Game #11: @Detroit - Sunday Dec 7, 2pm

[luke]

I still have hope that this team can be the reverse of the Baron teams and hit its stride in the middle of the season and finish strong. A few years ago St. Joes had a similar team. They had mostly inexperienced players and were terrible until the final month of the season I think. They started getting it together and made a run in the A 10 tournament to the semifinal game. That is the way I remember it. I'm going to go to the Hawks site and test my memory.

[Keaney.Blue]

I think it's a little premature to be making judgments on new players at this point in the season. Especially Butler, he's a freshman for crying out loud. Many recruits have quiet freshman years then go onto be huge contributors later in their careers.

[luke]

I checked on my memory. It was 2010- 2011, and while I thought the Hawks had turned their season around at the end, I would have to say that was an understatement. They started out 2-8, then went 3-11 over the next 14 before winning their final 2 games to make the tournament. they won their first two games in the tournament before losing in the semifinal. Now I don't think this Rams team is as bad as the SJU team started out and i hope they win more than 9 games total, but my point is this team can make vast improvements before the end of this season. I have to believe we will start seeing it very soon. There is still hope to be in Brooklyn in March.

[luke]

I agree Keaney Blue about Butler. I have seen freshman like Marquis Jones show absolutely nothing in his first year and still become a very good player later. Butler has been given little time to show anything good or bad yet. Jones went through the same thing. We have to give him way more time and hope he surprises as Jones did most of us.

[ramster]

Was there a Hare sighting at the game???

No, he did not attend the game.

[SGreenwell]

I agree Keaney Blue about Butler. I have seen freshman like Marquis Jones show absolutely nothing in his first year and still become a very good player later. Butler has been given little time to show anything good or bad yet. Jones went through the same thing. We have to give him way more time and hope he surprises as Jones did most of us.

You're using a vague term like "very good" here when referring to Jones though. He never made an All-A10 team, and I don't think he was ever close to doing so. He didn't play more than 28 MPG until his senior year, and he didn't crack 10 PPG until then either. At his best, he was probably an average A-10 point guard. He was probably stretched as a starter, and on an NCAA tournament quality team, he's probably coming off the bench.

I'm not bringing this up to rundown Jones, although it might come off that way. It's more to illustrate that it's very, very rare for a player to contribute almost nothing their freshman year and then to mature into an All-Conference player. If they do, it's usually because of extenuating circumstances, like a coaching change (Coach X can get something out of a player that Coach Y didn't) or a "not enough minutes" situation (Player X and Player Y are both 3s, but Player X is a legit NBA prospect and thus Player Y can't crack the lineup as a freshman).

I don't think there are those extenuating circumstances with Butler, so it would surprise me if he's anything more than a guy off the bench going forward. If everything breaks right, I think he's probably a spot-up shooter type that helps to space the floor, but has trouble creating his own shot.

[Hal Kopp]

Jones was solid player. But again,there were only 2-3 good players on that team including him.
= Not enough!!

[Billyboy78]

Jones was pretty good. He definitely wasn't a PG. He did hit a couple of big shots at the end of games though.

[Obadiah]

Correct me if wrong, but wasn't Mike Powell a late, out of the blue signee with the Rams just like Butler was. I thought those days were gone with Baron.

[brady1]

Disagree on Jones thought he was above average player and a lot of people in the know thought he got robbed not at least being an all A-10 player his senior year. Sure wish he was here to take the last shot against pc or ud.

One of the things I'm thinking on Rhody last shots this year is if X remains Hurleys guy for last shot try no time out for the last possession. Try X off the fly no opposing coach chance to draw up D against him up. As some have said seems like X hits more shots off the fly.

GO RHODY!

[SGreenwell]

Correct me if wrong, but wasn't Mike Powell a late, out of the blue signee with the Rams just like Butler was. I thought those days were gone with Baron.

I think Hurley mentioned that he wouldn't sign a guy just to fill the scholarship. I believe Butler was recruited with the idea that he could fill a niche as a long-range shooter, but I don't know if Hurley ever mentioned a specific timetable. Even if he's only in that role, say, his junior and senior years, that probably makes it worth the four-year investment for the tactical advantages he could provide in certain match-ups.

[adam914]

Not to turn this into a Marquis Jones thread, but I will say I was pretty hard on him his first few years here, but by his senior year he was a pretty solid player and impressed me alot. I know there is one thing we can all agree on, nobody else you want taking a last second shot against Dayton.

[Seawrightspostgame]

A Dayton killer for sure. M Jones wasn't robbed from the all A10 team. The all A10 team always seems to rob us until you look at the roster and it is stacked. Previous to the loss of our old elite teams(Xavier and co) it was easy to pull 10 awesome players out of what 16 teams? I mean I thought K Wyatt last year was all american caliber, granted not jones' year.

I never was big on Jones, but I know guys that were friendly with him and really liked him. I think that went into his narrative. People liked him.

[SGreenwell]

A Dayton killer for sure. M Jones wasn't robbed from the all A10 team. The all A10 team always seems to rob us until you look at the roster and it is stacked. Previous to the loss of our old elite teams(Xavier and co) it was easy to pull 10 awesome players out of what 16 teams? I mean I thought K Wyatt last year was all american caliber, granted not jones' year.

I never was big on Jones, but I know guys that were friendly with him and really liked him. I think that went into his narrative. People liked him.

Oh yeah, definitely - While I realize I'm the one who's kind of crapping on his game, I definitely think he showed clear signs of improvement, and people connected with the program were always very positive about his work ethic, leadership, etc. I was just kind of pointing out that that type of player, usually the peak ceiling is average or stretched regular on a decent team, barring an unusual change in role (new coach, height increase, blocked by a much better player, etc.).

[Ramulous]

Marquis Jones made himself a good college basketball player by his senior year.....I never thought he could play as well as he ended up doing....

[Running Ram]

...And it's no coincidence that his senior year was Murphy's first year coaching for Rhody. Jones spoke about it himself, of Murphy helping him work on having a scoring mentality. Murphy is a gem!

[rodfromcranston]

Preston is invaluable to this program is many ways.

[section(105)]

the catch and shoot, spot up 3 point bomber(Butler?) and the low post player with hands and vision remain forever on my Santa wish list(aren't they on everyone's list)example, last nite Xavier /Cincy game. An Xavier sequence; entry pass to low post, Cincy defense collapse into lane, kick out pass to perimeter, another perimeter pass to three point shooter......bingo.....next time down the floor, Xavier three pointer.....two trips 6 points, Cincy TO.....give me second helpings of that please......

[rambone 78]

We have guys who can, and will do that [Minnis, EC]. The problem is, we don't have anybody who can knock down that shot. X? Not so much this year, and he's gone soon.

[Obadiah]

OK, looking again at the Detroit game in a broader context. Yes, it was a game we should have won, but didn't and the team confidence now needs bolstering given three close losses and a three game losing streak. Let's hope that changes with the UNH game.

While they are many critical aspects to URI's future performance, it is Biggie Minnis who the holds a key. Biggie got the starting PG assignment with the McNeese State game and, ironically, in that game and the following two games his performance didn't quite match up to his earlier performance. But despite his missed lay-up at the end of the Detroit game, that game marked a return to the higher level URI needs from Biggie. It's a safe to say that by now any transfer rustiness has worn off and what we will now see is a Minnis developing and improving his inherent talent.

What we look for in a PG is good leadership and good court awareness. Minnis looks the part and his stats also show it. Powell always struck me as deficient in this respect as his 6 assists in nine games showed versus Biggie's 24 in the same time frame. But a good PG also needs to know how to create his own plays, draw fouls and hit the shots from the FT line. Improving this aspect of Minnis' game along with developing an outside shot will bring huge benefits to the Rams future. I am encouraged that can happen.

[rodfromcranston]

Are we still allowed to talk about basketball?
Let's clone this guy. He's 6'7" and can bomb with anyone.

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 9m
Creighton's Ethan Wragge has attempted 81 field goals this season. 77 of them have been 3-pointers. Shooting 49.4% from deep.

[SmartyBarrett]

Creighton's Ethan Wragge has attempted 81 field goals this season. 77 of them have been 3-pointers. Shooting 49.4% from deep.

That's f***ing nuts.

[bigappleram]

he's a hell of a shooter. talking about great shooters, in watching the over hyped heat - pacers game the other night you really appreciate ray allen, has to be one of the top 5 shooters of the last 30 years. his mechanics are amazing. he flat out never misses a 3 if he is open, its a foul shot.

[Billyboy78]

he's a hell of a shooter. talking about great shooters, in watching the over hyped heat - pacers game the other night you really appreciate ray allen, has to be one of the top 5 shooters of the last 30 years. his mechanics are amazing. he flat out never misses a 3 if he is open, its a foul shot.

I think Ray is the best shooter I've ever seen. You're right, his mechanics are perfect. Another key is that he's always keeps those legs in shape. He is in incredible condition.

[rambone 78]

Yeah, and the Creighton kid is their CENTER.