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Gamenotes: Rhode Island/St. Bonaventure (.pdf)

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RHODE ISLAND VERSUS ST. BONAVENTURE

• The Rams play the first of two regular season games against St. Bonaventure.  
• URI will travel to Olean, N.Y. on Feb. 18 to conclude the regular season series vs. the Bonnies.
• Rhody holds a 34-24 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1960-61 season.
• URI has won seven of the last 10 meetings between the two schools and split the season series last year, with each team winning on its respective home court.
• Since coming to Kingston after serving in the same capacity at Bonaventure from 1992-2001, head coach Jim Baron is 10-5 versus his alma mater.

RHODE ISLAND IN THE ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

• Since its inaugural season in the conference during the 1980-81 season, Rhode Island has posted a 228-273 (.455) all-time record in Atlantic 10 play.  
• Last season, Rhody finished with a 9-7 mark in conference play, good for sixth place in the league standings.
• On Jan. 18 at Fordham, Rhode Island played its 500th Atlantic 10 game all-time.

RHODE ISLAND AT THE THOMAS M. RYAN CENTER

• URI holds a 100-50 (.667) regular season record in the Ryan Center since the arena opened for play on Nov. 26, 2002 with a 73-71 victory over USC.
• Rhody's victory on Nov. 25 over Hofstra was the 100th on the Ryan Center floor.
• The Rams have won 11 or more home games in five of the last six seasons - including a program-record 15 in 2009-10.
• Prior to its loss to Boston University on Nov. 26, Rhode Island had captured its last 32 non-conference games at the Thomas M. Ryan Center, dating back to the 2006-07 season

CLEANING THE GLASS WITH A SPONGE

• Jonathan Holton pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds at Fordham on Jan. 18.
• It tied for the highest single-game rebounding total in the A-10 this season (Chris Gaston, Fordham, 18 vs. UMass).
• Among freshmen nationally, it ranked tied for the second-highest total.  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky had 19 rebounds in a game, while his teammate Anthony Davis had 18.
• The 18 boards were the most by a Rhody player since Kahiem Seawright had 19 versus Houston (Nov. 13, 2006).
• The last Rhody freshman with 18 or more rebounds in a single game was Antonio Reynolds-Dean, who pulled down 19 caroms vs. Dayton on Jan. 14, 1996.
• Last time out at La Salle, Sponge grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds - including 10 on the offensive end.
• The newcomer from Miami, Fla. ranks second in the Atlantic 10 (thru Jan. 21) in rebounding, at 7.9 per game.

TODAY'S RUNNIN' RAM FACT(S) THAT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

• Over the last three games, Jonathan Holton has pulled down 47 rebounds - an average of 15.7 rebounds per game during the span.
• While impressive for the freshman forward, it is not even close to Rhody's record for most rebounds over a three-game span.
• During the 1967-68 season, Art Stephenson corralled 68 boards in three games from Feb. 15-20, 1968.  Included in those three games are two of URI's top three single-game rebounding marks.
• On Feb. 15, 1968 vs. New Hampshire, Stephenson grabbed 25 rebounds.  At Maine on Feb. 17, he had 15 boards.  In the third game - at Brown on Feb. 20 - the New York City native grabbed a Rhody record 28 rebounds.
• Stephenson remains Rhody's all-time leading rebounder, with 1,048.  He starred for the Rams from 1965-68.

HOLTON EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT ATLANTIC 10 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK AWARD

• On Jan. 23, Jonathan Holton earned his second straight - and third overall - A-10 Rookie of the Week award
• Sponge averaged a double-double - 13.0 points and 17.5 rebounds - over a two-game span for the Rams.
• At Fordham on Jan. 18, the Miami, Fla. native grabbed 18 rebounds to go along with eight points.  The 18-rebound performance tied for the most in a game in the A-10 this season and ranks second among all freshmen nationally.
• On Jan. 21 at La Salle, Holton registered his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 17 rebounds.  Ten of his 17 boards against the Explorers came on the offensive end.  
• Through games of Jan. 21, Holton ranks second in the A-10 in rebounding, averaging 7.9 boards per game.
• Holton was also named A-10 Rookie of the Week on Jan. 16 and Nov. 28.
• It marks the fourth straight week a Rhody rookie earned A-10 accolades.  Mike Powell was named Rookie of the Week on Jan. 2 and Jan. 9.
• It also marks the first time since the 1995-96 season that two different Rhody freshman earned weekly rookie honors from the A-10.  That season, both Antonio Reynolds-Dean and current URI assistant coach Preston Murphy were recognized by the conference.
• It is the first time in program history that two different URI players earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors twice in the same season.  

LAST TIME OUT - LA SALLE 80, RHODE ISLAND 66 (JAN. 21)

• Once again, Jonathan Holton dominated on the glass.   The freshman forward pulled down 17 rebounds (10 offensive; 7 defensive).   He also led Rhody with 18 points, good for his fourth double-double of the season.
• Thanks to Holton's efforts, Rhode Island outrebounded La Salle, 39-27.  Orion Outerbridge had six boards, while Billy Baron had five.
• Holton has 35 rebounds in his last two games.  The Miami, Fla. native had 18 boards at Fordham on Jan. 18.
• Nikola Malesevic made his return to the Rams' lineup after an eight-game absence due to a broken hand suffered after the Dec. 18 Yale game.  The 6-7 scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in 22 minutes of play.
• Andre Malone added 15 points, four boards, and three steals.  The 6-6 guard was 7-of-9 from inside the arc; but missed each of his four 3-point attempts.
• Mike Powell added 12 points and six assists.  It marks the third consecutive game that Powell has dished out at least six assists.
• Rhody took two charges tonight – Malesevic at the 14:56 mark of the first half (shortly after he checked in the ballgame) and another by T.J. Buchanan with 13:21 left in the second half.
• La Salle's 56.6% shooting from the floor is the second highest FG% by a Ram opponent this season.  Nebraska shot 57.1% earlier this year.

BROOKS TO MISS REMAINDER OF SEASON DUE TO ACADEMICS

• Junior Ryan Brooks will miss the remainder of the season due to academics.
• Brooks was ruled academically ineligible prior to the Dec. 29 game versus James Madison.
• The 6-7 forward averaged 0.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in seven games this season.

BARON HOT FROM THE FREE THROW LINE

• Billy Baron has connected on 23 of his last 24 free throw attempts, dating back to the Dec. 29 game vs. James Madison.
• His streak of 23 straight made FT was snapped at La Salle on Jan. 21.
• Included in the streak was a 10-for-10 performance from the charity stripe at Boston College on Jan. 2.
• The sophomore guard ranks first on the team in free throw percentage, connecting on 84.8% from the line (28-33).

MALONE SHAKING OFF THE RUST

• After a slow start, junior transfer Andre Malone tallied four double-digit scoring games in his last five outings.
• Last time out, Malone scored 15 points at La Salle.  On Jan. 14 vs. Duquesne, he had a season-high 17 (7-14 FG; 3-8 3FG).
• He also had 14 points at George Washington and 10 versus Richmond on Jan. 7.
• Over the last five games, the 6-6 guard has connected on 27-for-59 from the floor - including nine 3-pointers
• The transfer from Auburn had struggled from the floor (6-32 FG; 2-13 3FG) in his first four games after becoming eligible to compete on Dec. 23.

MIKE POWELL, FOR STARTERS

• In his last eight starts, freshman PG Mike Powell is averaging 12.4 points - second-most on the team during that span.
• He posted back-to-back career-highs of 21 points at UCF on Dec. 30 and at Boston College on Jan. 2.
• Over the nine-game span, Powell is also averaging 3.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals per contest.
• Powell was named Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Week on consecutive weeks (Jan. 2 and Jan. 9).

BILLY BALL

• Billy Baron has scored in double-figures in six of his last eight games and ranks second in scoring on the Rams (13.1 ppg)
• The 6-2 guard had a collegiate-high 24 points at Boston College, connecting on four 3-pointers and 10-of-10 from the charity stripe vs. the Eagles.
• Baron's 10-for-10 free throw shooting performance was the best by a Ram in a single game since Brian Woodward was 16-for-16 versus Yale on Jan. 7, 2004.
• In his nine games played this season, Baron is also averaging 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists while leading the team in FT shooting (28-33, 84.8%).

DEFENSIVE WOES

• The Runnin' Rams rank 321st out of 339 in scoring defense, allowing 75.4 points per game.
• Rhode Island is also 330th in defensive field goal percentage, allowing opponents to shoot 49.0% from the floor
• URI is 259th in defensive 3-point FG percentage, as the opposition is connecting on 36.1% from the perimeter
• Rhody opponents have scored 80 or more points six times, 90+ three times, and 100 once.
• Rhody has allowed an opponent to shoot 50.0% or better in a single half of play in 16 of its 20 games.

FRESHMEN MAKING AN IMPACT

• Jonathan Holton ranks fourth among all frosh nationally in rebounding, pulling down 7.9 boards per game
• Holton is also tied for 28th among all freshmen in blocked shots (1.2 bpg).
• Mike Powell is 24th among all frosh in assists per game (3.8).
• Rhody's newcomers account for 38% of the team's scoring, 40% of rebounding, and 60% of assist totals.

POWELL NAMED CO-ATLANTIC 10 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK AGAIN

• For the second straight week, the Atlantic 10 selected Mike Powell as its Co-Rookie of the Week on Jan. 9
• Powell averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 assists in a 1-1 week for Rhode Island.  
• He matched his career-high of 21 points in a 78-72 double OT win at Boston College on Jan. 2.  
• He also added seven rebounds and three assists versus the Eagles.
• Powell also earned weekly rookie honors from the A-10 on Jan. 2.
• He becomes the second Ram to earn A-10 Rookie of the Week honors, as Jonathan Holton was honored by the league on Nov. 28.

NOW TRENDING: ASSIST/TURNOVER RATIO

• Through the Runnin' Rams first 20 games, they have posted more assists than turnovers three times - at George Washington (Jan. 11), vs. Providence (Dec. 23) and vs. Hofstra (Nov. 25).
• On the season, URI has a 0.75:1 assist/turnover ratio (223 assists/298 turnovers)
• URI is averaging 14.9 turnovers, while dishing out 11.2 assists per game.
• Last season, in games with a positive assist/turnover ratio, Rhody was 12-3.

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

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
• 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.
• In seven of the last eight games, the Rams have featured three frosh in the starting five; six games with Powell, Holton, and Buchanan and, once with Powell, Buchanan and McKoy.

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.   

20 YEARS IN A-10 FOR BARON

• This season marks the 20th for Jim Baron as a head coach in the Atlantic 10 Conference.  
• Baron served as head coach at his alma mater – St. Bonaventure – from 1992-2001, before arriving at URI
• During that span he has been named A-10 Coach of the Year four times.

NEXT UP:  DAYTON (JAN. 25)

• Rhode Island hits the road on Saturday, Jan 28 when it travels to Dayton for a 7 p.m. tipoff at UD Arena.
• The game can be seen live locally on Cox Sports Television (ch. 3/1003 HD).
• 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