Positives:
- The Rhode Island men’s basketball team’s unexpected performance against Providence College really kept Rhode Island afloat and in position to a win a game against a good opponent. The unexpected production from sophomore Jarvis Garrett and freshman Christion Thompson really gave the team a huge boost with Thompson connecting on three three pointers in the first half, and Garrett posting career highs in both points and rebounds with 17 and seven respectively. Garrett also deserves credit for taking it to a potential top 10 NBA draft pick in Providence’s Kris Dunn most of the night.
- The URI women’s basketball team’s win at Dartmouth is a good win for the team, but is also one that they should have won. Rhody was clearly the superior team and showed it by holding Dartmouth to just 41 points. Perhaps even more impressive was holding Dartmouth to just 28 percent on their field goals, forcing 17 turnovers, and allowing just two players to finish in double figures on the day.
Negatives:
- The Rhody men’s basketball team’s handling of Ben Bentil was disappointing as he turned out to be the difference in the game. Bentil finished 9-12 from the field, including 5-5 from the free throw line. The most notable play was his dunk off the deflected Kris Dunn pass in the waning stages of the game, and the tip in to win the game. Clearly Bentil won the Friars the game as he proved to be a handful with his footwork down low.
Players of the Week:
Jarvis Garrett (74-72 loss vs Providence) – Garrett took it right at Dunn and burned him on multiple occasions. Garrett set career highs in points and rebounds, and was a force driving to the basket all night.
Jared Terrell (74-72 loss vs Providence) – Terrell hit clutch shots and had 19 points, but his defense on Kris Dunn was what mattered most. Terrell, and some Christion Thompson occasionally mixed in, forced Dunn into six turnovers.
Mariah Claudio (Brown Invitational) – Claudio picked up where she left off last year by setting a school record in the 300-meter by breaking her own record by .29 seconds.
Team of the Week: URI women’s basketball (82-57 win vs Rider) – The URI women’s team gets the nod here this week for their great defensive effort on the road.
Off the Record: Â Before the loss against Philly on Sunday, the Patriots had gone 56 straight games since their last two game losing streak. The play of Logan Ryan, ranked eighth, and Malcolm Butler, ranked 31st according to Pro Football Focus, were some of the lone bright spots in the loss.