URI scouting report from a VCU fan

[Districtballer]

Hi Zips fans,Greetings from the VCU Ram Nation. As VCU is the only team that has beaten Rhode Island to this point, I thought you might appreciate a short scouting report on these guys. They are almost a mirror image of us in the way we play. It was surreal watching the teams go at it earlier this season. URI is 10-1 and on a 6-game winning streak since their loss to us at VCU's Siegel Center on December 2nd. Even that loss was by the slimmest of margins as VCU won by 2 points and URI missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer that would have won the game. They play 40 minutes of non-stop full court pressure. They will press you from the opening tip and they won't stop til the game buzzer sounds. They are long and athletic and will get in the passing lanes. They like to shoot the 3 and are pretty good at it. Their big scorer is Keith Cothran who dropped 16 on us but can definitely go off for more if you don't D him up. I'd say Delroy James is their most talented and versatile player and really changes the game with his skill set and size at 6'8. They have a 7 footer who will matchup with Zeke in Will Martell. He's not especially athletic or explosive, but he has a really nice perimeter shot and he'll pop from 16-17 feet and make them if your bigs don't come out on him. He actually had a season-high 18 points against us with those outside jumpers falling for him all night. Akeem Richmond is 6'1 freshman guard who is one of their sharpshooters and will hit the 3 if you leave him open. He looks frail and weak but he can really get hot from out there. Orion Outerbridge is a 6'9 forward who is probably the most athletic guy on the team and they run set plays for him off of inbounds going to the rim where he can throw it down or lay it in. Lamonte Ulmer is another strong 6'6 forward with guard skills that is very athletic and can throw it down off the fast break. They have 2 point guards, Stevie Mejia, who is short but a very steady point, and Marquis Jones who is about 6'0-6'1 and a better scorer but really not a true point in the way that Mejia is. Hope and pray that their coach Jim Baron plays Marquis Jones more, for some reason he played that guy a lot and Mejia was definitely doing a much better job of running the team than he was. Honestly, you guys probably should have scheduled stronger than you have as URI is gonna be several steps up from anything you have faced so far. They are a VERY good team, and they should beat you guys unless they completely overlook you. That said, Akron has a great coach in Dambrot who will have you guys as prepared as you can be to win. Im sure our Coach Shaka Smart may have already helped Dambrot out a bit with the scouting report as a favor to his old mentor. :)Here are the game video highlights and post-game pressers of the VCU-URI game from the folks at www.VCURamNation.com which is the posting community of VCU Ram fans. It should give you a feel for the way that they play and who their go-to guys are. http://www.vcuramnation.com/2009/12/video-...t-rhode-island/(Click on the link and scroll down, and you'll see the video player)Have a Happy New Year Zips fans!

[ZippyforPresident]

Thanks very much for the scouting report Districtballer. I miss the trash talk during the Akron VCU games Rhode Island is undoubtedly a talented team from a very solid conference, but they are hardly Goliath and the Zips are hardly David. Outside of Rhode Island's loss to VCU it looks like their toughest opponents have been Boston College (ACC) and Providence (Big East) and neither of those games were exactly a drubbing of the other team. I think the outcome of the Oklahoma State game is going to tell us a lot about who Rhode Island really is.Akron and Rhode Island have played some similar teams in their schedules: Both Fairfield and Niagra are MAAC teams with similar records. BC and NC State (ACC) have close records also (Although Rhode Island won and the Zips got their tails handed to them). There is also the NEC connection with Rhode Island playing Quinnipiac and The Zips playing St. Francis as well as Southern Conference opponents Davidson, who isn't nearly what they were with Curry, and UNCG who Akron destroyed. Outside of that, Rhode Island has faced Stony Brook, (Amer. East), Holy Cross (Patriot), and Brown (Ivy). With the exception of VCU, Providence, maybe Boston College, and the upcoming OSU game, who has Rhode Island really played? Of course the same can be argued about the Zips.Looking at Rhode Island, it appears that Wyoming actually had a lot more size on their roster and the Cowboys try to play a game that is similar to what Rhode Island tries to do. I think as long as we can break the press that they're going to throw at us this is going to be a really good game. Oklahoma State is going to tell everyone a lot about Rhode Island I think, but before seeing the results of that test, I'm gonna say that because we're at home and have not forgot about the game with the Rams last year, we're going to come ready to play and get that elusive "big" OOC win. We have been right there with some of the best the A-10 has to offer in Dayton and besides, we're just plain freakin' due .

[Let'sGoZips94]

This is kind of of topic, but isn't the A-10 a mid-major conference? I was on the mid-major rankings, and none of the A-10 teams are on there.

[ZippyforPresident]

This is kind of of topic, but isn't the A-10 a mid-major conference? I was on the mid-major rankings, and none of the A-10 teams are on there.

The A-10 is essentially the border between "mid-major" and "major." Kind of depends on how much money you think is expected out of a "mid major" and how much out of a "major" conference. From the figures that I have seen over the past few years the A-10 brings in a hefty amount but there is enough of a drop off between them and the "big six" conferences. Of course, I also believe that after the A-10 there is also a significant drop off between them and the other "mid majors" (someone please correct me if the figures have drastically changed, but I don't believe that to be the case.)But as for no A-10 teams being ranked on the College Insider.com Mid Major Poll: The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Great West, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast.You do bring up a good point though, and although the A-10 is not found on the Mid Major poll they still aren't necessarily considered a "power" conference either. In some ways they are kind of like the MAC, in the way that the top teams are very good but the bottom half of the teams, well this year it really seems, (the Zips beat Duquene on the road 3 years ago I believe it was, and now #19 ranked Temple 2 years ago at the JAR, and have been able to go toe to toe with Dayton the last two times they have played but sort of like the MAC west, the bottom half of the A-10 would drop to the top MAC teams)) are weaker, or there is some legitimate drop off between upper echelon A-10 teams and the lower ones.Rhode Island is at the top of the A-10 right now though, and the Zips are going to want to make up for last year in a big way. I love the MAC v. A-10 match ups in the OOC so lets make it a strong showing and knock these guys off of their high early season horse.

[zipboy]

Thanks for the scouting report. I am still hoping for Akron and VCU to schedule some games. Both good teams, easy to get to Richmond or Akron, coaches are friends, it makes to much sense. VCU is the kind of high mid major many of us talk about playing.

[meatwad]

This is kind of of topic, but isn't the A-10 a mid-major conference? I was on the mid-major rankings, and none of the A-10 teams are on there.

Here is one person's definition of "mid-major" which obviously shows the A-10 as "below the line." I think it's a pretty good place to start.

[UAZipster0305]

Outside of Memphis, I would hardly consider any C-USA schools major basketball programs. Though they are the type of programs I'd like to see in our OOC schedule.

[Quickzips]

Compared to the MAC, the A-10, with Temple, Xavier, Dayton, Rhode Island and others, is certainly a "major" conference.

[Districtballer]

Compared to the MAC, the A-10, with Temple, Xavier, Dayton, Rhode Island and others, is certainly a "major" conference.

One thing to consider is that the A-10 has the #4 rated conference RPI ahead of 2 'Big Six' Conferences. Rhode Island has wins over ACC Boston College (at BC) and Big East Providence (VCU beat them head-to-head)Richmond has wins over #13 (at the time) Florida and Mississippi State out of the SEC, and Missouri out of the Big 12. (VCU beat them head-to-head) #19 Temple has wins over Siena, ACC Virginia Tech, Big East Penn State, #3 (at the time) Big East Villanova, Big East Seton Hall Charlotte owns a win over #22 (at the time) Big East LouisvilleDayton has wins over MVC Creighton, #19 (at the time) ACC Georgia TechXavier has wins over MVC Creighton, MAC Can't State (SUCKS!), #21 (at the time) Big East Cincinnatti, and SEC LSU. UMass has a nice win over C-USA Memphis. The A-10 is certainly a step above your typical mid-major conference. I wouldn't say a major conference, but along with the C-USA, MVC, and MWC, they form their own tier of 'not quite major, but not mid-major'.

[Districtballer]

Thanks for the scouting report. I am still hoping for Akron and VCU to schedule some games. Both good teams, easy to get to Richmond or Akron, coaches are friends, it makes to much sense. VCU is the kind of high mid major many of us talk about playing.

Well if Akron continues winning the MAC that would be fine. The MAC is terrible this year, but I don't think it'll be that bad in the future. I actually don't think Keith Dambrot wants any part of VCU now after the 2 game bracketbuster series. At Coach Shaka Smart's Hiring Press Conference, Dambrot came on by phone after Florida's Billy Donovan to congratulate Shaka and compliment the hire for our program. He was asked if he would consider a home and home with VCU and he hung up. I'm pretty sure the coaching etiquette is that coaches don't like to play their former assistants. So as long as Shaka is at VCU, I doubt you'll see VCU and Akron matchup. Luckily we have had a good schedule and have been lucky to start off pretty well. Our only bad loss was at Western Michigan out of the MAC ironically in our second game. We played completely horrible basketball. Since then we've done a good job as that was our only OOC loss. We've beaten #17 (at the time) Oklahoma, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Richmond so far and have set ourselves up for an elite bracketbuster matchup so far with a 8-2 record and the #13 RPI in the nation. We did sign a local Ohio kid for next year that Akron and most of the MAC was heavily recruiting in 6'2 guard Rob Brandenberg out of Gahanna Lincoln. If Dambrot is up for it, perhaps Brandenberg will get a chance to come home to Ohio to play a game before his career is out. Either way, Dambrot will continue to build the Zips into a MAC power and I'm sure you guys will continue with your success and hopefully garner a 3rd NCAA appearance this year.

[Z.I.P.]

Thanks for the scouting report. I am still hoping for Akron and VCU to schedule some games. Both good teams, easy to get to Richmond or Akron, coaches are friends, it makes to much sense. VCU is the kind of high mid major many of us talk about playing.

Well if Akron continues winning the MAC that would be fine. The MAC is terrible this year, but I don't think it'll be that bad in the future. I actually don't think Keith Dambrot wants any part of VCU now after the 2 game bracketbuster series. At Coach Shaka Smart's Hiring Press Conference, Dambrot came on by phone after Florida's Billy Donovan to congratulate Shaka and compliment the hire for our program. He was asked if he would consider a home and home with VCU and he hung up. I'm pretty sure the coaching etiquette is that coaches don't like to play their former assistants. So as long as Shaka is at VCU, I doubt you'll see VCU and Akron matchup. Luckily we have had a good schedule and have been lucky to start off pretty well. Our only bad loss was at Western Michigan out of the MAC ironically in our second game. We played completely horrible basketball. Since then we've done a good job as that was our only OOC loss. We've beaten #17 (at the time) Oklahoma, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Richmond so far and have set ourselves up for an elite bracketbuster matchup so far with a 8-2 record and the #13 RPI in the nation. We did sign a local Ohio kid for next year that Akron and most of the MAC was heavily recruiting in 6'2 guard Rob Brandenberg out of Gahanna Lincoln. If Dambrot is up for it, perhaps Brandenberg will get a chance to come home to Ohio to play a game before his career is out. Either way, Dambrot will continue to build the Zips into a MAC power and I'm sure you guys will continue with your success and hopefully garner a 3rd NCAA appearance this year.

I'm pretty sure the team from Rob's hometown (Columbus) won't mind playing your team at their place. Just don't ask for a return trip. Kudos to the man from Kenyon. He has his new team in good position for CAA play. Also looks like he wasn't jokin when he said our 04 or 05 recruit Jimmy Conyers would end up in The League. At least we like his prognostication. Happy New Year!

[zippyfan34]

The Rhode Island versus Oklahoma State game is on at 2 today on ESPNU if anyone is interested in seeing what we are going up against on Tuesday.

[Z.I.P.]

The Rhode Island versus Oklahoma State game is on at 2 today on ESPNU if anyone is interested in seeing what we are going up against on Tuesday.

Saw it. They are LONG and ATHLETIC. I think they will be a true contender in the A-10. They're probably as good as Dayton, and a W on Tue would be huge, not just "at the end of the season", but in putting us in the mood to potentially win the # of games ourselves to be considered for the old "at large" -- and getting us one of the 'elite Bracketbuster' games. Could it possibly be with our friends from Richmond? Is Akron scheduled to play @ home or away? I forget.

[zipboy]

Akron is scheduled to be away for the Bracketbuster ZIP. RI looked very good, excited for Tuesday.