Nothing posted yet on either Charlotte49ers.com or GoRhody.com, but did find something at Projo.com (misspellings are not mine!).
[b]Preview: Charlotte at URICHARLOTTE[/b] Ht. PPG RPG
Carlos Williams 6-1 6.7 3.0
Leemire Goldwire 5-11 13.6 3.0
Courtney Williams 6-9 3.3 3.5
E.J. Drayton 6-9 13.8 8.9
D’Angelo Alexander 6-5 17.9 7.1Key reserves:
Ian Anderson 6-4 5.1 2.0
Antwon Coleman 6-7 4.7 2.7
Jerell Jamison 6-5 3.1 3.9URI
Parfait Bitee 6-2 7.7 3.2
Jimmy Baron 6-2 14.9 2.2
Darrell Harris 6-10 7.2 3.8
Kahiem Seawright 6-8 10.6 7.8
Will Daniels 6-8 17.0 5.5Key reserves:
Joe Mbang 6-7 9.1 4.2
Keith Cothran 6-4 6.7 2.5
Lamonte Ulmer 6-6 3.7 3.0[b]THE SCOUTING REPORT
CHARLOTTE[/b] (12-12, 5-6 in the Atlantic 10): The 49ers have had only one losing season in the last decade. They have struggled on the road this season. They come in 1-8, the only victory at Richmond. . . The team loves to fire away from the outside. It has taken 616 3-pointers, the most of any team in the league and 112 more attempts than URI has had. Alexander and Goldwire both are in the top 10 in school history in 3-pointers made. . . Alexander, Drayton, Coleman, Courtney Williams and Jamison all are seniors. . . Drayton has seven double-doubles, four in A-10 play.
URI (16-10, 9-3): Rams had scored 194 points in their last two games. . . They are 10-3 at the RyanCenter, the fourth time in five years they have won at least 10 games in their new home. . . Baron, who has made at least one 3-pointer in every game, has 80 treys, third highest one-season total in school history. . .Bitee has had 39 assists and only 18 turnovers in the 12 conference games. . . Daniels has scored in double figures in 24 of the 26 games. . . Of Seawright’s 203 rebounds, 92 have been on the offensive glass. Seawright also leads the team in minutes played, at 30.7.
EXTRA POINTS
WHERE : Ryan Center, 2 p.m. Saturday SERIES: Charlotte leads, 3-1. LAST SEASON: Charlotte won, 88-80. TV-RADIO: Cox Sports Television, WHJJ (920) and WJZS-FM (99.7).Link: ProjoBlogs
This wrap-up of the URI-SLU game gives a good indication of what the Niners will face tomorrow.
[b]Rams keep on rolling[/b]BY PAUL KENYON
Providence Journal Sports Writer
February 15, 2007SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Add Brad Soderberg to the growing list of coaches impressed with the University of Rhode Island basketball team.
After watching his Saint Louis team, which had beaten URI earlier in the season, get throttled by Rhode Island last night at the Ryan Center, 83-67, Soderberg spoke about how every team should realize that the surprising Rams are for real.
“We’ve only been in the league two years,” Soderberg said of the Atlantic 10. “The development I’ve seen in the Rhode Island program in that short time is very impressive. They’re big, they’re strong. They have multiple guys that can score the ball.
“They play a system that’s difficult to play against. When you combine their system with their athleticism and their toughness, it’s not surprising to me that they’re 8-3 in the Atlantic 10. They’re really a fine ball club,” Soderberg added.
He knows as well as anyone.
Until last night, Saint Louis had beaten Rhode Island three times in a row over the past 13 months. But URI showed just how far it has come, how good it has gotten with one of its best all-around efforts of the season in handling Soderberg’s team with authority last night.
The Rams were in control throughout, as they led by 17 at the half and by as much as 22.
Even Rhody coach Jim Baron was impressed. He was asked if it was as good as his team has played all season.
“I think so,” he said, “especially coming off a game like we had at Duquesne.” The Rams had scored 111 in a rout of the Dukes on Sunday.
“Sometimes you can get caught up with what you just did, you can lose sight of your next opponent,” Baron said.
There was not even a hint of that with the way URI played.
“We’re definitely playing well,” said co-captain Will Daniels who had another big night with 19 points. “For Duquesne, we had to prepare for one style. Here we had to prepare for a totally different way to play and we did.”
Two numbers stood out. Coming off a 30-assist game at Duquesne, the Rams had 23 assists against only nine turnovers — and five of the turnovers came in the final five minutes, long after the game had been decided.
“To win games, we know we have to share the ball more,” Daniels said. “Coach Baron stresses that a lot. Now we’re starting to embrace that philosophy. Everybody on this team wants to make everybody better. That’s why we’re so successful now.”
The other key stat was that URI had nine steals, seven in the first half. Defense, especially the pressing defense, which had been lacking early in the season, has come a long way.
The defense was especially good in the first half. URI has extended its defense in almost every game. The goal is as much to force the pace of the game as take away the ball. At least that’s what it has seemed like in many games.
But the traps have become more efficient as the season has progressed, especially as the freshmen have become more comfortable. Last night, against a disciplined team, the Rams did much damage off the press, not only getting steals, but turning them quickly into points.
The three freshmen, Keith Cothran, Lamonte Ulmer and Terence Grier, all played key roles. Grier, in particular, was flying all over the court. He had one steal that turned into a Daniels dunk.
A short time later, he and Ulmer harassed Dwayne Polk, the Billikens point guard, so badly that Polk went backwards: nearing midcourt but then going all the way back to near the baseline when a 10-second call was whistled for not getting the ball into the frontcourt.
Another time, in its zone, the Rams played defense so well they forced a 35-second violation.
“That was due mostly to our bench,” Baron said. “They trapped them. They really made it hard for them.”
“Coach made some adjustments to the press. It’s working well as you can see,” said Kahiem Seawright who had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. “I think everybody notices when you get a 10-second count. That’s great.”
The Rams shot 16-for-30 in each half as they made more shots than they missed for the 12th time this season. Daniels led the way with 19 points, Jimmy Baron added 17, Joe Mbang, 12 and Seawright, 11. Tommie Liddell, one of the best players in the A-10, led the Billiekens with 23. Luke Meyer added 13 and Kevin Lisch 10.
URI is now 16-10, two more victories than it had all of last season. The Rams are 9-3 in the conference. Saint Louis is 15-10, 5-6 in A-10 play.
URI 83, Saint Louis 67
Next Game: Saturday vs. Charlotte, 2 p.m.
Link: Projo.com