E.A. Diddle Area, Bowling Green, KY
Sunday, December 13, 2020
12:00PM
Media
TV: CBSSN
Online: CBSSN
Radio: 101.5 FM (B101) or Tune In Radio App
Previews:
WKY’s Fan Forum
Another WKY Fan Forum
Rhody comes off an undesirable extended period of not playing a trip to Madison to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in Bowling Green. Weird, for the life of me I can’t figure out why there was such a lengthy break without any games. It’s not because of Covid, not because of exams…whatever could it be? It is almost like a team backed out because they were afraid to play. I guess we will never know why the long break. The Rams are coming off a big team win against Seton Hall of the Big East Conference. Big East…hmmmm…I feel like we regularly play another team from that conference each year but for the life of me I don’t see it on the schedule this year. Weird. The Rams travel to Kentucky to take on a very tough Western Kentucky, who are picked to finish first in the Conference USA. WKY lost last year in Kingston as this game is being played as part of their home & home series. Hmmm…home & home series. Why does that sound familiar? I feel like we should have had an away game with another team as part of a longstanding home & home series. Nope, not Nevada…they backed out of their agreement a few years ago when they were afraid to travel to Rhode Island. It’s another team, more local, that backed out of a home & home series this season. Oh well, I guess we will never know what that team is that was afraid to play Rhody. Anyway, back to the game at hand. The Hilltoppers are led by their beast downlow, Charles Bassey, who missed last year’s tilt due to a season ending injury. Bassey is on the Wooden & Naismith award watch lists (along with Fatts) for the most outstanding college basketball player. The Mitchell twins have their work cutoff for them down low as this 6’11” junior is a dominate force. WKY is also lead by senior guard Taveion Hollingsworth, who is scoring 18 a game & shooting over 50% from the field. Bassey is the only height on this team down low getting significant minutes, so I can see the twins, Harris, & Walker trying to wear him down on the box. URI has been playing some great basketball as of late, winning their last 3 games (before this game in Wisconsin). I am hoping this long layoff doesn’t affect how they will play this coming Sunday afternoon. WKY has a home game Thursday night against Gardner-Webb before playing URI. Presumably Rhody will come into this road games as slight underdogs, but if they can play a complete team game like they did against Seton Hall I see a 4th consecutive victory for the Rams. Rams win this by double digits, 81-69, leaving their weird ass mascot in tears. Maybe this game will be now be considered the fictitious Bowling Green Massacre from almost 4 years ago? Wear a Mask & Go Rhody!
Opponent
Record:
3-2, 0-0 in the Conference USA
Last season: 20-10, 13-5 in the Conference USA
Rankings (URI):
RPI: 46 (194)
KenPom: 76 (73)
NCAA NET: 123 (57)*
BPI: 57 (83)
Sagarin: 87 (69)
* = Last Year’s Rankings
Leaders:
Points – Taveion Hollingsworth 18.4 (Sr., G)
Rebounds – Charles Bassey 11.2 (Jr., C)
Assists – Dayvion McKnight 3.2 (Fr., G) (1.4 TO per game)
Historical
Series: 1-0
H: 1-0, A: 0-0, N: 0-0
Most Recent Matchup: 12/21/19 86-72(OT) W at URI
Most Recent Win Streak: 1 – URI
Match-up Predictor: 31.3% Chance of URI Winning