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Statement Game Awaits PC, URI

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Forget what the line may say — for the first time since 1998, Providence will truly be a home underdog against URI on Saturday afternoon. 

The Rams have been the pre and early season darlings of the Ocean State. Dan Hurley’s club is fully healthy after having lost star guard EC Matthews for all of last season and defensive stalwart Hassan Martin in late February, and they already have a victory over a top 25 team (Cincinnati) under their belt. 

Rhode Island’s respect reaches beyond state borders. They are currently ranked 21st in the country by the AP voters (a number that should dip, however, after a 65-62 loss at Valparaiso on Tuesday) and are seen as a top contender in the Atlantic 10.

Perhaps there’s been another game over the past 18 years in which URI felt like such a solid favorite in the weeks and months leading up to the PC game, but this writer can’t think of one.

What a different world November 1998 was for basketball in Rhode Island. Providence was two years removed from an Elite 8 run, while URI matched that with their own trip to the regional finals a year later.

Pete Gillen left PC for Virginia that spring and new head coach Tim Welsh started his career 0-2, with losses in Providence to Vanderbilt (despite leading 17-2) and TCU (with All American power forward Lee Nailon).

The Rams graduated star guards Tyson Wheeler and Cuttino Mobley, but were ranked #23 nationally with wins over both TCU and Vanderbilt (one other difference in 1998 — a November tourney could take place in Providence, not on an island).

They also had freshman sensation Lamar Odom.

Only, Odom wasn’t so sensational on that Saturday afternoon. He scored just five points and turned the ball over eight times, as Providence jumped the Rams from the start and cruised to their most lopsided win over URI since 1967, 87-63.

Jamel Thomas had 19 points in the first half, 30 on the game, and broke out what my roommates and I had dubbed the Jamel face after a dunk in the second half.

This current edition of the Rams is a veteran group that should arrive to Providence with a sizeable chip on its shoulder, as Friar head coach Ed Cooley is 5-0 in his career against URI since arriving at PC (another feather in Cooley’s cap: PC had never won in the Ryan Center prior to his arrival). 

Three years ago Matthews missed a jumper to win it at the buzzer at the Ryan Center, and Ben Bentil did this to them last season:

Rhode Island’s emotional edginess will most likely come from Jared Terrell, a former top 100 recruit and physical guard out of Massachusetts who has played with a chip on his shoulder since his prep days.

Terrell was a one-time PC recruit who first elected to attend Oklahoma State over PC in the summer prior to his senior season before de-committing and eventually ending up at URI. Terrell’s former AAU coach with Expressions Elite, Ty Boswell, was hired as URI’s Director of Basketball Operations this fall.

Now a junior, the 6’3 Terrell is an outstanding defender and improved jump shooter.

Much like Providence’s Emmitt Holt, Martin plays much bigger than 6’7. He’s the A-10’s best defender, and proved it against Duke when he blocked seven of their shots. He’s blocked six or more shots three times already this season, and is showing a more diversified offensive game — scoring in double figures in each game with a season-high 31 against Belmont last week.

Matthews’ scoring has tailed off over the last three contests (21 points in that span), but he’s still averaging over 14 points per game, and he’s flanked by an underrated lead guard in Jarvis Garrett who was fearless in scoring 17 points against Kris Dunn last season.

This will be a tremendous test for Cooley’s Friars. After nearly every game this season PC’s coach has stressed that he still has so much more to learn about this team, but he’s set to learn a lot about which players can flourish in what should be a wild Saturday at the Dunk.

And while Rhode Island will come to Providence with a chip, this is a Friar group that constantly hears about what they lost from last season and what URI returned. They have a chance to make an early statement of their own.

Twitter: @Kevin_Farrahar

Email: kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

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