Gamenotes - URI/JMU
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RHODE ISLAND VS. JAMES MADISON
* Tonight's game marks the first between Rhode Island and James Madison on the hardwood.
* It marks the fourth time URI has faced an opponent from the CAA this season.
* This is the third time JMU has faced an A-10 opponent, losing at LaSalle (83-92) on Nov. 19 and downing George Washington (62-57) last time out.
* It also marks the first time Jim Baron and Matt Brady have faced off as head coaches.
RHODE ISLAND IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
* Since joining the Eastern 8 in the 1980-81 season, URI has posted a 245-198 mark in non-conference play.
* Dating back to the 2006-07 season, the Rams have posted a 62-36 record versus out-of-conference opponents.
RHODE ISLAND VS. THE CAA
* Rhode Island is 10-3 against CAA teams since the league was formed in 1985.
* URI downed Hofstra for their first victory of the season on Nov. 25 in Kingston
* The Runnin' Rams dropped a 92-90 overtime decision at George Mason to start the season.
* Rhody also lost at Georgia State (64-96) on Dec. 10
* Last year, URI was 2-0 versus CAA teams, beating Drexel, 74-68 (Nov. 24) and Northeastern, 79-67 (Dec. 8)
* Rhode Island's football team currently competes in the CAA Football League
RHODE ISLAND IN IN-SEASON TOURNAMENTS
* Dating back to the 1949-50 season, Rhode Island is 61-64 (.488) all-time in in-season tournaments.
* The Rams were 1-3 earlier this season in the TicketCity Legends Classic play, beating Hofstra and dropping games at Texas and against Boston University and Cleveland State.
TODAY'S RUNNIN' RAM FACT(S) YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
* The combined record of Rhody's 12 non-conference opponents so far this year is 100-52.
* The combined record of the three other teams in the UCF Holiday Classic is 18-12.
* This year marks the second consecutive year that the Rams have played in the Sunshine State. * Last year, Rhody played at Florida on Jan. 3 (L, 59-84) and at UCF in the second round of the CBI on March 21 (L, 54-66).
* It is the second time Rhody has played an in-season tournament in Florida. In 2007-08, Rhody won the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach.
WILSON DISMISSED FROM TEAM
* Head coach Jim Baron announced that senior guard Jamal Wilson has been dismissed from the Rhode Island men's basketball team due to a violation of team rules
* Wilson was the team's leading scorer, averaging 16.4 points in 11 games played.
* He poured in a career-high 38 points in the season opener at George Mason on Nov. 11 and was named A-10 Player of the Week on Nov. 14
* The Norristown, Pa. native was suspended prior to the Dec. 18 Yale game - also for a violation of team rules
NOW TRENDING: ASSIST/TURNOVER RATIO
* Through the Runnin' Rams first 12 games, they have posted more assists than turnovers twice - last time vs. Providence and the lone win vs. Hofstra on Nov. 25.
* On the season, URI has a 0.77:1 assist/turnover ratio (143 assists/185 turnovers)
* URI is averaging 15.4 turnovers, while dishing out 11.9 assists per game.
* Last season, in games with a positive assist/turnover ratio, Rhody was 12-3.
LAST TIME OUT - PROVIDENCE 80, RHODE ISLAND 61 (DEC. 23)
* The game marked the URI debut for both Andre Malone and Billy Baron. Malone earned the start and finished with four points, two rebounds, an assist, and two steals in 15 minutes. Baron logged 17 minutes, collecting three points, four rebounds, and four assists.
* Rhode Island suffered through its worst shooting night of the season, connecting on just 30.3% of its field goal attempts (20-66). The Rams were 3-of-20 from the perimeter.
* Jonathan Holton led the Rams with 15 points, six rebounds, and four blocked shots.
* The freshman from Miami was one of three Rhody players in double-figures. Orion Outerbridge and Mike Powell each added 13 points.
* It also marked just the second time that the Rams posted a positive assist/turnover ratio, with 14 assists to a season-low 11 turnovers.
* Eight of those 11 turns came in the second half – a period in which Providence outscored Rhody, 45-28.
* T.J. Buchanan played 22 minutes after suffering a high ankle sprain vs. Yale on Dec. 18. He tallied three boards and two steals.
MALONE, BARON MAKE RHODY DEBUT
* Andre Malone and Billy Baron each played their first games in a Rhode Island uniform on Dec. 23 vs. Providence
* Malone earned the start and added four points, two rebounds and two steals in 15 minutes
* Baron played 26 minutes, tallying three points, four boards, four assists and a steal
* Both players showed a little rust after close to a year off from competition, combining to shoot 1-for-14
* David Fox of Rivals.com picked Malone, a 6-6 guard from Atlanta, as the Atlantic 10's Newcomer of the Year.
* Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com highlighted Baron, a 6-2 guard and son of head coach Jim Baron, among his top 25 impact transfers nationally
MIKE POWELL, FOR STARTERS
* In his last two starts, freshman point guard Mike Powell has dished out 10 assists to just two turnovers
* He had five assists and zero turns at home versus Virginia Tech on Dec. 7
* Last time out against Providence, he tied his career high with 13 points, while also adding five assists and two steals
ORION GIVE-ETH AND SWAT-ETH AWAY
* Orion Outerbridge set new career-highs in blocked shots (5) and assists (3) vs. Yale.
* OO's five swats were the most by a Ram player since Delroy James rejected five Saint Louis shots on March 8, 2011
* Outerbridge now has 72 steals in his career and currently ranks fifth in the A-10 (2.5 bpg).
SEASON HIGH IN STEALS VS. YALE
* Rhode Island notched a season-high 12 steals vs. Yale on Dec. 18.
* It marked the first double-digit performance in the statistical category this season
* It is also the highest single-game steal total since tallying 12 swipes at Toledo on Nov. 20, 2010.
DEFENSIVE WOES
* The Runnin' Rams rank 331st out of 339 in scoring defense, allowing 79.0 points per game.
* Rhode Island is also 334th in defensive field goal percentage, allowing opponents to shoot 50.0% from the floor
* URI is 245th in defensive 3-point field goal percentage, as the opposition is connecting on 35.5% from the perimeter
* Rhody opponents have scored 80 or more points five times, 90+ three times, and 100 once.
FRESHMEN MAKING AN IMPACT
* Jonathan Holton ranks tied for 18th among all frosh nationally in rebounding, pulling down 6.5 boards per game
* Mike Powell is tied for 21st among all frosh in assists per game (3.6).
* Rhody's newcomers account for 35% of the team's scoring, 36% of rebounding, and 59% of assist totals.
MALHOIT "THE MICROWAVE"
* Anthony Malhoit earned his third start of the year vs. Yale and registered career highs in rebounds (8) and minutes (27)
* The 6-3 guard had a career-high seven points in 12 minutes, connecting on his first career 3FG, vs. Hofstra on Nov. 25.
* Had three 5+ rebound performances in eight games in 2011-12.
OUTERBRIDGE'S CAREER DAY VS. NEBRASKA
* Orion Outerbridge registered career-highs in points (24) and rebounds (10) at Nebraska on Nov. 20
* It was his second collegiate double-double (previous: 10p/10r vs. UMass, Feb. 19, 2011)
* The 6-9 forward also tied his career-high with four 3-pointers made (4-for-9).
HOLTON NAMED ATLANTIC 10 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
* On Nov. 28, the Atlantic 10 selected Jonathan Holton as its Rookie of the Week
* The 6-9 forward averaged 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 blocked shots in a 1-2 weekend for the Rams
* Against Hofstra, Holton recorded a season-best 20 points (8-13 FG), while adding six rebounds and two blocks
* The Miami, Fla. native added nine points and seven boards against Boston University, while chipping in with seven points and six rebounds against Cleveland State.
THE FRANTIC FIVE - RHODY'S FIVE FRESHMEN
* Rhody's five-player freshman class had its regular season debut on Nov. 11 at George Mason.
* Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal dubbed them the "Frantic Five" due to the Runnin' Rams uptempo style
* Jonathan Holton and Mike Powell each cracked the starting lineup, while T.J. Buchanan, Rayvon Harris, and Dominique McKoy all saw action off the bench.
* Powell became the first true freshman to start for the Rams as a pure point guard since Tyson Wheeler in 1994-95.
* Holton's 14 boards tied the highest rebounding total in a URI debut since Lamar Odom had 14 vs. TCU (Nov. 9, 1998)
* Additionally, Holton and Odom are the only two Rhody players to record a double-double in points and rebounds in their Rhody debuts. Holton had 12 points and 14 boards; Odom 19 points and 14 rebounds.
* The last time Rhody had two freshmen in its starting lineup was Feb. 23, 2005 when Parfait Bitee and Will Daniels were among the first five at UMass.
A-10 PRESEASON POLL: RAMS PICKED 10TH
* Rhode Island was picked to finish 10th among the 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, according to the league's annual preseason poll.
* The poll, voted on by A-10 head coaches and media, was released during the conference's annual Media Day conference on October 13.
* Xavier tops the poll, followed by Temple, Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure, and Richmond.
RECORD TELEVISION SCHEDULE FOR 2011-12
* Rhode Island will make a record 23 regular season television appearances - including all 15 home games - during the 2011-12 season.
* It is the most comprehensive television slate in program history and ranks second behind Xavier for the most TV games in the Atlantic 10 this year.
* Cox Sports - the exclusive home of Runnin' Rams basketball - will produce and air 13 of the Runnin' Rams games.
* All games produced and aired by Cox can also be seen live on the web via Cox Sports Online.
* The Runnin' Rams will make six national television appearances: at Texas (ESPN), at Nebraska (Big Ten Network), at Boston College (ESPN3), Richmond (CBS Sports), Temple (ESPN), at Xavier (CBS Sports)
NEXT UP: UCF/STETSON (DEC. 30)
* Rhode Island continues play in the UCF Holiday Classic in Orlando, Fla.
* The Rams' next opponent will be either Stetson or host UCF on Dec. 30 at 7 or 9:30 p.m.
* Rhody fans can listen to the game live on the Beltone Hearing Aid Centers Rams Radio Network (B101 -101.5 FM), with Steve McDonald and Don Kaull. This - and all Rhody games on radio - can be heard on the internet or your iPhone/Blackberry/Android device with the iHeartRadio app. Download the app at: iHeart.com
