Davidson, or Richmond. But, difference of opinion that is pointless to argue about any further. Bob McKillop is a great coach but he would not have this team 8-2/9-1 right now because he can't coach defense and would have a team of offensively-deficient players trying to run his complicated system.

I am not a huge Iverson fan but why isn't Iverson/Four/Thompson plus natural improvement good enough to get close to replacing EC's minutes?

It's because the natural improvement that we were expecting from Jared/Jarvis (point 6 in my original post) hasn't happened. I don't know why. I don't think it is for lack of trying. And of course, Iverson/Four/Thompson aren't just replacing EC, but also Biruta and TJ from last year.

Take a look at bubble teams from the last decade. It's not exactly 1985 college hoops any more. Mediocre teams dance.

Mediocre teams have always danced. The style of play overall has changed over the years. The quality of the players and teams has not decreased. Quite the opposite.

[rambone 78]

sf2010, it also doesn't help, when you are shooting 60% or worse from the FT line, and your opponents are making them at a 80% rate or better....

If Houston had shot their FT's better, we probably lose that game too.

We haven't shot a higher percentage from the line than our opponents in ANY of our 10 games this year I think. That is simply ridiculous!!!!

The difference is staggering.

And for those who think our FT shooting hasn't cost us at least 2 games this year so far, I call a big steaming pile of bullshit.

Yes, our end of game play sucks, when will anyone make a clutch shot, other than Four, once.

But would we need to be in that position that often, if we could shoot FT's?

[Gonebarongone]

Without EC, this team is destined to play close games against better teams and bad FT shooting and bad coaching is not the recipe we need.

We will play lots of close games. Agreed that the FT shooting is deplorable and needs to improve but once again, pinning that on a lack of preparation or a failing of the coaching staff is asinine. I guarantee you Hurley and Co have tried everything in the book. And they will keep trying. I would not blame any of our losses this year on poor coaching, either in preparation or in-game. This is not to give Hurley a pass, undoubtedly he can do better and there are things that the coaching staff can do to improve, but there have been other factors.No offense but do you think John Wooden is the coach here? Do you think they need improvement anywhere? DH can recruit and he can install a defense. But, if you think he is a good in game coach, you aren't paying attention.

I do think the roster, in total, is as good as GW, Davidson, and Richmond. Bob McKillop would have this team 8-2/9-1 right now.

This team is not as good as GW, Davidson, or Richmond. But, difference of opinion that is pointless to argue about any further. Bob McKillop is a great coach but he would not have this team 8-2/9-1 right now because he can't coach defense and would have a team of offensively-deficient players trying to run his complicated system. McKillop is plus 3 or 4 points on DH. I guess adding the extra games is sort of foolish but the guy can really coach and make adjustments in game which I think is DH's big weakness




Mediocre teams have always danced. The style of play overall has changed over the years. The quality of the players and teams has not decreased. Quite the opposite.Disagree here....many, many more players leave for the NBA but also the D-League and Europe before they graduate. I am not back in my day guy but college hoops is definitely not the game it was last generation. And that's before we get into the negative impact of AAU. Athleticism and ball skills have improved but everything else is worse, in my opinion. No longer a team game

[ATPTourFan]

SF doin' some good work in this thread. Thx for providing some balance and backing it up.

[rodfromcranston]

Whoa! You are so off base with that comment.
I'll take the 1992 Duke team over anything since.
Why? They had Hurley, Laettner, and Grant Hill all upperclassmen
for two NCAA championships.
99% of people who saw those teams will tell you that the reason
there are no more great teams like that, is the one and done trend.
Teams no longer develop their core for three or four years.
The quality of play has suffered as a result in the upper echelon programs.
Players are far less fundamentally sound, also.
Passing, is a lost art.
Everyone wants to be on Sports Center for some highlight dunk.
The AAU culture doesn't teach teamwork.
It's glorified playground ball.
Players today may be more athletic, because of advanced training,
steroids or whatever.
They are for the most part, athletes who play basketball,
and not fundamentally sound basketball players.

[sf2010]

sf2010, it also doesn't help, when you are shooting 60% or worse from the FT line, and your opponents are making them at a 80% rate or better....

If Houston had shot their FT's better, we probably lose that game too.

We haven't shot a higher percentage from the line than our opponents in ANY of our 10 games this year I think. That is simply ridiculous!!!!

The difference is staggering.

And for those who think our FT shooting hasn't cost us at least 2 games this year so far, I call a big steaming pile of bullshit.

Yes, our end of game play sucks, when will anyone make a clutch shot, other than Four, once.

But would we need to be in that position that often, if we could shoot FT's?

Yes. The free throws have sucked this year. My words were "the FT shooting is deplorable and needs to improve but once again, pinning that on a lack of preparation or a failing of the coaching staff is asinine." I'm as sick of missed FTs as everyone else, and it took me until today to post about the game because of how pissed I am about the season turning out this way so far relative to my off-season expectations. But I'm also sick of beating the "we suck at FT's" horse, which does not mean that the concern is not valid.

[Gonebarongone]

SF doin' some good work in this thread. Thx for providing some balance and backing it up.

How is he backing anything up other saying what is essentially "you are wrong". Why is it so crazy to look at all the categories a coach can be graded on and say "you know what, he isn't so good at this one"? There is zero evidence that DH is average or above in on offensive ledger. Anywhere on the scale from eye test to super kenppom guy. And the light shines brightest at the end of the game.

[sf2010]

No offense but do you think John Wooden is the coach here? Do you think they need improvement anywhere? DH can recruit and he can install a defense. But, if you think he is a good in game coach, you aren't paying attention.

Yep, I think Hurley is a damn good coach. Not John Wooden, not even as good as McKillop (since we've been discussing him). He certainly has room to grow. I think that, if he prioritized it, he could install a good offense. Nowhere have I said that our offense is good, just that I'm not hopeless about him being able to do so. Regarding in-game stuff, I'm certainly paying attention. I would never claim to be the best person to evaluate a coach, but neither are all of the folks who post on here, it is all opinions. I just prefer to give the benefit of the doubt for all of the things that go on behind the scenes that none of us will never know about (save for maybe Keaney.Blue who made his thoughts on the matter clear a couple pages ago). I don't know how much of our collapses late in games are based on Hurley not telling the players what to do as opposed to the players simply failing to do them well. None of us do.

McKillop is plus 3 or 4 points on DH. I guess adding the extra games is sort of foolish but the guy can really coach and make adjustments in game which I think is DH's big weakness

McKillop is a better coach right now than Hurley is. To put a point number on it is also kinda silly. Making adjustments in-game is a super difficult thing to judge a coach on and I do not have enough knowledge to do so (along with 98% of people here, at least) because we don't know what he is telling the players. Say Hurley is initially setting up his players to play to their strengths. Then the opposition does a better job of taking those strengths away. Should Hurley then go away from his players' strengths? I just think it is a lot more complicated than some people. I hear people in the stands say all the time "Why don't they get Four more open looks?" or "why don't we just play a zone - then we'd shut them down!" as if it was all that easy.

Disagree here....many, many more players leave for the NBA but also the D-League and Europe before they graduate. I am not back in my day guy but college hoops is definitely not the game it was last generation. And that's before we get into the negative impact of AAU. Athleticism and ball skills have improved but everything else is worse, in my opinion. No longer a team game

You could be right about this. I just tend to get worked up about the "back in my day" thinking - I was probably looking for it when it wasn't there.

[sf2010]

Whoa! You are so off base with that comment.
I'll take the 1992 Duke team over anything since.
Why? They had Hurley, Laettner, and Grant Hill all upperclassmen
for two NCAA championships.
99% of people who saw those teams will tell you that the reason
there are no more great teams like that, is the one and done trend.
Teams no longer develop their core for three or four years.
The quality of play has suffered as a result in the upper echelon programs.
Players are far less fundamentally sound, also.
Passing, is a lost art.
Everyone wants to be on Sports Center for some highlight dunk.
The AAU culture doesn't teach teamwork.
It's glorified playground ball.
Players today may be more athletic, because of advanced training,
steroids or whatever.
They are for the most part, athletes who play basketball,
and not fundamentally sound basketball players.

I agree with most of this - but it is mostly true only for the top-20 ish programs in the country that actually have players leave on a semi-regular basis after their freshman year. I think the talent pool in programs in the top 50-200 teams is undoubtedly better than it has ever been, style of play be damned. The massive number of transfers (which you have referenced often) has also contributed to teams having their core develop together less frequently, but I'm not sure that problem has an easy solution - you can't stop kids from transferring.

Regarding leaving early, I'm not sure what side I fall on. On one hand I'd like to see them adopt a baseball-like rule (can enter draft out of HS, if you attend college you have to stay for 3 years), on the other side I'm all for allowing the players to do whatever they like because the rules are only set up to benefit the corporations (NCAA/NBA) and are seldom in the best interest of individual players.

[rodfromcranston]

Why not adopt the NFL rule?
Works for everyone on a bigger stage than MBB.
Yes, I agree, transfers are destabilizing the college game.
If someone isn't playing at their original school? C-YA!

[Gonebarongone]

Why not adopt the NFL rule?
Works for everyone on a bigger stage than MBB.
Yes, I agree, transfers are destabilizing the college game.
If someone isn't playing at their original school? C-YA!

Listen...I miss the old days. College hoops was king. The NFL rule would simply be unfair to the 18-21 year olds who have the skillset, talent, and leverage to demand an NBA contract. Simple as that. The NCAA is a cartel already. Three year rule is good for the schools, the coaches, and the fans. But, not the players.

[ElmCityRhody]

SF doin' some good work in this thread. Thx for providing some balance and backing it up.

it's an interesting discussion...

no matter what side you fall on

at the end of the day we all are on the same team and all want us to win

hurts losing

i hate to lose

[RhowdyRam02]

I wish they'd go back to letting players go to the NBA right from high school. We all love college sports, but colleges aren't meant to be vocational schools for athletes either. There needs to be a balance, and right now where everyone has to go to school for a year is just a total mockery of the system.

[rodfromcranston]

Exactly.
Kids go to college and everyone knows the score.
It's one and done, kids don't go to a single class
after the season ends.
It's a joke.
When you hear Vitale crying because Cheiek Diallo couldn't play,
and what a shame, because he's such a good student.
Does he really believe what he's saying?"
Diallo is just another guy using collegiate ball as a means to an end.
Colleges are not created for making athlete's rich.
The NCAA? Well there's another lousy organization.
What happened to the UNC cheating scandal?
Crickets.

[luke]

I agree Rambone. It is mental. That is what I have been saying. And the mental aspect is all about confidence.
As they say success breeds success and failure breeds failure. They have mostly experienced failure in close
games recently. It could change quickly, but we may need a little assistance from some good teams who have
an off game in crunch time and miss the big three or miss the crucial free throw before this team begins to expect
the end of games to go their way. Against the better teams, all it takes is one or two mistakes by either team to
change the result. What if PC got called for a foul on their tip in? They probably lose that game and everybody is
all over the PC guy for pushing off. What if Nebraska misses the three? what if Four hits the three against Valpo?
You have to give credit to Nebraska for making the three. Its basketball. The breaks may even out. It's a long season.
We will see. It is understandable for the team to feel a little snakebit and not confident as a result. and i am just as frustrated
as evryone else by it, but I have to believe it will change soon.

[SGreenwell]

Why not adopt the NFL rule?
Works for everyone on a bigger stage than MBB.
Yes, I agree, transfers are destabilizing the college game.
If someone isn't playing at their original school? C-YA!

Listen...I miss the old days. College hoops was king. The NFL rule would simply be unfair to the 18-21 year olds who have the skillset, talent, and leverage to demand an NBA contract. Simple as that. The NCAA is a cartel already. Three year rule is good for the schools, the coaches, and the fans. But, not the players.

I also think that if the NBA did that, you'd simply have more top prospects trying out Europe or China instead. Right now, only a couple do it, since the exposure you get from a year of college is worth the trade-off of being an amateur for a year. However, if you up it from one to two or three years, alternative options are suddenly more appealing for the elite prospects, and likewise, European and Chinese teams would be more willing to sign guys if they knew they had them for two years. (Other issue: There isn't much evidence that college helps to develop players better for a pro career than just getting into the pros. For some players, it clearly helps, for others, it clearly doesn't matter. Hard to believe Ben Simmons couldn't be on an NBA roster right now.)

[bressler3south]

Couple of points to no one in particular:

4) This response is to bress - the biggest disappointment of the year was Hurley being publicly saddened by the loss of EC? Are you fucking kidding me? And by "publicly" you mean quotes in one article out of dozens posted on the subject, whereas you can look at his other quotes afterwards the injury saying "No one cares" - meaning opponents weren't going to play URI any easier, we wouldn't get sympathy points, and that was how the team had to handle it and move on. I am not disappointed in our coach for showing a little bit of humanity by sharing in the sadness that was felt by EC with whom he is very close, and in overall being upset by a devastating injury. Quite the opposite.

Hi, I guess that I'm particular in your mode of thinking. No, I'm not fucking kidding you. A little humanity does go a long way, but I stand by what I wrote, 2010. Read it again, keep your emotions under your sleeve when you're done this time.
Maybe when you have to wear the SF Big Boy Pants for others someday, you'll get it.

For now, to no one in particular, I'm going to go outside and shoot some free throws -- in the wind -- and make nine in-a-row, and make believe that URI beat PC.

[sf2010]

Hi, I guess that I'm particular in your mode of thinking. No, I'm not fucking kidding you. A little humanity does go a long way, but I stand by what I wrote, 2010. Read it again, keep your emotions under your sleeve when you're done this time.
Maybe when you have to wear the SF Big Boy Pants for others someday, you'll get it.

For now, to no one in particular, I'm going to go outside and shoot some free throws -- in the wind -- and make nine in-a-row, and make believe that URI beat PC.

Well, I certainly was a tad emotional as I was still upset about the game and had just read 7 pages in a row of bitching. Have you never posted anything with some emotions showing? I read and re-read your post that I quoted several times, and I stand by my reaction as well - it's a complete joke to say that in a young season so full of disappointments thus far, your single biggest disappointment is that Hurley was emotional in one interview out of dozens about EC tearing his ACL. I'd also thank you to not imply that I have never had to "suck it up and be strong" for the sake of other people.

[bressler3south]

Hi, I guess that I'm particular in your mode of thinking. No, I'm not fucking kidding you. A little humanity does go a long way, but I stand by what I wrote, 2010. Read it again, keep your emotions under your sleeve when you're done this time.
Maybe when you have to wear the SF Big Boy Pants for others someday, you'll get it.

For now, to no one in particular, I'm going to go outside and shoot some free throws -- in the wind -- and make nine in-a-row, and make believe that URI beat PC.

Well, I certainly was a tad emotional as I was still upset about the game and had just read 7 pages in a row of bitching. Have you never posted anything with some emotions showing? I read and re-read your post that I quoted several times, and I stand by my reaction as well - it's a complete joke to say that in a young season so full of disappointments thus far, your single biggest disappointment is that Hurley was emotional in one interview out of dozens about EC tearing his ACL. I'd also thank you to not imply that I have never had to "suck it up and be strong" for the sake of other people.

Ah, then you get it, but won't acknowledge it, SF.
The reason it is my biggest disappointment is this, aside from what I wrote. namely the particulars.
I didn't read or hear E.C. Matthews say that he's devastated about the injury.
I didn't read or hear any of his teammates say that they were "devastated/crushed," etc., about E.C. Matthews' injury or their season.
I read and heard about how awful it was for him, BUT THEY HAD TO BE STRONGER BROTHERS AND PICK IT UP FOR HIM, FOR THE TEAM.
I read and heard Coach Dan Hurley REPEAT NUMEROUS TIMES that he has never felt so helpless about something.
I read and heard Coach Dan Hurley reveal often enough that he'd have to somehow figure out a new offense, now that "....everything's changed. It's all different.....that E.C.'s not here....."
You see, Coach Hurley is supposed to be the leader of the team and his emotions got in the way of his actions to regroup -- not only himself -- but his staff and his players and the team's followers.
When the 101st Airborne's 506th Easy Company's commander Lt. Tom Meehan got killed during the D-Day invasion, Lt. Dick Winters didn't openly grieve the loss of his friend and comrade, no, he stepped in and led the men. He did what he had to do.
I admire Coach Hurley's loyalty to his guys, but I wrote what I wrote.
Again, with those KeaneyBlue readers here who are Patriots' fans (I'm not one), it was as when Brady went down with a torn ACL, Belichick didn't piss his pants and have a public cataclysmic breakdown. He acknowledged that whoever was stepping in was different, but......
He neither gave in to a diminished vision of his plans for success nor a public acknowledgement of what Life Would Be Like Without Tom.
As I wrote of Coach Hurley:

One rallies those around by being The Pillar, the one everyone goes to in time of need.
Not the other way around.
I stand by what I wrote.
His players publicly showed more emotional strength and leadership than he did.

[Frank_Keaney_95]

Exactly.
Kids go to college and everyone knows the score.
It's one and done, kids don't go to a single class
after the season ends.
It's a joke.
When you hear Vitale crying because Cheiek Diallo couldn't play,
and what a shame, because he's such a good student.
Does he really believe what he's saying?"
Diallo is just another guy using collegiate ball as a means to an end.
Colleges are not created for making athlete's rich.
The NCAA? Well there's another lousy organization.
What happened to the UNC cheating scandal?
Crickets.

Totally agree, Rod!

The UNC cheating scandal just disappeared into thin air because ESPN (and others) are afraid to pull on that string. Most underreported story in decades because it's UNC in the crosshairs and, if investigated, it would be ugly. The reputations of Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge and Roy Williams would all be royally tarnished. They basically created a bogus major so athletes and other students could skate through. "Students" are given decent grades without having to show up for class, take tests or turn in papers.

I know this is off topic but it's bothered me since the news first broke. If this happened at URI, we would get the death penalty and would be seen as a cautionary tale. Look at Larry Brown and SMU. The NCAA hammered them for far, far less misconduct. You think Louisville and Pitino are gonna get hit hard by the NCAA? Probably not.

[rodfromcranston]

It also involves the UNC football program.
P5 school getting in deep shit on two major sports.
NCAA came down pretty hard on Jim Boeheim, but
he seems the outlier.

[Joe]

When the 101st Airborne's 506th Easy Company's commander Lt. Tom Meehan got killed during the D-Day invasion, Lt. Dick Winters didn't openly grieve the loss of his friend and comrade, no, he stepped in and led the men. He did what he had to do.

Did you just compare a basketball coach who was sad that one of his players (who he was very close to) sustained a season-ending injury to a war? I mean I saw people arguing on here over whether or not a comparison between URI and a Pats team is viable - comparing a coach to a LT in a battle that saw many Americans dead? I mean, that would be called something along the lines of a stretch.

[theblueram]

Year 4.

[bigappleram]

Our plays out of time-outs/dead ball situations over the last 20 or so games has been very good. Go watch the games, Terrell open 3, Four open 3, had a good last possession vs PC, I could keep going. Its simply not true. The narrative that its "give it to EC and get out of the way" just holds no weight.
Most of us would say we are a below average shooting team, yet we shoot it at 45% this season, 45% last season....34% from 3 this season (PC shoots it at 45%/31% from 3 for comparison). Those are good numbers...we shoot more foul shots than our opponents. The numbers don't support any issue with getting good shots, which I believe is the goal of any offensive strategy.

Turnovers and Free Throws are the two main stats that drag down our offensive (efficiency) numbers more than anything else.
When you have way too many possessions that end in either a TO or missed foul shot you will struggle. Can Al Skinner help Dan make those passes or hit those foul shots, because if so we need him.
Execution in the last 10 minutes is our biggest flaw. I am not sure how you fix that. I do believe some of this years woes are due to not having a leader (since EC went down).

[theblueram]

Bar, i'm starting to get a bit disinterested. It's not EC going down. At this point. It's where we are at. We have a starting line up with a junior, 2 sophomores and 2 transfers. With 2 freshmen behind them and Earl. I thought we would be much further along than where we are. And next years recruiting class isn't bringing in a huge offensive game. Post presence yes, but not much offense. So year 5 I'm supposed to be excited about freshman again?

[bigappleram]

i hear ya blue, its not an easy road being a Ram fan. Look, we are 8 points from being 9-1. Maybe its worse because its so close and we cant figure out why we haven't turned the corner. I dont blame it on EC, I think we are an NCAA team without him, we just aren't playing like one. I am hopeful it turns around but we are running out of time for this season.

[bressler3south]

"Did you just compare a basketball coach who was sad that one of his players (who he was very close to) sustained a season-ending injury to a war? I mean I saw people arguing on here over whether or not a comparison between URI and a Pats team is viable - comparing a coach to a LT in a battle that saw many Americans dead? I mean, that would be called something along the lines of a stretch."


No, Joe, I'm not comparing losing a player to a war.
Ummmmmmmm, it's about leadership qualities.
If I offended anyone's sensibilities with it, I apologize.
Then again, I wonder how Jim Harrick would have reacted?

[theblueram]

That's the thing. EC was a loss but I still thought we would be an NCAA team. Because if we weren't without him, we may not have been one with him. And unless things turn on a dime, we won't be.

[theblueram]

i hear ya blue, its not an easy road being a Ram fan. Look, we are 8 points from being 9-1. Maybe its worse because its so close and we cant figure out why we haven't turned the corner. I dont blame it on EC, I think we are an NCAA team without him, we just aren't playing like one. I am hopeful it turns around but we are running out of time for this season.

well, we have missed over 100 FT's.

[Joe]

"Did you just compare a basketball coach who was sad that one of his players (who he was very close to) sustained a season-ending injury to a war? I mean I saw people arguing on here over whether or not a comparison between URI and a Pats team is viable - comparing a coach to a LT in a battle that saw many Americans dead? I mean, that would be called something along the lines of a stretch."


No, Joe, I'm not comparing losing a player to a war.
Ummmmmmmm, it's about leadership qualities.
If I offended anyone's sensibilities with it, I apologize.
Then again, I wonder how Jim Harrick would have reacted?

Leadership qualities? A coach lost his player and showed remorse in an interview - Sorry, no way that's "The biggest disappointment this year."

And about the ww2 comparison (my comparison was a coach to a LT - and how thats not viable *not losing a player to war*) all I'm saying is that I just don't think that a coach being honest and talking about how his offense is changing because of losing its top contributor relates to having poor leadership.

I get the whole thing about how he needed to show emotional stability for his players and all, but I doubt that the fact that he showed sadness in an interview had a huge impact on his players' in game performances.

[rambone 78]

We have had many chances to win some of these close games with wide open shots. Same with FT's.

We simply don't make them. The opponent does.

It's about being clutch. We are not.

[neil]

Just to lighten the thread a little. Since we have lost our last three games by a total of 8 points, I decided to stop my depression with a change of diet. Breakfast, watching martin's dunk against the Friars. Lunch, marquis' two game winners against Dayton, and for dinner watching green's "how do you do" against Syracuse. I highly recommend watching each one at least ten times. Sadly it does wear off but boy does it feel good. Go rhody!

[Ramblinrose]

Rod I lime your concept of kids playing three years. But I'm afraid it's gone for good. Lots of cash in Europe. Tye only reason kids go to Kentucky is to take a few screw off classes for a semester, win a title and go in the first round. If there's no title, oh well. In addition to the 1992 Duke team, there's the 1993 INC team that leveled URI and beat the Fab Five. Will we see anything like that title game again??funny thing is younger fans may think the Fab Five won because of all the hype.

[RoadyJay]

Folks, I get the frustration.... I do.... 3 heartbreaking losses that could have gone either way. The last one, at Nebraska, that we absolutely should have stepped on their throats and put them away.

However....

Let's not forget though a team's journey in our very own A10 conference just a short couple of seasons ago.

The 2013-2014 Dayton Flyers finished the non-conference at 12-3. Great start right? They were feeling good about themselves with momentum heading into conference play.

Then, after their first 6 conference games they had won exactly 1 game. On January 29th, the Dayton Flyers were sitting at 1-5 in the conference and 13-8 overall. Their fans had all but written them off.

They then went 9-1 over their last 10 regular season games and finished 10-6 in the conference and 22-9 heading into the A10 Championship.

They won their first game in the A10s against Fordham and lost the next game in the Quarterfinals to St. Joes.

At 23-10 they received an NCAA birth as an 11 seed and made a very memorable run to the Elite 8 with victories over Ohio State, Syracuse, and Stanford.

What a long way they came from that night on January 29th... sitting at 13-8 and 1-5 in the conference... all the way to making it to the Elite 8 in late March.

Point is, there is a long way to go in this URI basketball season. I could be accused of being forever optimistic but a quick look at the schedule will show you that the next 8 games are all winnable leading up to what will be a very tough game against GW game in DC. After that game the schedule gets soft again.

I still think the success of this season will come down to how we play in February. There is no reason we can't be at or near the top of the conference heading into that brutal stretch of games against Dayton twice, and Davidson and VCU on the road. How we survive those 4 games will likely determine our fate.

But then again, there is always the A10 Championship.

Relax folks, long way to go, lots of basketball to be played. Enjoy the ride.

[hrstrat57]

Folks, I get the frustration.... I do.... 3 heartbreaking losses that could have gone either way. The last one, at Nebraska, that we absolutely should have stepped on their throats and put them away.

However....

Let's not forget though a team's journey in our very own A10 conference just a short couple of seasons ago.

The 2013-2014 Dayton Flyers finished the non-conference at 12-3. Great start right? They were feeling good about themselves with momentum heading into conference play.

Then, after their first 6 conference games they had won exactly 1 game. On January 29th, the Dayton Flyers were sitting at 1-5 in the conference and 13-8 overall. Their fans had all but written them off.

They then went 9-1 over their last 10 regular season games and finished 10-6 in the conference and 22-9 heading into the A10 Championship.

They won their first game in the A10s against Fordham and lost the next game in the Quarterfinals to St. Joes.

At 23-10 they received an NCAA birth as an 11 seed and made a very memorable run to the Elite 8 with victories over Ohio State, Syracuse, and Stanford.

What a long way they came from that night on January 29th... sitting at 13-8 and 1-5 in the conference... all the way to making it to the Elite 8 in late March.

Point is, there is a long way to go in this URI basketball season. I could be accused of being forever optimistic but a quick look at the schedule will show you that the next 8 games are all winnable leading up to what will be a very tough game against GW game in DC. After that game the schedule gets soft again.

I still think the success of this season will come down to how we play in February. There is no reason we can't be at or near the top of the conference heading into that brutal stretch of games against Dayton twice, and Davidson and VCU on the road. How we survive those 4 games will likely determine our fate.

But then again, there is always the A10 Championship.

Relax folks, long way to go, lots of basketball to be played. Enjoy the ride.

OK I admit it I feel better.......

Thanks Jay

[theblueram]

Jay, love your enthusiasm as always. But the pressure is now on the team. No excuses.

[rodfromcranston]

Except Dayton could always score, and shoot free throws.
Plus, they have a rabid fanbase that comes out for
every game.
Ooops, that's reality.
But, as an old boss used to say,"Expect a miracle!".

[rambone 78]

Well the "rose colored glasses" herd is thinning.....

I guess I should just expect the worst every game, so when we win one, I can go hey! Things are great!

I would love to think all our problems will go away, just because I said so.....

As for the next few games....

We will beat Iona. ODU will be life and death...it's a road game....we know how those end.....

Brown will be a W.

Then the March of Death commences...low scoring, grind it out league games...against the dregs and the better teams....doesn't matter.

If we're going to surprise and win in conference, Thompson needs to keep improving and play more, especially late in games....Akele to play more also. KI, play 2 GOOD halves, not one and disappear....

[bigappleram]

I don't wear rose colored glasses and my support is unwavering.
If you mean the fan base is thinning well that's not a good thing but par for the course.
The destiny of this team is still yet to be determined but less so with some of our fans.
In their eyes we should give up and start playing Holy Cross and Colgate.

[rambone 78]

BAR, I'm not with those who think we should drop down.

That's absurd. Might as well turn the RC into a cow pasture.

We're in the A10 for the forseeable future.

While we're there, might as well win it once in a decade or two.....

But first, Dan has to go out and recruit guys who can...

1. Make a shot at the end to win a game.

2. Make a layup once in a while.

3. Shoot free throws as good as a fifth grader.

[RAM67]

Didn't I see where you said that before?

[rambone 78]

No, I think I said as good as an eighth grader........

[Rhody Guy]

So not that anyone will take it seriously (I wouldn't either) but my prediction so far is perfect. I predicted us to start a 5 game win streak now! Let's Go!!!!

[BornNBred33]

I think most people on here are being way to quick to judge this season. I know we arent Dayton, but what Jay wrote was perfect. Start crapping out in conference play and then we can bitch.

Also, I feel that Hassan has been way to quite this year. He should be much more of a dominnant force. He shows flashes of being awesome with that hook shot in the lane, then he stops doing that, then before you know it, hes on the bench in foul trouble. He just needs to be on the floor more and take it to the defense.......and lastly, I TRUST DAN! Please remember this program when he took over (puke).......Win streak strating saturday. GO RHODY

[bigappleram]

So you don't think we should blow up the Ryan Center and start looking forward to a rivalry with American U? Phew

[RAM67]

Part of the problem with Hassan fouling, is that Iverson gets some rebounds, but mostly outside the paint, and Hassan is generally alone on defense.

[Gonebarongone]

Well the "rose colored glasses" herd is thinning.....


If we're going to surprise and win in conference, Thompson needs to keep improving and play more, especially late in games....Akele to play more also. KI, play 2 GOOD halves, not one and disappear....

Kuran is what he is. He's playing essentially like he did at Memphis just more minutes. I know Dan said he was an amazing player but he is a complementary piece on a good team.

[sf2010]

He's a very good complementary piece. Averaging 12/6 shooting 54%. Not sure what everyone else was expecting, but that's honestly better than what I was hoping to see from Kuran this early in the season.

[section(105)]

I have stated here before that in my head, I see KI as a player that needs the touches in both halves as a go-to-guy to step up and make significant point production with loss of the EC points. For me this is among the factors necessary for competing for the A-10 regular season and tourney championship.....without this, I think we fall short.....

[Seawrightspostgame]

Anybody take a look at the A10 standings? The teams with the best records

George Washington 9-1
Fordham 8-1
Davidson 7-1
Duquesne 9-2
Dayton 7-2
Saint Joseph's 7-2
St Bonaventure 6-2
Richmond 7-3
Massachusetts 6-4
Rhode Island 6-4
Saint Louis 5-4
VCU 5-4
La Salle 4-4
George Mason 4-7

GW, Davidson, and Dayton are the contenders among those pretenders. I thought we figured out Davidson in the second half of that last game. Obviously we will be missing guys that did the figuring.

TJ really was a legit basketball player in many facets in terms of defense, rebounding, communicating, leading, free throws, focus, and adjusting to the game by learning on the fly. Comes with maturity.

The only bad thing is our 3 losses were all winnable(Maryland doesn't matter to me). Especially Valpo, Neb, PC. I think the Neb was the worst one because URI was up so much and then went into a coma and choked the game away.

They have the goods to win the regular season and or the tournament. ESPECIALLY with a line up change. People settling into roles and the two freshman getting better.