Keys to Rhody MBB Fixing Their Early Problems in the 2018-2019 Season
If the Rhode Island men's basketball team has intentions of turning their current season into a winning one and keep their chances alive for another NCAA tournament berth, there are some key points that they must start hitting on.
1. HUSTLE EVERY PLAY!
If there is one thing that any sports fan cannot stand are players on their favorite teams not hustling. The number one mutual complaint among Rhody MBB fans lately (especially during the home loss vs. Stony Brook) is how much "standing around" and lack of hustle they see from the majority of the players. I agree with the fan base on this one. If you do not feel like playing or you are not going to give maximum effort on every possession, help out your team and substitute yourself out of the game. I think everyone would be okay if their favorite college basketball team lost while giving maximum effort but losing because of a lack of hustle and effort is INEXCUSABLE. I hope that David Cox and his coaching staff will be holding all players accountable of their recent lack of effort.
(To give out some credit, I will say that for the most part, Cyril Langevine and Omar Silverio consistently hustle during their minutes on the floor.)
2. PASS THE BALL AROUND FOR THE MOST OPTIMAL SHOT DURING EACH OFFENSIVE POSSESSION!
Even while winning two games this season, Rhody MBB's shot selection has been putrid. Besides Cyril Langevine's consistent offensive performances and Jeff Dowtin's offensive outburst versus Harvard, the rest of the team has looked like a pickup team on the offensive end. The team tends to look like they are going through the motions of a play rather than executing the play that is called from the sidelines. From the perspective of the fan base, I have seen many Rhody fans complaining about the ball sticking too much on the offensive end of the floor. Once again, I agree with those complaints.
Poor shooting is okay if the ball is simply not falling during a game but everyone can make their job easier by driving into the lane and trying to get easy layups or getting to the free throw line. If someone is going to keep settling for contested jump shots for an entire game, then they can expect to lose. For a team that several college basketball experts consider to be an average (at best) or mediocre perimeter shooting team, the Rams love to shoot three-pointers way too much.
3. COMMUNICATE ON DEFENSE!
While fortunately having the opportunity to sit courtside at Rhody MBB's games in the 2018-2019 season, I have observed little to no communication on the defensive end of the floor by Coach Cox's team (including the exhibition game versus Pace). Therefore, I have a reasonable explanation for the many defensive lapses that the Rams have exhibited this season. The communication problem is the prime culprit behind Harvard's ample success from the perimeter and how opposing teams have had so much success scoring on back cuts against Rhode Island.
As opposed to complaining to the younger players on the team after a defensive foul happens or the other team scoring a basket, I need to see players like Jeff Dowtin and Christion Thompson truly stepping up as LEADERS and being the best communicators on the defensive end. If the freshmen are not communicating or forgetting to call something out, the veterans on the team need to talk for them. Also, I know that it has been due to foul trouble for the majority of the early part of the season but Jermaine Harris needs more playing time because he can be a defensive force.
With my tickets all ready for the games at Providence, at Holy Cross, and against West Virginia ready, I will be paying even closer attention to how the Rams play on every single possession in the remainder of their games this season.
Let's get back to scenes like this Rhody!
