University of Rhode Island ends its six-game losing streak with a victory over Davidson
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Saturday was finally the time.
The six-game losing streak is over. The frustrations down the stretch in single-digit games vanished for an afternoon.
The University of Rhode Island dealt a body blow to Davidson’s chances for an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament. The Rams earned a season split at the Ryan Center thanks to a fast start and some determination in the second half.
URI closed out this matchup at the foul line like the team leading the Atlantic 10 standings. Roles reversed on this happy occasion in Kingston as the Rams survived to the finish, 72-65.
“We all kind of needed this victory, but particularly these players,” URI coach David Cox said. “They've been working so hard and they’ve stayed consistent.
“They haven’t folded. They haven’t complained. They haven’t made excuses. I’ve got to give them a lot of credit.”
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Makhi Mitchell, Ishmael Leggett and Jeremy Sheppard all converted sets of 1-and-1 free throws inside the final 2:22. URI finished 19-for-23 at the stripe, an effort in sharp contrast to the 63.5% it was shooting on the season. The Rams had found it even tougher in league play, connecting at just 54.1% through their first 10 games.
“For the last two days we’ve been coming in at 7 a.m. getting at least 100 free throws up — made free throws,” Mitchell said. “And 10 in a row before you leave. I think that played a tremendous part in how we came out tonight.”
Mitchell went hard down the left for a layup to make it a 60-55 game with 3:14 to play. That sent URI into the stretch with a two-possession lead, and the Wildcats were all but finished. Davidson’s four-game winning streak was over, and this defeat against a team that entered at No. 129 in the NET rankings could hurt all the way to Selection Sunday.
What else went into this satisfying result for the Rams? Let’s take a look.
Free-throw shooting practice pays off
URI (13-10, 4-7 A-10) shot 50% or worse at the foul line in each of its last three games.
Those were critical misses in defeats against Fordham and VCU. The Rams were just 8-for-20 during a 61-55 loss in the Bronx and 12-for-29 on Tuesday in a 73-64 setback in Richmond.
The page turned on Saturday. URI connected on its first 10 attempts inside the final 2:22 and went 12-for-14 overall. The Rams managed a lone field goal over the last 6:25 but found a way to keep scoring.
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“It was definite growth,” Cox said. “Small margin of error in this league. Teams are so talented. The coaching is so good.”
URI averaged an adjusted 1.12 points per possession, its best output since a dominant 81-68 road win at Massachusetts on Jan. 15. The Rams hadn’t topped 0.94 points per possession since that afternoon in Amherst and suffered a corresponding drop in offensive efficiency per KenPom.com. URI came into Saturday ranked just 235th nationally at that end of the floor.
“We listen to each other,” Sheppard said. “We’ve been working on a lot of different things. I feel like that’s been helping us.”
Lineup change helps
Sebastian Thomas was dropped to the bench after two straight starts, clearing a spot for Sheppard to make his return.
The veteran guard responded with his best game since a Dec. 13 road win at Milwaukee. Sheppard totaled a game-high 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the line. It’s the third time he’s topped 20 points this season but just his third game in double figures over his last eight.
“I didn’t complain about it,” Sheppard said. “I came to practice and worked to get my spot back. That’s what I did.”
The Rams were teetering a bit in the second half when Sheppard soared to the rim for a layup with 7:05 to play. He knocked down a clutch 3-pointer from the left wing the following possession, two field goals that enabled URI to maintain its lead. The Rams never trailed over the final 35:34.
Rhody's defense really stepped up
The Wildcats (20-4, 10-2) certainly had their chances. Luka Brajkovic missed a 3-pointer from the left wing in a 53-51 game. Foster Loyer rimmed out a pair of 3-pointers with Davidson staring at a 58-55 deficit. The Wildcats never had another shot to tie over the final 3:36, as URI held them to a season-low 38.1% from the floor.
“I thought we had a great game plan when we went down there and played at Davidson,” Cox said. “We stuck right to that same game plan.”
That first meeting on Jan. 8 was a 72-68 battle, one that wasn’t decided until the closing seconds. The Wildcats were 18-for-25 from 2-point range to ultimately tip the scales at Belk Arena — they finished just 17-for-35 inside the arc in this one. There was no help coming from 3-point range either, as Davidson finished a combined 13-for-52.
“We were trying to guard the 3-point line the best we could,” Cox said. “Run them off the 3-point line the best we could.”
Fixing the problems
The Rams have struggled in these situations for the better part of a month.
They’d dropped each of their last five games decided by nine points or less since surviving a 56-54 thriller against La Salle on Jan. 19.
“Most of our losses have been one-possession, two-possession types of games,” Cox said. “A lot of turnovers during those games. A lot of missed free throws.”
URI is now 8-3 when turning the ball over on 21.1% or less of its possessions. The Rams improved to a perfect 5-0 when attempting at least 18 free throws in a game and missing four or less.
“Mainly, we knew we were losing games from turnovers and free throws,” Sheppard said. “That’s been the main thing we’ve been on each other about — as well as coach.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: College basketball: URI defeats Davidson in A-10 play
