Rams Fight To The Finish
Sunday, March 04, 2012
And so it ends.
A very difficult season on the hardwood came to a close on Saturday for the University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team. The Rams were beaten at UMass 89-83.
The final record will show that URI finished (7-24) overall and (4-12) in the Atlantic Ten. What those numbers do not show is the fact that this team did fight until the finish.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTSeniors Orion Outerbridge and Anthony Malhoit played their final games for URI. Outerbridge had another solid game with 24 points and 6 rebounds. Malhoit chipped in with 7 points in the loss.
But while those seniors wrapped up their collegiate careers, Rhody fans also got a glimpse of what the future will hold. Freshman Jonathan Holton finished up a terrific individual season with his team-leading 8th double-double of the year. Sponge had 18 points and 11 rebounds and proved this season that he is, indeed, a cornerstone for URI to build around.
Fellow frosh TJ Buchanan also netted a career-high 13 points in the loss while Billy Baron scored 11 points while pulling down 7 boards.
Jesse Morgan led the UMass attack with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Sean Carter had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Chaz Williams added 19 points for the Minutemen.
Rhody finished the season winning 2 of its last 3 games and 4 of its final 10.
With a decent young talent base which gained valuable experience this season set to return and a good recruiting class slated to come in this fall, the only question now seems to be whether or not Jim Baron will get the chance to coach the team next season?
Baron is under contract for two more seasons but he has now finished his 11th season at URI with no NCAA Tournament appearances to date. Add to that the decreased attendance at the Ryan Center and what some believe is a growing apathy amongst the fan base, and the recently extended athletic director Thorr Bjiorn has a tough decision to make this offseason.
Rhody fans will be watching closely.
