Good Start: URI Men's Basketball Blows out Maine 97-77

Good Start: URI Men's Basketball Blows out Maine 97-77

Kingston, RI-- Ifeanyi Onyekaba finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the “Runnin’ Rams” returned to the Ryan Center for the second half as the University of Rhode Island Men’s Basketball team scored a season and home opening win over Maine, 97-77.

Rhode Island controlled the backboards all night, outrebounding the Black Bears 55-28. URI also attempted a whopping 49 free throws- 30 in the first half- in the victory Friday Night.

Onyekaba had 8 offensive rebounds and attempted 10 free throws (making 5) alone. The newcomer from Nigeria sat out last season as a “Year in Residence” student-athlete but his dominant debut on Friday was worth the wait.

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“I feel like I’m…because I’m undersized, most of my points come from hustle plays,” said Onyekaba. “They didn’t do a real good job of boxing me out so I just took advantage.”

Both Onyekaba and sophomore transfer (via Rice) Jarelle Reischel spoke after the game about being nervous playing in their first real game in over a year. Onyekaba said it only took about 5 minutes for him to settle in and take over the backboards and the stat sheet.

In all, URI has 7 new players for the 2013-14 season- transfers Reischel, Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers), and Biggie Minnis (Texas Tech), as well as 1st year players Onyekaba, E.C. Matthews, Hassan Martin, and Matthew Butler.

Those 7 players combined to play 123 minutes (out of 200 for the team), scoring 69 points and grabbing 38 rebounds. Needless to say these Rams have been infused with new talent.

“Today was a good step in changing our story, for what Rhode Island basketball is all about,” said Head Coach Dan Hurley. “It was great to start the year with a win.”

Last season the Rams lost their season and home opener to Norfolk State, and didn’t win their first home contest until December 1st against Vermont. That monkey is off their back this season and coaches, players, and fans are expecting it to be the first of many improvements on last year’s 8-21 campaign.

In addition to Onyekaba’s double-double, Reischel finished with 18 points and 7 rebounds. Martin added 15 points and senior guard Xavier Munford scored 11 points to put 4 Rams in double figures.

Maine’s Xavier Pollard was one of 3 Black Bears in double figures, leading all scorers with 23 points.

“He [Pollard] could play in a lot of places,” said Hurley. “That kid is a heck of a guard.”

All 15 URI players got into the game and 12 of them scored in the victory. The Rams led 52-35 at the half and cruised to the victory in the second half behind a more fast-break style.

URI travels to Southern Methodist on Monday for their next game and returns home next Friday to take on North Carolina A&T at the Ryan Center.

Be sure to stay tuned to Golocalprov.com all season for non-stop coverage of URI Basketball, and follow URI Hoops writer Jack Andrade on twitter for instant updates and analysis (including during games) by clicking here.

 

 

Atlantic 10 Scoreboard

VCU 96, Illinois State 58
George Washington 76, Radford 54
George Mason 63, American 60
Richmond 71, Delaware 69
St. Louis 87, SE Missouri State 64
Fordham 87, St. Francis (PA) 67