Why the URI Basketball Game on Saturday Signals Trouble for the Program

Why the URI Basketball Game on Saturday Signals Trouble for the Program

On Saturday, the University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team hosted the University of Massachusetts at the Ryan Center. It was a rivalry game.

There were a lot of VIPs in attendance. 

Tom Garrick, Silk Owens, Kenny Green, and other URI greats were on hand in recognition of the 1987-88 Sweet Sixteen team. Even former URI coach Jim Harrick was there — he coached the Ram’s Elite 8 team in 1997-98.

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The game attracted ESPN’s national audience, and Matt Martucci was there to handle the play-by-play, with former NCAA coach Tom Crean as the color analyst.

But who wasn’t there— the URI students.

The student section was a ghost town.

This is never a good sign for any program, and this is an especially bad sign for a first-year coach like Archie Miller.

In the game, URI lost to UMass 69-45.

Ishmael Leggett led the Ram with 18 points and 8 rebounds. No other Rams hit double figures. URI shot 24% from the field.

The Rams fall to 8-18 overall and 4-10 in the A-10. URI has lost five in a row.