Week #16 - Games of Interest

[Obadiah]

Butler remains in the rankings though its surprising loss to Charlotte caused its ranking to fall in both polls. The Bulldogs are ranked #15 in the both the AP Poll the USA Today Coaches Poll. VCU is now ranked #24 in both polls. Saint Louis is the top vote getter in the Others category in both polls.

The RPI for the A-10 remains at #7 just ahead of the SEC, the Missouri Valley and West Coast Conference.

With the Dayton and Duquesne wins, URI’s RPI improved a bit to #181, giving them the fourteenth place in the conference. The RPI high for the season was #135 just after the SLU win. The RPI is a barometer for post-season play and while URI is not in contention for such action, The RPI remains a useful gauge for measuring the Rams progress. This season is not about wins and losses, but it would be nice to see the data actually show what we all feel about the direction of this Hurley led program. We have passed one goal – URI has now exceeded the win total of last season. Next is to beat the conference win total and better last season’s RPI. Maybe even making it to Barclay’s.

For those interested, here is a summary of URI’s RPI over the last seven years:

Code: Select all

Season	 RPI	SOS
2012-13   181	 69
2011-12	256	108
2010-11	101	122
2009-10	 40	 72
2008-09	 68	122
2007-08	 74	111
2006-07	108	 97

As for OOC action, only two games on tap Monday night.

Norfolk State at Hampton, as NSU defends their 11-0 MEAC record.

Georgia State at William & Mary.

The combined record of URI OOC opponents now stands at 189-143, .569, a slight drop from last week.

[ace]

To start the game, Notre Dame has scored just 3 points so far in over 12 minutes of play.

[reef]

Nice comeback by the Irish though !!

[Obadiah]

Some A10 action tonight:

Duquesne at #15 Butler.

And in a big one, #24 VCU at Saint Louis. SLU is right behind VCU in the polls so a win by SLU will likely catapult them into the rankings replacing VCU. The game is on CBS Sports at 9 PM.


Also, #17 Marquette pays a visit to Seton Hall.

The big game is #1 Indiana at #4 Michigan State. On ESPN at 7PM.

[daytonflyerfan]

There was an unfortunate incident at the Dayton vs. Xavier game on Saturday. Some Dayton fans cursed at the wife of Xavier coach Chris Mack. Coach Mack's wife was brought to tears by the incident. Christi Mack, formerly Christi Hester, was a standout player for the UD women's basketball team. Hester is scheduled to be inducted into the UD athletics hall of fame.



http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/spo ... urd/nWRZd/

http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/co ... wife.html/

[rodfromcranston]

No need for this personal garbage. Like Duke's morons
giving an opponent a hard time over his grandmother's death.
Where have manners and consideration gone?

[ace]

Seton Hall is a mess right now.

[twisted3829]

this VCU vs SLU game is very pivotal for URI, in event of multiple teams tied the second tie breaker (after h2h) is winning percentage starting with the #1 seed moving down. Our win against SLU would beat everyone else (their other loss is Temple).

St Bonnies best win currently is Temple
Dayton's best win is X
Richmond's best win is VCU
Our best win is SLU

so if us and Richmond are tied the winner of this game would probably be ahead of the loser

[ace]

Saint Louis all over VCU right now. VCU can't play their defensive style when they struggle to score.

Still so amazing that this team beat Saint Louis!

[Obadiah]

Saint Louis takes over first place in the A-10 as the Bilikens dismantle the havoc of VCU, 76-62. SLU won its eight straight game since its loss at home to URI.

[reef]

STL is playing great ball of late

[ATPTourFan]

STL should send us a thank you note for waking them the hell up!

[steviep123]

St. Luis just upset #15 Butler 65 - 61 at Butler!

[ace]

Saint Louis will likely move into the Top 25 with the win. I'm planning on purposefully "mis-remembering" the time frame of this and will say, at some point in the future, that this URI team, bad as they were, beat a ranked team.

[ATPTourFan]

Great game at Hinkle!

[seanmc94]

Hard to believe that URI beat slu. They really get after it on D and crash the boards

[Rambone65]

Hard to believe that URI beat slu. They really get after it on D and crash the boards

They are absolutely relentless on defense. This is their second nine game winning streak of the year, and they are 18-2 in thir last 20. Impressive.

[Obadiah]

And so who says URI can’t beat a ranked team forgetting the detail that Saint Louis wasn't ranked at the time?

In A-10 action today:

Dayton at UMass

Richmond at Fordham

VCU at Xavier

GW at St. Joseph’s

St. Bonaventure at Duquesne


In OOC action:

Fading Seton Hall at #11 Louisville
Canisius at Vermont
East Carolina at SMU
Georgia State at James Madison
Norfolk State at Delaware State
Dartmouth at Brown
Creighton at St. Mary’s
PC at Rutgers

[Obadiah]

VCU came from 17 points down in second half to beat Xavier, 75-71, handing the Musketeers its first A-10 loss at home this year. Xavier lost their point guard, Davis, to an injury with 13 minutes left in game and their lead down to 5.

[reef]

Wow what a comeback by the VCU Rams !!!

[seanmc94]

VCU will be a tough out. Difficult to prepare for them if you haven't faced them live

[Obadiah]

In a late game, St. Mary's pushed their record to 24-5 with a win over visiting Creighton, 74-66, on the strength of five three pointers by senior Matt Dellevedova. The Gaels are now 12-2 in the WCC and with two games left are certain to finish second behind Gonzaga in the league. Will the WCC get two bids to the NCAA? Also, will we see St. Mary's at the Ryan Center next season or was our game with them a one and done?

[ramster]

2 Interesting games today for the A10
LaSalle @ URI 2pm
LaSalle needs this game 8-4 18-7 in 4th place in the A10 - playing for a first round bye
URI needs this game just to keep their season hopes alive - the chance to extend their season to play in Brooklyn in the A10 12 team Tournament

Temple @ Charlotte 4pm - 2 Teams departing the Atlantic 10
Temple is in 6th place 7-5 18-8
Temple remaining games: Detroit (non-league), URI, Fordham, VCU
Charlotte is in 7th place 6-5 18-7
Charlotte remaining games: Dayton, Bonnies, Duquesne, St Joe

Charlotte is very young:
Start 3 Freshment:
- Dorian Clark (narrowed his choices to URI and Charlotte)
- Willie Clayton
- Pierria Henry
2 Sophomores
- Denzel Ingram
- E. Victor Nickerson
Temple is a much more veteran team starting 3 seniors and 2 sophs
Temple beat Charlotte 89-88 at Temple

[Ramulous]

A LaSalle loss to us would be devastating to their NCAA hopes.

[rodfromcranston]

If they lose to us, they don't deserve to go.

[Jks1985]

PC won at Rutgers yesterday. Keeps their NIT bubble hopes alive and crushes any hopes of a Rutgers post season.

Ed Cooley should probably win coach of the year in the big east.

Mike Rice, on the other hand, should be shown the door.

[Obadiah]

BTW, forgot to mention that Vermont playing outside its conference beat Canisius yesterday, 87-79. Billy Baron had 12 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Vermont took over late in the first half and led comfortably throughout rest of game.

[ace]

Senior night for Wagner- playing on ESPNU at 8 against LIU-Brooklyn.

[Iggy1979]

PC won at Rutgers yesterday. Keeps their NIT bubble hopes alive and crushes any hopes of a Rutgers post season.

Ed Cooley should probably win coach of the year in the big east.

Mike Rice, on the other hand, should be shown the door.

That's the last thing we want

[rambone 78]

Actually, Iggy, if they fired him now, we're fine. Hurley isn't going anywhere this soon. I doubt he wants to abandon building this program already. It's a long way from being done.

Of course, if Rutgers says come to NJ, and we'll pay you 2 mil a year........and you can rebuild OUR program....

URI however, may need to sweeten the pot to keep him, earlier than they might want to. I'm sure they will need to see some success, and the resulting uptick in revenue, before they can offer the staff more dough.

My guess is, Dan and Bobby will want to build a strong program here, make the Dance, have some success in it. When that happens, the offers will come rolling in for sure. Who knows what will happen? Maybe Bobby will want to stay and become coach? Maybe URI will pony up enough cash to keep them both here?

If you told me today, that Dan will stay for 4-5 years, then turn things over to Bobby for 4-5 more, I'd take that for sure. A lot worse things could happen.

[rodfromcranston]

I'm sure Rutgers is raring to bring a coach with 8 wins.
Their fans would be so happy, I'm sure.
Can we get back to reality, please!

[reef]

Here come the Temple Owls !!!