Rhody's Five Keys to a Successful 2017-2018 Season
1. Staying out of foul trouble
Foul trouble has always constrained the Rams, especially early in the game. Giving up charity shots to teams that average above 80% on the line is nothing but agonizing. The Rams recent loss against Nevada is a prime example of that, allowing Jordan Caroline to hit 14 out of his 17 attempted free throws and ultimately losing to the Wolf Pack by 7. The game against Nevada should have been a win for the Rams.
2. Offensive rebounds
URI currently averages 8 offensive rebounds per game, whereas one of Rhody’s top competitors in the A10, VCU, averages 14 offensive rebounds per game. This is one of URI’s biggest weaknesses and where they lack in terms of controlling the game; they need to crash the board more often as a team when a shot goes up. The Rams are off on the right leg, given their wins over #19 Seton Hall and Providence but polishing up in this area can ultimately redefine their odds.
3. Aggressive Ram defense
The Rams have taken a hit to their frontcourt after the loss of Kuran Iverson and Hassan Martin, two players that led the Rams’ defensive charge in the 2016-2017 season. However, they have recently proven that they have just as much, if not more potential to have a lockdown defense. With an average of 68 points allowed per game and Stanford Robinson leading the Rams with 21 steals (who is ranked in the country’s top 10 in steals), it goes to show that they have the physicality to match any team. In addition to Robinson, freshman Fatts Russell has been harassing other aggressive offenses and slowed down their tempo. If the Rams continue with this aggression through the season, then they will be a tough team to deal with.
4. Driving to the basket
The Rams have had a strong offensive team, however within the recent games against Holy Cross and Providence, they have unlocked probably their biggest threat: driving to the basket. The Rams offense has been almost unstoppable when it comes to their ability of driving to the basket, especially when the ball is in the hands of Jared Terrell, EC Mathews, Jeff Dowtin and Fatts Russell. Rushing the paint and showing that they’re just as aggressive offensively as they are defensively will most definitely turn some heads and make the Rams more of a top 25 contender.
5. Identifying full potential of the team
The Rams, as much as they would like to be, are not a three-point shooting team. Their ability to move the ball around to manipulate and pick apart defenses, as well as attacking the basket, is where they thrive. EC Mathews, known as one of the best shooters for the rams, is only 2 for 11 from behind the arc but he is just as accurate as Jared Terrell (as far as field goal percentage). Andre Berry averaging 14 points per game, has stepped up as the Rams’ starting big man down low. Berry, Terrell, and Matthews’ stats are proof that a majority of the points from the Rams come from inside the paint. Even with the recent injury of Mathews, the team collectively has stepped up, putting up at least 78 points per game. This thought and Russell's stellar performance in the past two games also show that the team’s future success relies on their ability to move the ball around. They need to use everyone’s full potential rather than consistently running out the clock at the top of the key and attempting a disappointing 3-pointer. They have as much potential as any team and the devastating 75-72 loss against Oregon from the 2017 NCAA tournament proves that. The Ducks went on to lose against #1 UNC in the Final Four.
