Rhody Dances Past USF For First Win of the Season

Rhode Island (1-2) used a smothering defense and an exceptional performance at the free throw line as it led to pick up its first win of the season. The Rams never trailed and were a combined 30-for-35 at the free throw line in their 84-68 victory over South Florida in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Saturday.

Rhody’s defense held USF to just 1-of-14 from the floor to start the game. With the guards pressuring all passes and Makhel Mitchell blocking four shots, URI made life miserable for the Bulls. The defense helped Rhody open with a 10-2 run that included a pair of Jeremy Sheppard steals that led to fast-break layups. The Rams had three steals and two blocked shots in the opening five minutes.

Rhode Island also changed its fortunes at the free throw line. The Rams were 14-of-16 in the first half, a big reason URI took a 16-point lead the break.

South Florida (1-1) chipped away at the lead and got within 11 points following a basket from David Collins, forcing a Rhode Island timeout with 12:50 remaining. The Rams responded with a 7-0 run that included five straight points from D.J. Johnson.

The Bulls did not fade, three times trimming the lead to 10 points. Rhode Island buckled down each time, keeping USF at an arm’s length to secure the victory.

Inside the Box Score
Rhode Island’s 30 made free throws was the most for the team since it was 31-for-39 against VCU on Feb. 25, 2017.
The offense was very balanced, with eight different players scoring at least six points.
Sophomore Makhel Mitchell made the first start of his career and responded in a big way. He set career highs with 11 points and four blocked shots in 20 minutes.
Rhody’s bench scored 35 points. Junior Jalen Carey had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Redshirt junior D.J. Johnson had eight points and sophomore Makhi Mitchell added seven.
All of Mitchell’s points came at the free throw line, where he was 7-for-8.
Senior Jeremy Sheppard had 11 points, five assists and three steals.
Senior Fatts Russell had a team-high 15 points, giving Rhody four double-figure scorers for the second time in three games. Russell had a team-best +16 plus/minus.
He also moved into a tie for fourth place in team history with his 175th steal, matching the total of Andre Samuel (1990-94)
Junior Jermaine Harris made his first appearance of the season, coming off the bench in the second half. He had six points, two rebounds and an assist in 11 quality minutes.
Redshirt junior Antwan Walker scored eight points before fouling out. He was a perfect 6-for-6 at the line.
Junior Malik Martin made his presence felt with extensive dirty work. He had a modest stat line of two points, one rebound, one block and one assist. More importantly, the Rams were +11 in his 22 minutes on the floor.
Rhode Island continued to improve its ball-handling. The Rams had just 11 turnovers. They had 17 against Arizona State and 15 against Boston College.
After starting the game 0-for-7 from 3-point range in the first half, Rhody was 4-of-10 in the second half.
All 10 players scored at least two points for the Rams.
Up Next
Rhode Island will remain in Mohegan Sun’s Bubbleville to for one more game. The Rams play San Francisco on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2.