URI Releases Non-Conference Basketball Schedule with a Chance to Play Duke

URI News release…

Aug 15, 2016

KINGSTON, R.I. — Rhode Island has released its 2016-17 men’s basketball non-conference schedule, highlighted by 12 challenging games and an appearance in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tipoff.  

Eight of Rhody’s 12 non-conference opponents appeared in the 2016 postseason.  Seven of the 12 non-conference games will be played at the Thomas M. Ryan Center.

The Rams open the regular season with three straight contests at the Thomas M. Ryan Center, tipping off against Dartmouth on Friday, Nov. 11.  The Big Green – under first-year head coach David McLaughlin – returns 2016 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Evan Boudreaux.

URI begins play in the Hall of Fame Tipoff with back-to-back home games on Nov. 14 vs. Marist and Nov. 16 against Brown.  The Red Foxes returns 90% of its scoring from 2015-16, led by Khalid Hart (20.3 ppg in 2015-16).  The Bears and Rams face off for the 157th time on the hardwood.  Last year in Providence, Rhody rallied for an 88-85 overtime victory on Dec. 30.

On Nov. 19 and 20, Rhode Island heads to Mohegan Sun for the final two games of the Hall of Fame Tipoff.  Rhody takes on preseason top 25 ranked Cincinnati on Nov. 19 and will face either Penn State or preseason No. 1 Duke on Nov. 20.  Both games will air on the ESPN family of networks.

Rhody closes out the month of November with a pair of challenging matchups.  The Rams host Belmont on Nov. 25.  Head coach Rick Byrd’s Bruins’ squad – a perennial favorite in the Ohio Valley – returns a majority of its scoring, rebounding, and assists from a season ago.  URI heads to Valparaiso on Nov. 29 to close out the series that began last year in Kingston.  The Crusaders won 30 games last year en route to the NIT finals and return one of the top players in the country in Alec Peters (18.4 ppg; 8.4 rpg).

The annual matchup against Providence will be played on Dec. 3 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.  The Rams are looking to snap a five-game slide vs. the Friars.  ODU – the inaugural Vegas 16 Champions last year – visits the Ryan Center on Dec. 6.  Former Rhody assistant Jeff Jones has guided the Monarchs to 70 wins in three seasons at the helm.

URI heads to Houston on Dec. 10 to conclude the home/home series between the two schools.  Last year at the Ryan Center, Rhody earned a 67-57 win over the Cougars.  UH won 22 games and advanced to the NIT.

Rhode Island closes out the non-conference slate with two home games – Holy Cross on Dec. 18 and William & Mary on Dec. 22.  The Rams begin a three-year series with the Crusaders, the 2016 Patriot League Champions.  Holy Cross returns more than 85% of its scoring, rebounding, and assists from a season ago.  The Tribe, led by All-CAA First Teamer Omar Prewitt, compiled a 20-11 mark a season ago and made back-to-back appearances in the CAA Championship game in 2014 and 2015.

Rhode Island has the ability to add an additional non-conference game.  A decision on that final contest will be made shortly.

Rhode Island will host seven of the top eight schools in the 2015-16 A-10 standings at the Thomas M. Ryan Center this coming season.  The Rams finished an injury-plagued 2015-16 campaign in seventh place with a 9-9 mark in league play.

The five teams that URI will play in a home/away format are as follows: Davidson, Dayton, La Salle, Massachusetts, and Saint Joseph’s.

Additionally, Rhody will host the following teams in Kingston: St. Bonaventure, VCU, George Washington, and Fordham.

The Rams will play single road contests at Duquesne, George Mason, Richmond, and Saint Louis. 
All game times and the complete television schedule will be finalized soon.

More Schedule Notes

• Composite 2015-16 overall record of opponents:  244-183 (.571)

• Opponent’s Average 2015-16 RPI: 136.6
• Opponent’s Average 2015-16 KenPom Rating: 133.7
• Opponent’s Average 2015-16 KPI: 144.4

• Opponents among the top 50 RPI in 2015-16: 3
• Opponents among the top 100 RPI in 2015-16: 7
• Opponents among the top 150 RPI in 2015-16: 9

• Opponents with 20 or more wins in 2015-16: 8
• Opponents with 25 or more wins in 2015-16: 3

Postseason Teams: 8
NCAA (4 – Cincinnati, Duke, Providence, Holy Cross)
NIT (3 – Belmont, Valpo, Houston)
Vegas 16 (1 – ODU)

Opponents That Advanced to Their Conference Championship Game:

• Holy Cross (won, 59-56, over Lehigh in Patriot League title game)
• Belmont (lost, 97-96, to Austin Peay in OVC title game)
• ODU (lost, 55-53, in Conference USA title game)

Opponents returning 60% or more of scoring:  8
Dartmouth, Marist, Brown, Duke, Belmont, Houston, Holy Cross, W&M
Opponents returning 60% or more of rebounding:  8
Dartmouth, Marist, Duke, Belmont, ODU, Houston, Holy Cross, W&M
Opponents returning 60% or more of assists:  8
Marist, Brown, Cincinnati, Duke, Penn State, Belmont, Holy Cross, W&M