SOUTH KINGSTON, R.I. – Despite a 14-point deficit to arch-rival Providence, Jim Baron had a simple message in the locker room for his Rhode Island team at halftime. What was that message?
“He told us to go out there and keep fighting,” senior guard Keith Cothran said. “He said don’t worry about the score, just go out there and play as hard as you can and keep fighting.”
The Rams couldn’t stop the Friars in the first half, and that was with the Friars’ top player, Marshon Brooks, playing just two minutes due to early foul trouble. The Friars, whose offense has clicked quite well for such a young team in the early going, simply had guys like Sharaud Curry and Brian McKenzie (13 points each) and Jamine Peterson (12 points) pick up the slack so they didn’t miss a beat. They scored 49 points on 57.6 percent shooting.
“They were getting a lot of fast break points, they were breaking our press real easy and getting a lot of dunks and a lot of and-1s,” said Cothran. “That’s what sparked them, they got out real fast on us.”
That’s a pretty good summation, and that’s who the Friars are. It continued early in the second half, with the Friars getting the lead as high as 16 at 53-37. That’s when things changed, as the Rams scored the next six points as part of a 14-1 run to get within three. The Friars started looking like the Friars of last year, putting up questionable shots early in the possession without the kind of ball movement they have been getting often this year. The Rams then started running, as they got rebounds, too – in the first half they were out-rebounded 23-13.
The Rams scored 12 points off nine Providence turnovers in the second half, and that’s what they needed along with their second-chance points. The Rams turned 11 offensive rebounds into 14 second-chance points in the second half.
“I told our guys that whoever rebounds the basketball is going to have the best opportunity to win this basketball game,” said Baron.
The halfcourt offense is still struggling, although they had 14 assists with nine turnovers. Rhode Island was 6-24 from three-point range in this game, with freshman Akeem Richmond going 3-9. But with the press, rebounding improvement and transition baskets, along with some free throws, the Rams are 5-1 in the early going with two more home games ahead before they have to hit the road again.
How have they done it? There was a recurring theme from players and the coach as to how they did it Saturday, and how they’ve been winning all season to date.
“Our kids have really stressed togetherness all year,” said Baron. “Even when we were down at VCU, we didn’t put our heads down and we just kept fighting back. This team has a lot of grit and a lot of determination, and we fought back. We got the crowd into it because we made some shots, we made some plays and we made some free throws.”
With Jimmy Baron and Kaheim Seawright among the departed from last season’s team, the Rams obviously lost a lot of production. But more importantly, they lost a lot of leadership. Late last season, the elder Baron talked about how the leadership of last season’s team was the difference between that team and the one a year earlier. Two seasons ago, the Rams started off 14-1 and were nationally ranked in the polls, but struggled in the Atlantic 10 and especially down the stretch, including three straight losses in a crucial February homestand.
The Rams always want it when it comes to playing Providence. The Friars are their arch-rival, and the Big East is considered the glamour conference over the Atlantic 10, so there’s something to prove in the eyes of many. The home team has won the last seven games, which covers the time that the game began alternating between the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and the Ryan Center at URI. The Rams are 4-0 there in the series now. But more importantly, Baron sees another use for this game, one where they rallied from 16 down to win.
“We’ll use it all year, because you’re never out of a game,” Baron said.
That alone will be reason for them to keep fighting.
