Rhode Island Basketball: Keys for the Rams to knock off Oklahoma

All eyes will be on Trae Young but should they be. Rhode Island basketball is the better team and that could be made clear after 40 minutes of action.

Rhode Island basketball is going to more coverage during the first round of the NCAA Tournament than it has received all year. While this is a good thing, the majority of that coverage will be on their opponent, the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners are led by freshman guard Trae Young and everybody on planet earth has heard about the phenom six ways to Sunday this season.

However, the real story of this game should be on the sensational season of Rhody. The Rams dominated Atlantic 10 play all season long and are one of the most dangerous No. 7 seeds in this year’s bracket. The team has veteran leaders, solid coaching, and more NCAA Tournament experience than most other teams in this field.

On just every major sports network, the Rams are being glossed over in favor of the tantalizing matchup between Oklahoma and Duke in the second round. While that would be a fun storyline, so would Rhode Island vs. Duke.

A matchup between the Rams and the Blue Devils would feature an outstanding contrast both in style of play and recruiting strategies. Duke is a member of college basketball royalty that has taken the one-and-done era to heart. Rhode Island, on the other hand, features a senior-laden roster. In fact, four of the Rams’ top five scorers are in their last collegiate seasons with Rhody.

Now, before I get too far ahead of myself, here is a look at the keys to Rhode Island’s game with Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.