SOUTH KINGSTON, R.I. – Brown ran into a buzz-saw on Tuesday night in the form of the host Rhode Island Rams. There’s really no other way to put it. And given the way the Rams have played in the first two games, fans have to be encouraged, because this team is playing well out of the gates after entering the season with some clear questions despite being picked fifth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll.
The Rams’ 92-67 win was encouraging from many standpoints. They shot 57.6 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent in the first half. They forced 22 Brown turnovers and cashed them in for 35 points. They had a 40-18 edge in bench scoring, with three of their five double-digit scorers coming off the bench. And as fast as they play, posting 19 assists with just 10 turnovers was also quite impressive.
“They’re real good at what they do, and they’ve won a ton of games over the last few years. It’s because of how they play,” said Brown head coach Jesse Agel, who went on to explain what it was like to be on the opposing bench that night. “They’re good players, and they have a great style of play. It’s fun to watch, except when you have to stand there for two hours and watch it.”
The Rams wasted little time turning Bear turnovers into points, and they seemingly weren’t missing early. They weren’t just making jump shots, as they were 7-21 from long range on the night, although Akeem Richmond made some nice mid-range jumpers. They got inside for baskets, posting a 20-4 edge in points in the paint in the first half.
Perhaps as important as anything is the play of the bench. The Rams took a hit with the players they lost, but they also have been hit by injuries to players like Jamal Wilson and Levan Shengelia, along with Orion Outerbridge having to sit the first semester due to academics. Nikola Malesevic was an unknown entering the season, but thus far he has posted two double-digit scoring games off the bench. Ben Eaves posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in what head coach Jim Baron said might have been “one of his best games here at the University of Rhode Island.” Daniel West gave them 14 points, six assists and four steals as well.
Baron said he can envision Eaves playing a bigger role off the bench for this team. It’s understandable since he has a live body and can play a physical style of basketball. Given the current state of their personnel, he’ll surely get the chance.
“I told him, ‘Ben, you can really use your body to be a force in there.’ We’re going to need him to do that,” Baron said.
In the second half, Brown got within nine on three occasions. After they did so for the third time, pulling within 57-48, the Rams ran off 16 unanswered points to put the game well out of reach. Even when the Bears got within single digits, you never got the sense they were truly within striking distance because the Rams just couldn’t be stopped.
Easily lost in what the Rams have done right is the play of senior leader Delroy James. All he did was post a game-high 23 points on 9-15 shooting to go with three steals. He scored 20 points in the opener at Pittsburgh and hasn’t missed a beat as he moves into the role of being the team’s top player.
The Rams had a chance to win the season opener at Pittsburgh, which would have been a monumental victory. They had an eight-point lead at one time and were 14-32 from behind the arc. While moral victories don’t count in the win-loss column, they acquitted themselves well. Add in their play on Tuesday night in getting their first win, and while the sample size is tiny with just two games, right now the team looks more promising that most figured.
