KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

At the start of Week #6 , in both the AP and the USA Today polls, URI continues to be the only A-10 team getting votes, 1 in the AP poll and 14 in the USA Today poll. The loss to Alabama was costly. Seton Hall is ranked # 15 and Virginia is #16 respectively in both polls. Nevada with its losses to Texas Tech and TCU dropped out of Top 25 in both polls. They get 13 votes in the AP poll and 1 vote in the coaches' poll. Alabama got 4 votes in the AP poll and 6 votes in the USA Today poll.

Villanova takes over the #1 spot in both polls. Arizona State makes a significant move up to #5 in the AP and #6 in the USA Today poll.

The cumulative won-lost records of URI OOC opponents now stands at 70-35, .667 down from the previous week primarily due to a bad week for Nevada and PC. Holy Cross is the only OOC opponent with a losing record with Brown and Iona now at .500.

Still early to take these metrics seriously, but here are key ratings for URI as of the beginning of Week #6:

RPI- 23
BPI - 44, up two.
Sagarin - 38, down two from 36.
Pomeroy - 48, stable.

Given that many schools are in the exam period there is no action Monday night in either the A-10 or among URI OOC opponents.

Only game of passing interest is Bryant's visit to Louisville. Despite the hoopla that the Providence Journal has given to the entire Bryant athletic program over the last several years, the fact is that Bryant's basketball program is struggling as is their attendance. Some day the Journal will realize that it is URI that has the greatest future potential in the State and should be the horse that the citizens generally ride with the support and nurturing of the leading newspaper. We are the future.

ASU moves up to # 5 AP

Bryant is routed by Louisville, 102-59 and their record falls to 1-10.

Little more action on Tuesday. In the A-10:

Fordham at Rutgers. 7 PM. On ESPNU.

Georgia Southern at George Mason. 7 PM.

Murray State at Saint Louis. 8 PM.

Among URI OOC opponents:

St. Peter's at #15 Seton Hall. 7 PM. On FS1.

Yale at Iona. 7 PM. On ESPN3.

Obadiah wrote:Bryant is routed by Louisville, 102-59 and their record falls to 1-10.

O'Shea got a long term contract to transition Bryant into D1. He is now in his tenth year in Smithfield. The team had a respectable three year run (2012-13 to 2014-15) where they were better than .500 each season. The last three years (including this current season) have however been trending down. He is signed up until June 2020. It is not an easy job given its brutal OOC schedule and many away buy games. Will Bryant give him the time to reverse that trend?


Contract Link:
http://www.bryantbulldogs.com/sports/mb ... 0412ejl48z

RF1 wrote:

Obadiah wrote:Bryant is routed by Louisville, 102-59 and their record falls to 1-10.

O'Shea got a long term contract to transition Bryant into D1. He is now in his tenth year in Smithfield. The team had a respectable three year run (2012-13 to 2014-15) where they were better than .500 each season. The last three years (including this current season) have however been trending down. He is signed up until June 2020. It is not an easy job given its brutal OOC schedule and many away buy games. Will Bryant give him the time to reverse that trend?


Contract Link:
http://www.bryantbulldogs.com/sports/mb ... 0412ejl48z

yup, he was never able to follow up the talent he brought in at the start.

Their good teams were carried by Alex Francis, Frankie Dobbs, Starks and Corey Maynard. Once they graduated, there was no one there to keep it going and sustain success

Bryant also lost their two best players to transfer this year.

Two years ago they were 5-13 in conference, last year they were 9-9. A program like that it isn't fair to look at their OOC, they're set up to lose. He has at least this year and next unless they really crater in conference.

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but Seton Hall will likely start conference play with just the one loss. Very impressive all around. They’re playing in Walsh tonight- such a different feel to their games there.

Tuesday results in the A-10:

Fordham loses at Rutgers, 75-63. Fordham put an opening three, but thereafter it was all Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights took the game despite hitting only two 3-pointers while Fordham put up 29 attempts hitting on 11.

George Mason was badly beaten on its home court by Sun Belt member, Georgia Southern, 74-51.

Once beaten Murray State went into Chaifetz Arena and came out a 69-55 loser to Saint Louis.


Among URI OOC opponents:

#15 Seton Hall waltzed to easy win over St. Peter's, 84-61.

Iona in a nice win over Yale 83-67.

Nice job George Mason lose by 23 at home ??

I know not everyone is ok with paying for content, but if you are, The Athletic is doing a nice job of covering a range of conferences. They have some info up today on St. Bonaventure and had another piece on the allegations at Saint Louis. There was a good article on Bob Hurley and what he’s doing post-St. Anthony a few weeks ago. I’m in no way connected to it, but I appreciate good writing and the layout of it all.

Enjoyed this one, too-
https://theathletic.com/181100/2017/12/ ... e-results/

Good Lord, our league sucks out loud this year.

18-0 baby! I misunderestimated...wish I could change my prediction....

Thanks, ace, for bringing the The Athletic website to the attention of this board because this new site may be the wave of the future spelling doom for the sports pages of newspapers all over the country. The website is dedicated to providing both national and local coverage to an extent and quality never seen before with a goal of a presence in every single city in the country. The service already encompasses 7-8 major cities with the addition of others planned. How successful they will be is an open question, but ProJo should pay heed because they may be after their sportswriters?

For those interested in this expanding service, here is a link to a NYT article about The Athletic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/spor ... .html?_r=0

I know Boston has something similar with some really great writers. I'm just not sure RI has enough for one of these type things to expand into the market.

Not much action Wednesday night. Only game - Mississippi Valley State a team that so far this season has lost all their games by double digits visits Duquesne. The game should draw a sellout crowd.

With a crowd of 1,175 looking on, Duquesne easily defeated Mississippi Valley State, 73-49. The game proved two things: 1) that any A-10 school can beat a low level SWAC team and 2) that 1,175 people have completed their Christmas shopping early.

Nice job Atlantic 10 way to have a school that draws 1175 attendance pisses me off to no end

But they give us the Pittsburgh market! Or some nonsense like that

reef wrote:Nice job Atlantic 10 way to have a school that draws 1175 attendance pisses me off to no end

That number is not an outlier either. Duquesne has drawn just 10,605 for eight home games thus far for the 2017-18 season. This amounts to an average of a lowly 1,326.

The fact that the AJ Palumbo Center has been shrinking ever since it was built has never ended up an issue for the Dukes as they never really needed the capacity.

Duquesne's upcoming 40 million dollar upgrade to athletic facilities (not just basketball related) includes renovations to the AJ Palumbo Center (opened 1988) which would add more creature comforts and reduce capacity. Duquesne however always has the convenient option of playing two blocks over at the Penguins arena should they ever get successful enough to need more seats.

The ever shrinking AJ Palumbo Center Capacity
1988 Capacity 6,200
Sometime pre-2010 Capacity 5,358
2010 Capacity 4,406
2016 Capacity 4,390
Post upcoming renovation < 4,390

The OOC schedules of both Fordham and Duquesne are also pathetic.

The A10 at some point will realize they are falling behind and do something about it......but it's taking way too long.

rambone 78 wrote:The OOC schedules of both Fordham and Duquesne are also pathetic.

The A10 at some point will realize they are falling behind and do something about it......but it's taking way too long.

drastic move, cut Fordham, Duquesne, George Mason and LaSalle.

Go back to a true 10 team league with no bottom feeders.

We probably only want to cut three if we follow your plan DPS, because UMass is leaving at some point and I have to imagine sooner rather than later. Personally I wouldn't cut George Mason. Just outside of DC, big arena, and I believe they are planning on renovating it. Seems to me that even though their transition to the A10 has been bumpy they can still be successful here.

rambone 78 wrote:The OOC schedules of both Fordham and Duquesne are also pathetic.

The A10 at some point will realize they are falling behind and do something about it......but it's taking way too long.

Their schedules are bad. I however do not have an issue with them this season. The A-10 needs all the wins it can get with so many of its members struggling. If Duquesne and Fordham played more challenging opponents, the league would have no chance at a better than .500 record. The A-10 in aggregate right now has played the fourth toughest schedule of all conferences. The stiffs these two teams have played have not hurt. They have no real chance at a decent postseason tournament so SOS does not matter for them.

Agree with RR2 on GM....they are trending upward.....

As for Duquesne, a new coach doesn't guarantee anything.....however the A10 might hold off on them due to what looks like a recommitment to athletics, with all the money they're spending.

Fordham's admin doesn't give a shit....read their board.....

rambone 78 wrote:Agree with RR2 on GM....they are trending upward.....

As for Duquesne, a new coach doesn't guarantee anything.....however the A10 might hold off on them due to what looks like a recommitment to athletics, with all the money they're spending.

Fordham's admin doesn't give a shit....read their board.....

its a shame what happened to them (Fordham)

They made too big of a leap in conference when they joined the A10. They have never spent close to the $$ needed to compete. They also are too stubborn to admit the mistake and move down to a league that fits their aspirations.

It's crazy how much a move to say the CAA would benefit them

This conference at some point must improve

I can see DH looking at some of these dregs and saying why am I coaching here and move to P5

Da_Process_Survivor wrote:

rambone 78 wrote:Agree with RR2 on GM....they are trending upward.....

As for Duquesne, a new coach doesn't guarantee anything.....however the A10 might hold off on them due to what looks like a recommitment to athletics, with all the money they're spending.

Fordham's admin doesn't give a shit....read their board.....

its a shame what happened to them (Fordham)

They made too big of a leap in conference when they joined the A10. They have never spent close to the $$ needed to compete. They also are too stubborn to admit the mistake and move down to a league that fits their aspirations.

It's crazy how much a move to say the CAA would benefit them

If the top schools can keep up with the coaching salaries across the nation, say get to $2 mil a year, maybe they (FU and DU) say uncle.

It is possible that the A10 can take a big RPI hit Saturday.................every team, with the exception of URI might be an underdog.

I am very familiar with the Duquesne campus since I visit Pittsburgh often on business. The Palumbo Center is not a bad facility though small. It has good lighting and has better concessions and restrooms than Ryan. It's much nicer than Rose Hill or Hagan. Also, if the Duquesne program ever took off they could accommodate the bigger crowds at PPG Paints Arena which sits at the base of hill where the Duquesne residence halls are located. PC could only wish the Dunkin Donuts Center was as conveniently located to their campus.

But the Duquesne's problem is their administration is not behind their sports programs to the degree you see at places like Saint Louis, Dayton or Xavier; all schools of similar size and wealth. After years of neglect is hard to see how Duquesne can turn this around quickly. As for their OOC schedule I would not characterize it as pathetic, but rather call it an appropriate fit to their expectations for this season. This is the kind of schedule the Rams had when we were in the doldrum years. You don't have to play hero ball when the team is bad.

RhowdyRam02 wrote:We probably only want to cut three if we follow your plan DPS, because UMass is leaving at some point and I have to imagine sooner rather than later. Personally I wouldn't cut George Mason. Just outside of DC, big arena, and I believe they are planning on renovating it. Seems to me that even though their transition to the A10 has been bumpy they can still be successful here.

Where exactly is UMass going? Their football program is so bad the Mid-American Conference kicked them out. Basketball has been mediocre at best since Calipitino left.

Not exactly, their football program was kicked out of the MAC because they wouldn't add all sports to the conference. Something tells me if UMass went back to the MAC and said they'd join in all sports they'd be welcomed back. Conference USA is also a potential spot, with their goal being the AAC.

After two nights of no action in the A-10 and among URI OOC opponents, Saturday sees a pick-up.

In the A-10 besides the C. of Charleston at URI game at 4 PM:

Undefeated #6 Miami plays at George Washington. 12 PM. On CBSSN.

Davidson at #16 Virginia. 2 PM. On ACCNE.

Georgia at UMass 3 PM. On NBCSN.

St. Bonaventure entertains Vermont at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. 4PM.

Bucknell at VCU. 6 PM.

Georgia State at Dayton. 7 PM.

Saint Louis at Oregon State 10:30 PM. On PAC12.


In games involving URI OOC opponents:

#15 Seton Hall at Rutgers in the Garden State Hardwood Classic. 12 PM. On BTN.

Oral Roberts at Florida Gulf Coast. 8:15 PM. On ESPN3.

GW always seems to get solid power teams to play them at home

I wonder how much of that is because of the recruiting area they're located in versus other factors

I wonder if the coaches take the time to have the kids see the sights. GW does have a scheduling advantage to other A10 teams in that respect. Plus of course the fertile recruiting area.

Bad first half for the Colonials as they fall behind by 17. They are now rallying in the second and have cut deficit to 8.

GW could not overcome a sluggish first half which saw dreadful shooting that led to a deficit that peaked at 21 points as Miami wins 59-50.

Seton Hall just lost 71-65 to Rutgers.

More bad news as Seton Hall blows a lead it held through most of game to lose to unranked Rutgers, 71-65.

Davidson black unis are hot

Wow Rutgers is an improved team

Syracuse making it interesting.....gonna be a great finish

Crap...OT does not fit well into our 'get to the Ry early' plan...

Xavier down 12 at the half to ETSU. Go Buccaneers!

First half but UMass is putting it to Georgia

Virginia laying the wood on Davidson

With a fast start and on the strength of 12 three pointers, UMass beats Georgia, 72-62.

Syracuse gets a lot of heat here it seems...but they were fun to watch today.
Brisset, Battle and Chbukwu/Dolezaj put on a nice show.

Fun day of basketball so far. Five ranked teams (Wichita State, Seton Hall, Notre Dame, Florida State, Florida) have already lost to unranked teams.