Assessing URI Basketball After Five Games — Jim Malachowski
Jim Malachowski, Sports Columnist
Assessing URI Basketball After Five Games — Jim Malachowski
The University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team is 4-1 after five games, and Ram fans are starting to get a sense of who is wearing Keaney Blue this year and what we can expect from them as a team.
The first and most significant impression is this team has the makeup to play with intensity and hustle. They are athletic, quick, and play fast, pushing the pace, always looking to run and break out down the court.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
On defense, they use their athleticism and speed to belly up on opponents and are ballhawks. They can be disruptive, deflecting balls and forcing turnovers, currently averaging 17 opponent turnovers and 12 steals per game in this young season. Guard Tyler Cochran has 22 steals alone, registering a school record 9 steals against Stonehill, and has over 200 steals in his career.
Asked how on defense he always seems to get his hands on the ball and what the key is to steal the ball, Cochran responded, “It’s nothing crazy. I just try to get in the way and be aggressive. I try to take advantage. I just have a knack for locating the ball and just want it. I have been able to do this my whole life.”
Rams lay an egg against Tulsa
This team can also come out flat and lay an egg, like they did in their embarrassing 82-65 loss to Tulsa. Additionally, the uninspired opening 10 minutes of the Albany game brought back disconcerting memories of last year’s team, which repeatedly started slow and had to dig out of holes.
When asked about this after the Albany game, coach Archie Miller said, “In part, there is too much thinking going on. They need to play lose and let go.”
No inside presence
The team lacks size and bulk inside. The 6’9”, 220 lb. Grad student Keeyan Itejere is the tallest starter. He is lean and athletic. As a freshman at Marquette, he set the program’s record with a 35.5 vertical leap. A natural forward, he has been forced to play the center position.
He is backed up by 6’9”, 205 lb. Sr. Mouhamed Sow, who hails from Dakar, Senegal, and previously played at St. Peter’s. Sow is a spirited player who is all hustle and a vocal leader on the court. Sow loves to handle the ball and shoot from the outside of the arch a little too much.
Crawford struggling
The wild card underneath at the moment is the 6’8” 215 lb. Sr. starting forward Alex Crawford. Transferring to URI from Fresno State, Crawford was expected to be a versatile impact player. He is a wing who can shoot, score off the dribble, come off ball screens, and his athleticism makes him a good defensive player. He is one of the players Miller was referring to when he noted, “This team has more length at the wings, which was a shortcoming last year.” Miller clarified he was not talking about muscle and meat. He was talking about length.
Crawford has not lived up to expectations yet, averaging 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds. The word is that he plays well in practice and has particularly done so over the last few weeks. In what looked like a coach’s move to get him going, on the first possession against Yale, the ball was fed into Crawford, who hit a 10-foot shot off the glass. The strategy worked with Crawford having his best game of the year, scoring 14 points with 5 rebounds in limited time due to foul trouble and eventually fouling out.
Returning player Traore has yet to play
The other player on the inside the Rams are expecting production from is 6’ 8” Sr. Drissa Traore, who returned from last year’s squad. Traore has not played this year due to injury and is not expected back until sometime in December.
Rebounding is a weakness
With a lack of height, bulk, and muscle inside, rebounding is a problem. Albany gathered 38 rebounds against the Rams, including an astounding 18 offensive rebounds, which led to 22 second-chance points. After the game, Miller said, “We are struggling on the glass as rebounding is a disaster. We need to find a harder edge and have to do it by committee on the boards.”
During the following game, Yale had 31 rebounds (30 for URI) and 17 second-chance points.
With the makeup of the team, Miller is counting on the following formula for success: “We need to be that team that starts defensively rather than offensively. We need to be that team that scrambles around on the floor, making great effort, winning 50/50 balls, being able to disrupt, deflect, create turnovers, and have defense lead to offense.
If this team plays anything like that, it will be fun to watch.
Rams are killing it from the foul line
URI is shooting 81.4% as a team from the foul line. Jahmere Tripp and Keevan Itejere are shooting 89% with Jonah Hinton not far behind at 86%.
Lots of guards
The strength of the team is guard play, and the Rams have a lot of guards. The starting point guard is 6’1”, 180 lb. Grad student Myles Corey from South Alabama. The word explosive is often used to describe Corey’s game as he is fast and athletic with a reported 48” vertical leap. He is quick to the hoop and often drives to the left side of the basket but makes his shot with his right hand.
The backup point guard is 6’1”, 177 lb. Grad student RJ Johnson from Charleston Southern.
Corey and Johnson are splitting time on the court, with each averaging about 20 minutes per game. Corey has scored more points (49 to 33) and made more steals (9 to 1). Johnson has made more assists (17-6). They are about the same on turnovers (Corey 5 and Johnson 6).
Two point guards
When asked about his two point guards, Miller said, “They are different, and I trust both guys. Miles has a different gear getting to the rim. Defensively, he is a steal and deflection guy. RJ is cerebral and knows how to play the game. He is very good in the two-man game.”
Miller has the luxury of going with the hot hand and has said, “We need to search for opportunities to keep them on the floor together.”
The heart of the team is 6’4”, 222 lb. Grad student Tyler Cochran from Minnesota. He did not play last year due to a foot injury. He is averaging 15.4 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists per game, 22 total steals, and 77% from the free-throw line. Cochran has bulk and surprises people with his quick first step. He is adept at getting into the lane and drawing contact as he shoots.
URI has been starting three guards, which includes 6’3” 185 lb. Jr. Jonah Hinton from St. Bonaventure. Hinton was not getting much attention until the Yale game. In the Bulldogs' home court, he scored 24 points, hitting 5 of 11 on three-pointers and going 7 for 8 from the line. He leads the team in minutes played and scoring at 15.6 points per game.
Other players
Other guards getting playing time and contributing to the team are 6’6”, 234 lb. Jr. Jahmere Tripp from Fordham – 24.6 MPG, 13.4 PPG, 53% on 3’s (8-15), 89% FT, and 3 APG
And 6’2”, 180 lb. R-Fr. Damone King from Louisville, Ky. – 9.8 MPG, 2.2 PPG, 1 assist, and 5 steals.
URI also has three freshmen who have seen limited action: 6’3” guard Jalen Harper, 6’6” guard Barrett Loer, and 6’8” forward Javon Perry.
Final thoughts
The Rams are deep with a lot of interchangeable parts. Nine players get considerable minutes. If Miller is going to play up-tempo, aggressive, intense basketball for 40 minutes, he has the legs to do it. We will see if he has the talent.