URI Rams welcome Bryant for intrastate matchup Friday at Ryan Center
It was a night both men will never forget, but you couldn’t blame Jared Grasso if he wished for a minor case of selective amnesia.
David Cox enjoys the far sweeter memories of his debut as a head coach. The University of Rhode Island was fresh off back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids while Bryant was digging out of a three-win hole when the 2018-19 season tipped off.
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The result was an expected one, if not quite in such a dominant manner. The Rams dished out a 97-63 thumping at the Ryan Center, the same venue where the two programs will renew acquaintances on Friday night.
Fortunes have changed considerably both in Smithfield and Kingston. The Bulldogs fell a victory shy of their first Northeast Conference title last year while URI sunk to a 10-15 mark. Bryant is expected to contend at the top of its league again while the Rams are a projected Atlantic 10 middler.
Tuesday night saw both teams attack their respective opponents in what could emerge as trademark styles. That means a hail of long-range shots from the Bulldogs and some defensive intensity from URI. Bryant smoked Fisher, 122-54, while the Rams grinded past Boston University, 71-62.
The Bulldogs knocked down double-digit 3-pointers for the 31st time in their last 85 games, including at least nine occasions in each of the past three seasons. Bryant connected at 37.7% from deep in 2020-21, a top-20 national mark. The Bulldogs could have additional firepower available if projected starters Peter Kiss and Chris Childs — both benched for violation of team policy — return to the lineup.
URI racked up 13 3-pointers in that previous meeting with Bryant, but the Rams have done so just two more times in their last 88 games. URI attempted only six in a dogfight with the Terriers, leading throughout thanks to consistent stops at the other end. The Rams held a 40th opponent under Cox to less than 40% shooting from the field — they're 33-7 in those instances.
This was a game forced upon both programs by the Sunshine Slam, the exempt tournament based in Florida to which the Bulldogs and URI will travel the weekend before Thanksgiving. Bryant could find itself in the coaching market next offseason should Grasso follow through with a March Madness bid — he’s likely to be a target for a more financially flush program regardless. Cox has two seasons left on the five-year deal he signed to replace Dan Hurley — strong signs of progress could reinvigorate a discussion about an extended stay with the Rams deeper into the 2020s.
Brown heading to North Carolina
Brown eased to an 89-59 opening win over Salve Regina before veering toward the deep end of the pool.
The Bears make a challenging trip to No. 19 North Carolina on Friday night, taking on one of the sport’s true bluebloods.
The six-time NCAA champions have employed only five different head coaches since Dean Smith was hired for the 1961-62 season. Former Tar Heels great and NBA veteran Hubert Davis was promoted during the offseason to replace the retiring Roy Williams. His tenure began Tuesday with an 83-67 victory over Loyola (Md.), as North Carolina built a 26-point lead into the final media timeout.
Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek, Marquette transfer Dawson Garcia and Virginia transfer Justin McKoy bolstered an eight-man primary rotation that included five returners. Caleb Love hit for a game-high 22 points while Manek added 20 on 8-for-10 shooting from 2-point range.
Brown used 17 different players while dispatching the Seahawks, and only Loyola Chicago transfer Paxson Wojcik played more than 20 minutes. The left-hander closed 4-for-6 from 3-point range in the opening half, accounting for all 12 of his points. Wojcik was joined in the backcourt by returning shooting guard Dan Friday — the expected front line of David Mitchell, Tamenang Choh and Jaylan Gainey completed the starting five.
The Tar Heels are the first of four top-100 nonconference opponents for the Bears, according to KenPom.com. Brown opens the Paradise Jam with Creighton and makes road trips to URI and Maryland before opening Ivy League play at Penn on Jan. 2.
Rhody women take court after men
URI’s women play their home opener approximately 30 minutes after the men wrap up with the Bulldogs.
It will be interesting to see what sort of atmosphere lingers on campus late Friday night when Merrimack comes to town. The Rams typically take the floor in front of largely empty seats, but there could be an incremental change in terms of attendance for this anticipated 2021-22 season.
Caliber of opponent only goes so far when discussing an 83-37 opening victory against Dartmouth. Rocky Marciano retired a perfect 49-0 in what was considered a talent-depressed era of heavyweight boxing, but his 43 knockouts suggested the Brockton Blockbuster took few prisoners. URI followed much the same playbook on Tuesday night in New Hampshire.
The Rams forced 16 turnovers while conceding only five assists. The Big Green were hopeless from the field — 16-for-63 overall, 2-for-13 from 3-point range. That kind of attention to detail could see URI impressing the folks on hand for the tip with the Warriors.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: URI Rams welcome Bryant for interstate matchup Friday at Ryan Center
