November 14, 2008 | AP Press

KINGSTON, R.I. — Three Rams reached double figures in scoring as the Rhode Island men’s basketball team (1-0) defeated Brown 76-74 Friday night in its home-opener at the Ryan Center.

URI’s win over BU improves the Rams to 90-12 in home openers and 82-20 in season openers. Friday’s night contest marked the 12th time URI has faced Brown in its season-opening game. The Rams own a 10-2 record in those games.

“It was dogfight of a game,” URI head coach Jim Baron said. “We learned a lot about our team today. “(Will) Martell did a great job off the bench. Sometimes we are going to go small and quick. When you make shots that slows us down as a team.”

Senior guard Jimmy Baron (East Greenwich, R.I.) led all URI scorers with 17 points. All of Baron’s 17 points came in the final 20 minutes.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Jimmy Baron. “I tried to go to other parts of my game rather then just jacking up my 3-point shots.”

Junior Keith Cothran (New Haven, Conn.) and Senior Kaheim Seawright (Uniondale, N.Y.) also reach double-figures as they scored 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Six other URI players made their way into the scorebook as the Rams held a 14-9 advantage in bench scoring.

The Rams shot just 39.1 percent from the field (25-of-64), but took care of the ball as they totaled just three turnovers. URI forced the Bears into 10 turnovers. The last time URI had less than 10 turnovers was back on Feb. 2, 2008 against Dayton.

URI trailed 33-29 at the half after shooting 31.6 percent from the field.

Brown held a 64-59 lead with 6:44 to go in the game, but URI would claw its way back into the lead thanks to a 12-1 run, which saw the Rams hold the Bears without a field goal for over five minutes, giving the Rams a 71-65 lead. Baron scored eight points during that stretch, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Brown’s Matt Mullery led the Bears with a game-high 22 points.

The Rams return to action on Sunday afternoon as they head to Durham, N.C. to take on Duke. The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU beginning at 4:30 p.m. It is Rhody’s first trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium and the first regular season meeting between the Rams and Blue Devils.

Location: Kingston, R.I.

Enrollment: 15,650

Founded: 1892

President: Dr. Robert L. Carothers

Athletic Director: Thorr Bjorn

Athletics Web Sites: gorhody.com, projo.com

Nickname: Rams

Colors: Light Blue, Dark Blue, and White

Arena: Ryan Center

Capacity: 7,657

Average Attendance: 5,915

Head Coach: Jim Baron

Overall Record: 314-309 (50.4% Winning Percentage)

Record at Rhode Island: 108-107

2007-2008 Record: 21-12 (7-9) NIT First Round

Assistants: Kevin Clark, Pat Clarke

ROSTER

1 Stevie Mejia FR PG 5-9 175 Boston
2 Ben Eaves R-SO F 6-7 225 England/UConn
4 Jamal Wilson FR WF 6-5 195 Philadelphia
5 Marquis Jones SO PG 6-1 200 S. Plainfield, NJ/St. Thomas More (CT)
12 Orion Outerbridge FR PF 6-9 210 Boston/New Hampton School (NH)
15 Lamonte Ulmer JR F 6-6 215 Hamden, CT/Notre Dame (MA)
*20 Jimmy Baron SR WG 6-3 195 East Greenwich, RI/Worcester (MA) Academy
21 Delroy James R-SO F 6-8 220 Brooklyn, NY/Laurinburg (NC) Prep
22 Keith Cothran JR WG 6-4 195 New Haven, CT/ Winchendon (MA)
32 Will Martell SO C 7-0 245 Rumson, NJ/The Hun School (NJ)
*33 Kahiem Seawright SR PF 6-8 235 Uniondale, NY
*54 Jason Francis SR C/F 6-9 280 Old Harbor, Jamaica/SE Illinois JC

*Returning starters

OVERVIEW

Winning 20 games and going to the NIT is considered a big achievement in most years. It’s a big disappointment, however, after a team races to a 20-4 record and jumps into the national rankings. Only a massive breakdown could deny a team so quick out of the starting gate from finishing the season in the NCAA Tournament.

That’s exactly what happened to Rhode Island. The Rams suffered one of the worst letdowns in A-10 history, losing nine of their last 11 games to finish 7-9 in conference play. The team’s final loss at Creighton in the NIT summed up the entire season. URI roared out to a 20-point lead but withered in the crunch. Rams became lambs.

There’s plenty of blame to go around, but it starts with the coach. Jim Baron lost his grip on the team. The defense leaked like a broken fire hydrant and the players panicked on offense.

Another Baron, the coach’s son, figured in the collapse. Jim Baron Jr. suffered the worst shooting slump of his career in the final stretch. The rest of the players also shoulder plenty of blame, especially at the defensive end. The Rams guarded opponents about as well as AIG minded its money.

Can the Rams recover? URI lost two key players, point guard Parfait Bitee and First Team A-10 selection Will Daniels, but the roster is dotted with good athletes and no small amount of skill. Baron also brought in a good recruiting class. There are questions at point and the scoring of Daniels has to be replaced, but the team has options.

A bigger unknown is whether the Rams can recover mentally and learn to trust each other again. That goes not only for the players, but for the coaches and fans as well.

DEPARTED PLAYERS

Will Daniels – The 6-8 forward, named to the A-10’s First Team, finished third in the league in scoring (18.6 ppg, 50.1% FG) and was also among the top 10 in rebounds (6.5 rpg). Daniels thrived in transition, could score inside and knock down the trey (36% 3PG). He didn’t always exercise good shot selection, however, and turned the ball over too much (80). While Daniels still put up nice numbers during the Rams’ season-ending slump, he failed to make enough big plays when it counted most and he did not give his all on defense.

Parfait Bitee – Former wing guard turned himself into a quality point guard and excelled in his final year. An All-Conference defender, Bitee also set career highs in scoring (11.8 ppg), assists (4.7 apg) and shooting (49.6% FG, 51.2% 3PG). In tight spots, he often hit big buckets, and Bitee guarded the other team’s best perimeter scorer. Like Daniels, though, Bitee was an accomplice to URI’s collapse. He was not a creative distributor and left his own man too much – often out of necessity – to contribute to the team’s defensive breakdowns.

Joe Mbang (6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg). Muscular but undersized power forward regressed in his final season. Mbang was not a big factor inside and his outside touch deserted him (27% 3PG, down from 39%).

Hakim McCullar – Athletic 6-7 “tweener” from Cincinnati left the program after riding the bench as a freshman.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Jimmy Baron Jr. (14.2 ppg, 43% FG, 91.3% FT, 64 assists, 38 turnovers). The coach’s son did not have a bad season, but it was clearly a frustrating one. Baron’s scoring flattened out at 14 points a game, and while his 3-point shooting was still excellent at 40.6%, his percentage tumbled from 48%. What’s worse, he went into a funk during the team’s year-end slide. Four of the five games in which he failed to score in double figures came during the stretch run. He averaged less than 10 points in URI’s last nine losses –a number inflated by a 25-point outburst vs. Charlotte.

It’s not fair to blame Baron for URI’s failure to make the NCAA tournament. The main cause was poor defense by the whole team, a problem to which Baron contributed. He’s not especially quick and has trouble guarding opponents who are. What Baron can be blamed for is poor shot selection. He takes too many shots well behind the 3-point line, even when tightly guarded, instead of passing the ball. Opponents put bigger, athletic defenders on Baron and hedged when he went behind screens, pushing him further from the basket. Baron took the shots anyway. When he missed, long rebounds often led to fastbreaks for the other team. It could have a demoralizing effect.

Baron wants to be a leader, but sometimes the best way to lead is to defer, especially when the coach is your father. Teammates might think it’s dad who’s giving Junior license to shoot. Baron should focus on the two things at which he excels. He’s a great spot-up shooter, as good as any in the country. He can help his team most by taking shots when he’s open and has his feet set. The rest of the time he should pass or act as a decoy. He’s also very handy when URI has the lead late in a game. Baron hit 73 of 80 free throws last year and has nailed 172 of 189 in his career.

Kahiem Seawright (9.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 44% FG, 42 blocks). URI’s undersized 6-8 power forward did not progress as much as hoped in his third year. Seawright’s scoring fell and his field-goal percentage slid to a career low 44%, a poor number for a player who takes most of his shots near the basket.

Seawright is not a polished low-post operator, and though he jumps quickly, he does not jump very high. He had trouble finishing against more athletic defenders. Seawright prefers to take opponents off the dribble, but he gave the ball too much (86 turnovers) and has not honed a consistent 15-foot jumper. It’s possible he could do a better job in those areas as a senior, but don’t count on it. Seawright is a third or fourth scoring option.

What Baron can count on is Seawright’s effort on the boards. He’s the league’s top returning rebounder – only Bryant Dunston grabbed more last year – and one of the best offensive boardmen. Seawright grabbed 10 or more boards in 14 games, reaching a season-high 15 three times. He’s also a surprisingly good interior passer (68 assists) and the team’s best post defender even though he’s often overmatched. If Seawright focuses on his strengths he’s a pretty good player.

Keith Cothran (7.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 47% FG, 24% 3PG, 59 steals). The talented 6-4 swingman can change a game with his athleticism and defense. Cothran has point-like abilities and is terrific in the open floor. Long and quick, he’s good at pressuring the ball and gets lots of steals that he turns into easy baskets.

Cothran is less effective when the game slows. He’s a suspect outside shooter and has trouble against more physical defenders. Just 190 pounds, Cothran seemed to wear down in the second half of the season. Defenses also figured him out, especially in conference play. He scored in double figures in seven of the first 13 games but only twice the rest of the year. In URI’s last nine losses, he averaged just 5 points. Cothran has to get stronger and shoot better to be more effective. He’s a good player now. He could be an all-conference player if he addresses his weaknesses.

Lamonte Ulmer (7.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 50.5% FG, 33 steals, 25 blocks). The 6-6 wing forward, who’s like a bigger version of Cothran, improved considerably in his second year. An explosive athlete with boundless energy, Ulmer excels in the transition game. He handles the ball well, finishes with authority and is quick to the offensive glass. He’s also a disruptive defender in a press, using his long arms to deflect or steal passes.

Ulmer is less dangerous in the halfcourt. He’s not a good long-range shooter (0-3 3PG), and despite adding 25 pounds of muscle, he had difficulty finishing when he got bumped in the lane. Ulmer is most effective off the dribble, but defenders are smart enough to lay off him. After scoring in double figures six times in nonconference play, he only scored 10 points or more in three A-10 games. Even a decent 12-foot faceup jumper would make Ulmer more difficult to guard.

Baron needs a more rounded performance from Ulmer as a junior, especially on defense. He leaves his man too much, fails to close out on shooters and bites too easily on upfakes.

Delroy James (3.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 50% FG, 9 mpg) . The first appearance by the 6-8 forward took a year and a half owing to clearinghouse problems and a suspension. When James finally suited up, he showed a world of potential. Like his bigger brother Shawn, who played at Duquesne, James has long arms, good footwork and quick springs. He’s more of a natural scorer, though, who can shoot outside, take defenders off the dribble or finish near the basket. Of all the Rams, he’s the one with the most potential to replace the total game of Will Daniels. In the last eight games of the season, James averaged 8 points and more than 6 rebounds, including a career-high 13 points vs. St. Joseph’s.

Given such a long layoff and limited experience, James has much to improve upon. He was sloppy with the ball at times (4 assists to 19 turnovers) and took some rushed shots. His defense (9 steals, 5 blocks) is also a work in progress. Most important, James has to keep up with his classwork because he probably doesn’t have much room for error left. His upside is tremendous, but for now it’s merely potential waiting to be tapped.

Marquis Jones (1.7 ppg, 1.7 apg, 37.5% FG, 2-10 3PG). The 6-1 sophomore is not tremendously athletic but he’s plenty quick. He’s not a great shooter but his jumper looks decent enough. He’s not going to carve up defenses with penetration, but he can get into the lane and dish to open teammates. He handed out as many as 6 assists in three games as a freshman and tallied 50 for the year (vs. 30 turnovers) even though he only averaged 9 minutes a game.

In short, Jones seems to have the ability to be a solid player in the A-10 as he gains experience. He’s not great at anything but does most things fairly well. He’s a natural point guard with a good handle who looks for open teammates first. Whether Jones is good enough to lead the Rams, however, is uncertain. Freshman Stevie Mejia was more highly rated coming out of high school and is expected to push Jones for the starting job.

Jason Francis – (2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 12 mpg). Jamaican-born juco started 27 games and gave the Rams some beef inside, but he was too big for his own good. The 6-9 widebody had trouble keeping up with URI’s fast pace. Even when the game slowed down, he had trouble finishing. Francis is bigger than his listed 280 pounds and has little elevation when he shoots. Although Francis hit 61.5% of his attempts, more than a few of his shots were blocked and he missed some seemingly easy scores.

Francis could give the Rams a bigger lift if he got smaller. He’s fairly mobile at his prior weight and has decent footwork and hands, but losing 30 pounds could work wonders. URI needs a bigger though more nimble presence down low.

Will Martell – Now listed at 7-0 feet, Martell appeared in 14 games as a frosh, playing just 27 minutes and making 1 of 5 shots. Martell is supposed to be a decent faceup shooter and he has good size, but it’s unclear whether he’s an A-10 level player.

NEWCOMERS

Orion Outerbridge – The 6-9 center (No. 140, PrepStars) is the crown jewel of the URI recruiting class and potentially the program’s missing link. Long and lean, Outerbridge is a fine athlete with big hops who gets quickly up and down the floor. He prefers to face up to the basket and has to learn to play down low, but his length and explosiveness allow him to score inside. Early in his career, his biggest assets will be rebounding and shot-blocking. As he fills out and polishes his post game, he’ll become a bigger factor on offense. Outerbridge should be a perfect fit for URI’s uptempo style. He might turn out to be the best bigman Baron has coached since Caswell Cyrus eight years ago.

Stevie Mejia – Savvy 5-9 sparkplug, named Gatorade’s Massachusetts Player of the Year, makes up for lack of height with quickness and fearlessness. A natural playmaker, Mejia likes to dart into the paint and kick out to shooters, though he finishes pretty well for his size. Just as important, he’s a very good 3-point shooter who defenders have to respect. He’ll battle sophomore Mark Jones for the starting job.

Ben Eaves – UConn transfer did not play much for the Huskies, but he could be a good player in the A-10. Eaves, a tremendous athlete, is a solid 225 pounds and has a budding inside-out game. He can shoot threes, score a bit down low and finish on the break. Eaves has barely played in two years, however, so it’s hard to predict how long it will take for him to make an impact.

Jamal Wilson – Rangy swingman, one of the better players in Philadelphia, is solid in most phases of the game. He’s a decent shooter and passer, rebounds well for his size and has good defensive potential.

SCOUTING REPORT

The team lost two of its best ball-handlers in Bitee and Daniels and needs new players to direct the offensive attack. Sophomore Marquis Jones, a true point, showed solid if unspectacular playmaking skills in limited duty. Newcomer Steve Mejia has excellent credentials and is supposed to be a better outside shooter.

Putting another good shooter on the floor is critical because the Rams suddenly lack outside punch. Jim Baron Jr. accounted for 99 of the 113 three-pointers made last season by players still on the roster. He needs help. Baron had a hard time getting open looks last season and it won’t get any easier if teammates can’t draw attention to themselves.

Both Barons will look to a pair of forwards to do just that. Potential star Delroy James has a versatile game similar to Daniels. UConn transfer Ben Eaves, another forward who can play inside and out, will also see plenty of action.

Scoring in the post, as is often the case with a Baron-coached team, remains a sore spot. Francis lacks lift and quickness. Seawright is turnover prone in the paint and shot a miserly 44%. He’s better than that, but he’s not a primary weapon. Ditto for Ulmer, a highwire athlete who’s at his best attacking the rim or filling the lanes on the break.

Given the limited scoring options inside, Baron might want to start the freshman center Outerbridge for his shotblocking ability. URI’s troubles stem in part from a hole in the middle of the defense. Players such as Cothran and Ulmer like to go for steals, but the result is an easy bucket for the opposition when their gambles fail.

Whatever the case, the rest of the Rams simply have to play better defense, especially team defense. Too many times teammates failed to help out, leaving each other exposed.

Smarter decision making on offense is also a must. Baron’s switch to a full-throttle attack two years ago has paid dividends, but at the cost of lost discipline. Like a single’s club, every player tried to score on his own once the losing began.

PREDICTION

The Rams have a good core of veterans, plenty of athleticism and a potent offense sure to rack up points (80.5 ppg, 3rd in the A-10). Another winning season and a tournament invitation are within reach if URI gets solid play at point and the Rams show deeper commitment to defense. The emergence of a new star to replace Daniels would help matters greatly.

Expecting all of those things to happen, however, is a stretch. Rhode Island is likely to remain in the middle of the A-10 pack.

WH’s

NONCON PREDICTION: 9-6

W – BROWN
L – At Duke
W – At Monmouth
L – VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH
W – HARTFORD
L – vs Penn State (Palestra)
W – vs. Villanova/Towson (Palestra)
W – At Northeastern
L – Providence
W – NEW HAMPSHIRE
W – CENTRAL CONN STATE
L – At Oklahoma State
W – At Fairleigh Dickinson
W – AKRON
W – At Toledo

Brown and Duke play out as expected. Monmouth upset Charlotte last year and plays the kind of slowdown style that bothers URI. It also has all its key guys back. Could be a post-Duke letdown game, but I see a win. VCU is definitely beatable in the Ryan, but the Virginia Rams have a dynamite backcourt that could bother their Rhode Island cousins. Hartford is not bad. URI cannot and will not lose back to back games at home, though.

Next up is Penn State at the Palestra. Penn State is bigger and tougher. Huge game for Rhody in terms of RPI. A win and chance to meet Nova next would do wonders. A loss and Rhody gets to play … Towson.

The Rams follow with losses on the road to Northeastern, which might have its best team in years, and a healthy PC team that’s deep and experienced. Victories then follow over NH and CCSU, though Howie Dickenman’s teams usually play A-10 foes tough.

OSU could be beaten as Travis Ford tries to install his system. OSU is tough, though, and a big crowd is likely. Chance for a good URI upset and some A-10 respect in Stillwater. After that trip, Toledo on the road is the toughest game left, followed by a competitive and well-coached FDU team. Akron lost three All-Conference players but is very well coached.