#6: Rhode Island Rams
The Rams didn’t necessarily disappoint in the non-con slate, but they didn’t “wow” by any means either. Their losses to Bucknell, Stony Brook, and Hawaii were all discouraging, but they redeemed themselves at least slightly by beating West Virginia (albeit without Sagaba Konate) and handling solid teams like Harvard, Brown, and Holy Cross. We know the talent is there – Jeff Dowtin is one of the steadiest point guards in the league, Cyril Langevine should dominate most A10 posts, and Fatts Russell could someday be a star (if he can start hitting threes), but it’s still yet to come together on a consistent basis.
The Rams’ lack of poise and consistency isn’t surprising when you consider the fact that it’s Jeff Cox’s first year as head coach and that there are four freshmen getting significant playing time. It’s not going to come overnight, and it’s going to be frustrating at times (eg. some of their recent games) but this team has potential. I think the middle of the pack is a fair placement for now, but they’ll have a chance to make a jump if they can upset St. Louis in their conference opener.