It's Richmond's turn to challenge the A-10's big, bad wolf, No. 16 Rhode Island
Rhode Island, like Richmond, relies on guards. The difference is Rhody?s star guards are mature upperclassmen, leaders of an aggressive team that represents UR?s most challenging A-10 assignment this season.
The Spiders (9-15, 7-5 A-10) get their shot at the league?s big, bad wolf on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. at Rhode Island?s Ryan Center, where the No. 16 Rams (20-3, 12-0 A-10) are 13-0 this season and have won 26 of their past 29.
No A-10 opponent has overcome Rhode Island?s physical advantage. Every other A-10 team has lost at least four league games. Only three of the Rams? 12 league wins have been decided by fewer than 12 points.
Jared Terrell (17.5 ppg), a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior, E.C. Matthews (13.5 ppg), a 6-5, 200-pound senior, and Stanford Robinson (9.9 ppg), a 6-4, 200-pound senior, are the Rams Richmond will try to check with 5-9 freshman Jacob Gilyard, 6-0 junior Khwan Fore and 6-4 sophomore Nick Sherod.
Spider De?Monte Buckingham, a starter who averages 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds, is questionable for the URI game, a Richmond spokesman said Monday. Buckingham, a 6-4 sophomore from Henrico High, suffered severe cramping in last Wednesday?s win over VCU and missed Saturday?s loss at St. Bonaventure.
Against Richmond?s 6-10, 260-pound freshman, Grant Golden, Rhode Island will send 6-8, 275-pound senior Andre Berry, and Rhode Island has the best interior reserve in the A-10: 6-8, 225-pound sophomore Cyril Langevine. He is one of five Rams who are 6-8 or taller.
The Spiders? matchup defense often confuses opponents, but at some point, UR will still be forced to physically counter Rhode Island?s strength, maturity, and well-established knack for getting to the basket.
?If you?re going to be as small as we are, those (Spiders) who are 6-4, they?re going to need to relish physical play and put their bodies in there,? said UR coach Chris Mooney.
?They?ll have the physical tools to do it, but they also have to be willing to play a physical brand of basketball, and these guys are.?
Sherod, a 230-pounder from St. Christopher?s, has often been responsible for defending significantly taller and heavier players in the lane.
?Inside, you have to be able to take some contact. You have to welcome that contact,? said Sherod. ?If you?re able to do that, you?re able to hold your position in the post.?
There have been times this season that Richmond succeeded in handling superior size, and times it has not. Justin Tillman, VCU?s 6-8 centerpiece, didn?t take a shot in the last eight minutes of Richmond?s 77-76 win two games ago. In UR?s 97-88 loss Saturday at St. Bonaventure, the Bonnies? 6-10 Amadi Ikpeze and 6-6 Tshiefu Ngalakulandi combined for 19 points and 13 rebounds. Together, they were averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds.
On offense, lack of height and bulk hasn?t been an issue for Richmond in league play (77 ppg in last nine games). The Spiders use their quickness to score off the dribble and in transition, and the 3-point shooting ability of just about all who play.
Rhode Island, like Richmond, relies on guards. The difference is Rhody?s star guards are mature upperclassmen, leaders of an aggressive team that represents UR?s most challenging A-10 assignment this season.
The Spiders (9-15, 7-5 A-10) get their shot at the league?s big, bad wolf on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. at Rhode Island?s Ryan Center, where the No. 16 Rams (20-3, 12-0 A-10) are 13-0 this season and have won 26 of their past 29.
No A-10 opponent has overcome Rhode Island?s physical advantage. Every other A-10 team has lost at least four league games. Only three of the Rams? 12 league wins have been decided by fewer than 12 points.
Jared Terrell (17.5 ppg), a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior, E.C. Matthews (13.5 ppg), a 6-5, 200-pound senior, and Stanford Robinson (9.9 ppg), a 6-4, 200-pound senior, are the Rams Richmond will try to check with 5-9 freshman Jacob Gilyard, 6-0 junior Khwan Fore and 6-4 sophomore Nick Sherod.
Spider De?Monte Buckingham, a starter who averages 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds, is questionable for the URI game, a Richmond spokesman said Monday. Buckingham, a 6-4 sophomore from Henrico High, suffered severe cramping in last Wednesday?s win over VCU and missed Saturday?s loss at St. Bonaventure.
Against Richmond?s 6-10, 260-pound freshman, Grant Golden, Rhode Island will send 6-8, 275-pound senior Andre Berry, and Rhode Island has the best interior reserve in the A-10: 6-8, 225-pound sophomore Cyril Langevine. He is one of five Rams who are 6-8 or taller.
The Spiders? matchup defense often confuses opponents, but at some point, UR will still be forced to physically counter Rhode Island?s strength, maturity, and well-established knack for getting to the basket.
?If you?re going to be as small as we are, those (Spiders) who are 6-4, they?re going to need to relish physical play and put their bodies in there,? said UR coach Chris Mooney.
?They?ll have the physical tools to do it, but they also have to be willing to play a physical brand of basketball, and these guys are.?
Sherod, a 230-pounder from St. Christopher?s, has often been responsible for defending significantly taller and heavier players in the lane.
?Inside, you have to be able to take some contact. You have to welcome that contact,? said Sherod. ?If you?re able to do that, you?re able to hold your position in the post.?
There have been times this season that Richmond succeeded in handling superior size, and times it has not. Justin Tillman, VCU?s 6-8 centerpiece, didn?t take a shot in the last eight minutes of Richmond?s 77-76 win two games ago. In UR?s 97-88 loss Saturday at St. Bonaventure, the Bonnies? 6-10 Amadi Ikpeze and 6-6 Tshiefu Ngalakulandi combined for 19 points and 13 rebounds. Together, they were averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds.
On offense, lack of height and bulk hasn?t been an issue for Richmond in league play (77 ppg in last nine games). The Spiders use their quickness to score off the dribble and in transition, and the 3-point shooting ability of just about all who play.
