Rhode Island men's basketball showing some growing pains as it prepares for Fordham
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Rebuilding a college basketball program isn’t solely an on-court pursuit.
Losing takes a mental toll. It can be difficult for the players to maintain a long-term perspective. And, occasionally, they reveal a public crack or two in what’s supposed to be unshakeable confidence.
Consider a press conference on Monday afternoon at the Ryan Center. The University of Rhode Island was gearing up for its Atlantic 10 home opener against Fordham, and Brayon Freeman peeled back the curtain a bit. The subject was a 72-61 road loss at Duquesne on Saturday, one that sent the Rams into the 2023 calendar year with a 4-9 overall mark.
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“Me personally, I would say I kind of checked out a little bit in the middle of the game,” Freeman said. “I probably could have done a little more talking to get us through the hump. That’s definitely something I could have done.”
It was a rather surprising admission. Freeman’s final line in the box score wasn’t pretty — 2-for-11 shooting, 10 points, one assist in 29 minutes. But only the sophomore guard would have truly known how much more he had to give on that particular day at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
Jalen Carey offered a quick assist to Freeman from his adjacent seat at the podium. This was the point in an ideal world where an upperclassman would step in with some reassurance, and Carey did so. In the huddle, in the locker room, on the team charter — there are several other places where such guidance can be required.
“I feel like he’s been a good leader,” Carey said. “He’s probably felt like he wasn’t as much of a leader vocally, but he leads by example with the way he plays. Sometimes the game might get frustrating.”
Pressure is on Brayon Freeman
Freeman was a preseason all-conference selection after earning all-rookie honors during the 2021-22 campaign with George Washington. There was considerable pressure on his shoulders entering the fall, and the Rams have acknowledged that from the top down. URI coach Archie Miller can only hope to nurture Freeman and his teammates through the difficult moments — the future, they believe, will be much brighter.
“Brayon has a big seat on the bus,” Miller said. “There’s a lot of responsibility when guys have a big seat on the bus. I think part of Brayon’s maturity as we continue to grow through this conference season is to not allow negativity, to not allow a run, to not allow adversity to create a mindset for him — 'Things aren’t going real well right now.'
“It’s got to create that mindset of, ‘I’ve got to make something positive happen here for the next play, whether it’s offense or defense.’ He’s not on one island and the rest of the guys on the other — that's our whole team. I think it’s good for his awareness to understand.
“I talked to him a lot after the game. I think his body language late gave the impression things weren’t going as well as he liked. When you have a big seat on the bus, guys look at you when things aren’t going well. When things aren't going real well, that’s the true test of a team and leadership.”
The Dukes held a 36-35 edge at halftime and expanded it to a 61-48 cushion with 9:30 to play. URI was left fighting from behind while attempting to avoid a fifth loss in its last seven games. Carey led three players in double figures with 15 points and added seven rebounds.
“My main goal is to go out each day and help our team get wins,” Carey said. “I feel like that’s what we want to do. That’s what we’re looking for Wednesday.”
Fordham arrives with 12 wins already
The Bronx-based Rams (12-2, 0-1) enter the 7 p.m. tip with plenty of victories — their actual quality is another matter. Fordham has defeated just one top-100 team per KenPom.com and played another seven who rank in the 300s. Darius Quisenberry was a preseason all-conference selection and teams with Georgia Tech transfer Khalid Moore to form a veteran 1-2 punch.
“Everything is a learning moment, definitely,” Freeman said. “I’m new to this — this role on this team. My role last year at my old school was different from this team.
“Just learning how to handle those moments, because I know I’m going to have a big part in those moments. I’m going to have a big role to either make a game-changing play or be the reason we lose by one. Just taking that on as a challenge every game, facing it head-on and attacking it every game.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
Fordham Rams (12-2, 0-1 A-10) at Rhode Island Rams (4-9, 0-1 A-10)
Kingston, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
BOTTOM LINE: The Rhode Island Rams have gone 3-4 in home games. Rhody allows 68.4 points and has been outscored by 2.8 points per game. The Fordham Rams are 0-1 against A-10 opponents. Fordham averages 73.5 points while outscoring opponents by 6.6 points per game. The Rhode Island Rams and Fordham Rams meet Wednesday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ishmael Leggett averages 1.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Rhode Island Rams, scoring 15.7 points while shooting 35.7% from beyond the arc. Brayon Freeman is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games for Rhode Island. Darius Quisenberry averages 2.8 made 3-pointers per game for the Fordham Rams, scoring 16.8 points while shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc. Khalid Moore is averaging 15.1 points and 5.9 rebounds over the last 10 games for Fordham.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rhode Island: 3-7, averaging 65.1 points, 33.2 rebounds, 12.2 assists, 5.4 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 39.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.8 points per game. Fordham: 9-1, averaging 73.5 points, 35.7 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 7.6 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 41.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.2 points. — Associated Press
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island basketball gears up for A-10 home opener vs. Fordham
