Game Recap: PC Friars Lose for the First Time in 8 Years to URI

On By The Morning HangoverIn Basketball Game Recaps, PC Men's Basketball

Providence Friars 68 (6-2)

Rhode Island Rams 75 (5-2)

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The Rhode Island Rams were about to pull out a win over the Providence Friars for the first time in 8 tries at home at the Ryan Center.  With the Friars missing Emmitt Holt for the season and the Rams without an injured E.C. Matthews, the matchup between the two Ocean State teams wasn’t exactly what everyone expected it would be before the season.

However, it was still a game that each team circled with anticipation when looking over their schedule and a chance to either squad to pick up an out of conference win that will look good on an NCAA resume at the end of the season.

Rams Freshman guard Fatts Russell recorded his 2nd straight 20-point game (of the bench mind you) and was a difference maker in a game that was a 3-point game with under 4 minutes to go in the 2nd half.  The Rams have one of the deepest backcourts in the nation and Russell looks like he’s going to be able to more than up to the task to replace the plethora of Senior guards the Rams will be losing after this season (Terrell, Garrett, & Robinson).

Game Notes:

  • This was Ed Cooley’s first loss to URI since taking over as the coach of the Friars.
  • Kyron Cartwright became just the 7th Friar to record 500 assists in his career.
  • The difference in the game came down to two fundamental aspects of the game…turnovers and foul shooting.
  • Despite shooting 55% from the floor and 40% from three, the Friars were unable to climb all the way back from a deep hole in the first half, struggling from the line whenever there was a chance for them to finish closing the gap.  PC finished 10-21 from the line compared to URI making 20-23 of their free throws.  The Friars lost by 7…so, yeah, I’d say those were pretty important.
  • The other big disparity between the two teams was turnovers.  The Friars turned the ball over 21 times compared to the Rams 11 giveaways.
  • The Friars also only recorded 11 assists on 27 baskets, which is very unlike this team.
  • The three Friars that seemed to show up in a noticeable way were Alpha Diallo, Nate Watson, and Makai Ashton-Langford.
  • Alpha, who seems to rise to the occasion in big games, scored a team-high 17 points on 8-12 shooting and grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds.  He was easily and noticeably the best player on the floor for the Friars all night.
  • Big Nate was perfect on the night, going 4-4 from the field and 2-2 from the line, scoring 10 points in 19 minutes.  He also continues to run the floor like a man with a purpose.
  • Makai scored 12 points of 4-7 shooting, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out a pair of assists.  This was the third game (second in a row) that MAL has scored in double figures.  Unfortunately, MAL struggled mightily from the line, shooting just 4-9 on freebies.
  • Kyron Cartwright had an off night, shooting just 1-7 from the floor and scoring just 2 points.  Cartwright led the team with 4 assists but also had 3 turnovers.
  • Jalen Lindsey was 2-2 from the floor (both threes, obviously), making it 34 games in a row for Jalen with a made three, and 26 out of 34 with multiple trey makes.
  • Rodney Bullock did a little bit of everything, scoring 10 points, and recording 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 1 assist.
  • On the flip side, Bullock also turned the ball over a team-high 4 times, missed 2-4 free throws, and was 0-3 from beyond the arc.
  • Kalif Young played a solid game but needs to have more of an impact against a team with a thin frontcourt and playing a team that starts four guards and a forward.
  • The rest of the bench, Maliek White, Isaiah Jackson, Tommy Planek, and Drew Edwards played a total of 17 minutes and combined for 5 points…but White had a monster block to his credit.
  • Fatts Russell, I will hate you for the forseable future.
  • Jared Terrell, I still hate you.
  • Dan Hurley, you’re such a fucking infuriating little man.

Next Up, the Friars keep it local against a visiting Brown team.

One thought on “Game Recap: PC Friars Lose for the First Time in 8 Years to URI”

  1. Pingback: 2017-2018 Men’s Basketball Schedule | The Morning Hangover

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