Spring Break
Rams stepping up game despite loss against Duke
Anthony ARusso
Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: Sports
11/19/08 - On Sunday afternoon in front of a national audience, the University of Rhode Island Rams fell inches short of doing something incredible.
In a game against the Duke University Blue Devils at the vaunted Cameron Indoor Stadium, URI lost by just three points and gave the fourth-winningest men's basketball program of all-time as much as it could handle.
Duke had won 61 straight games against non-conference opponents at home and 192 of its last 195. The last non-ACC team to beat Duke at Cameron was St. Johns University in 2000. When it hosted URI, Rhody was not afraid.
From the opening minute, the Rams played their game and did not seem intimidated by the atmosphere. They came out swinging and the Blue Devils were shocked.
Delroy James had his best game as a Ram, and it came at a good time. James had 21 points, made nine of his 12 field goal attempts and led the team in rebounds with eight.
Marquis Jones showed poise and confidence at the point in one of the toughest, if not the most hostile place for a basketball player to perform.
And, of course, who could forget Jimmy Baron, who was lights-out from beyond the arc, especially in the second half when he scored 21 of his game-high 24 points.
The three-point line was moved back a foot this year in college basketball, but that has absolutely no effect on Baron, who nailed a few jaw-dropping shots from way out with defenders in his face.
Among those impressed, and surprised, with the effort of the Rams was Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, one of the greatest basketball minds of all-time.
"I don't think our guys expected the level of play," Krzyzewski said. "Don't get me wrong. We respected Rhode Island. But they played at a really high level tonight. I thought it knocked us back."
The television announcers on ESPNU also praised the Rams throughout the game, and while all the props should be given to Rhody for playing as well as they did at Duke, it will not change reality.
In a game against the Duke University Blue Devils at the vaunted Cameron Indoor Stadium, URI lost by just three points and gave the fourth-winningest men's basketball program of all-time as much as it could handle.
Duke had won 61 straight games against non-conference opponents at home and 192 of its last 195. The last non-ACC team to beat Duke at Cameron was St. Johns University in 2000. When it hosted URI, Rhody was not afraid.
From the opening minute, the Rams played their game and did not seem intimidated by the atmosphere. They came out swinging and the Blue Devils were shocked.
Delroy James had his best game as a Ram, and it came at a good time. James had 21 points, made nine of his 12 field goal attempts and led the team in rebounds with eight.
Marquis Jones showed poise and confidence at the point in one of the toughest, if not the most hostile place for a basketball player to perform.
And, of course, who could forget Jimmy Baron, who was lights-out from beyond the arc, especially in the second half when he scored 21 of his game-high 24 points.
The three-point line was moved back a foot this year in college basketball, but that has absolutely no effect on Baron, who nailed a few jaw-dropping shots from way out with defenders in his face.
Among those impressed, and surprised, with the effort of the Rams was Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, one of the greatest basketball minds of all-time.
"I don't think our guys expected the level of play," Krzyzewski said. "Don't get me wrong. We respected Rhode Island. But they played at a really high level tonight. I thought it knocked us back."
The television announcers on ESPNU also praised the Rams throughout the game, and while all the props should be given to Rhody for playing as well as they did at Duke, it will not change reality.
