Gamenotes: URI/UCF (.pdf)
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RHODE ISLAND VS. UCF
* Tonight's game marks the second time in as many years that Rhode Island and UCF have met on the hardwood.
* Last year, the Knights downed the Rams, 66-54, in the second round of the CBI.
* This will be the first regular season meeting between the two teams.
UCF is the first and only Conference USA opponent on URI's regular season schedule.
RHODE ISLAND IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
* Since joining the Eastern 8 in the 1980-81 season, URI has posted a 246-198 mark in non-conference play.
* Dating back to the 2006-07 season, the Rams have posted a 63-36 record versus out-of-conference opponents.
RHODE ISLAND VS. CONFERENCE USA
* The Rams have posted a 3-9 all-time mark versus teams that currently make up Conference USA.
* Prior to facing UCF last season, Rhody's last C-USA opponent was UAB on Nov. 18, 2007.
* The Rams downed the Blazers, 74-67, at the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla.
RHODE ISLAND IN IN-SEASON TOURNAMENTS
* Dating back to the 1949-50 season, Rhode Island is 62-64 (.492) 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) THAT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
* Last time out vs. James Madison, Rhody shot 50.0% from the floor and held the Dukes to just 35.0% shooting.
* The last time URI shot at least 50.0% and held their opponent to 35.0% or lower was Feb. 26, 2011 at Fordham.
* In that game, URI shot 52.2% from the floor, while holding Fordham to just 32.2% shooting from the field.
BARON, MALONE MAKE IMPACT VS. JMU
* In the second game wearing a Rhode Island uniform, transfers Billy Baron and Andre Malone combined for 25 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
* Malone earned his second start, tallying eight points and six boards in 26 minutes of action
* Baron scored 13 of his 17 points in the second frame, connecting on 6-of-11 shots from the floor.
* Both connected on their first 3-pointers of the season - with Malone's deep ball ending a 7-0 JMU scoring push in the second half.
LAST TIME OUT - RHODE ISLAND 79, JAMES MADISON 60 (DEC. 29)
* Orion Outerbridge finished with 22 points and nine rebounds - two points and one rebound of his career highs in both statistical categories. The 6-9 senior also blocked three shots over 17 minutes of play in the second half.
* In addition to Outerbridge, three other Rhody players scored in double figures – Jonathan Holton had 12 and Mile Powell had 10, while Billy Baron added 17 points off the bench.
Holton had one of his most efficient games as a Ram, knocking down 6-of-9 from the floor, while grabbing eight rebounds and notching three steal.
* Powell scored seven of his 10 points in the second frame – including a deep 3-pointer with 8:22 to play, giving Rhody a 17-point lead (59-42).
* Baron scored 13 of his 17 in the second half, as he added four boards and three assists in 27 minutes of action.
* The Rams never trailed in the game. Rhody started the game with two FT attempts, as a JMU player was assessed a technical foul for dunking during pregame warmups. Andre Malone connected on 1-of-2 before the opening tip.
* Malone added eight points and six boards in 26 minutes of action.
* While the Rams committed 19 turnovers – 11 in the second half – their defense forced 16 JMU mishaps, good for 15 points.
* The Rams shot 50.0% from the floor (27-54) and held the Dukes to just 35.0% (21-60). It is the lowest a Rhody opponent has shot this season – and the lowest FG% defensive mark since Richmond shot just 32.1% from the floor in the 2011 A-10 Tournament.
CLOSING THE BOOK ON THE LOSING STREAK
* With the win over James Madison, Rhody ended its eight-game losing streak which dated back to Nov. 26.
* The eight-game slide was the team's longest since the 2004-05 season.
* During that span, Rhody shot just 37.6% from the floor (179-476), while allowing opponents to connect on nearly 50.0% of their shots.
* URI averaged just 62.0 points and lost by an average of 13.0 points per game.
* The Rams saw their 32-game home non-conference win streak come to an end vs. Boston University (Nov. 26)
* Head coach Jim Baron shuffled the starting lineup five different times
NOW TRENDING: ASSIST/TURNOVER RATIO
* Through the Runnin' Rams first 13 games, they have posted more assists than turnovers twice - vs. Providence (Dec. 23) and vs. Hofstra (Nov. 25).
* On the season, URI has a 0.75:1 assist/turnover ratio (153 assists/204 turnovers)
* URI is averaging 15.7 turnovers, while dishing out 11.8 assists per game.
* Last season, in games with a positive assist/turnover ratio, Rhody was 12-3.
MIKE POWELL, FOR STARTERS
* In his last three starts, freshman point guard Mike Powell has dished out 14 assists to just six turnovers
* He had five assists and zero turns at home versus Virginia Tech on Dec. 7
* Against Providence, he tied his career high with 13 points, while also adding five assists and two steals
* Last time out, the Chicago native tallied 10 points and four assists (four turnovers)
TRANSFERS MAKE RHODY DEBUTS
* 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
WILSON DISMISSED FROM TEAM
* On Dec. 27, 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 had been 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
ORION GIVE-ETH AND TAKE-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 75 blocks in his career.
DEFENSIVE WOES
* The Runnin' Rams rank 324th out of 339 in scoring defense, allowing 77.5 points per game.
* Rhode Island is also 329th in defensive field goal percentage, allowing opponents to shoot 48.8% from the floor
* URI is tied for 230th in defensive 3-point FG percentage, as the opposition is connecting on 35.3% 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 16th among all frosh nationally in rebounding, pulling down 6.6 boards per game
* Mike Powell is 23rd 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.
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 two games, the Rams have featured three frosh in the starting five - as Buchanan, Powell, and Holton have gotten the nod.
NEXT UP: BOSTON COLLEGE (JAN. 2)
* Rhode Island opens up play in the 2012 calendar year at Boston College
* The matchup with the Eagles will be the final regular season non-conference game
* Tipoff time at Conte Forum is set for 1 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN3.com
* Rhody fans can listen to the game live on the Beltone Hearing Aid Centers Rams Radio Network (WHJJ -920 AM), 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
