Rhode Island Basketball: Rams building a consistent A-10 threat

Rhode Island Basketball is setting itself up for consistent success, starting with their numerous gains on the transfer trail.

The Rhode Island Rams just keep winning the offseason. Coach David Cox has been dominating, particularly on the transfer market. He only added to the program’s gains on Friday when the Rams secured another transfer, former Syracuse Orange guard Jalen Carey.

Carey took to Instagram before the weekend to commit to the Rams. Unless he receives a waiver, he won’t be eligible to play for Cox until the 2021-22 season. He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining, although a torn ligament in his right thumb limited him to just two games as a sophomore, potentially giving him the opportunity to apply for a medical redshirt and add a year of eligibility to his docket.

Regardless of whether or not Carey is able to play next season, Cox is quickly building something sustainable at Rhode Island. The Rams have made just two NCAA Tournament appearances this century, but they almost surely would’ve made their third in four years if this year’s tournament was scuttled by the pandemic.

Cox had a difficult job, ascending to the head coaching position after Danny Hurley departed for UConn following the 2017-18 season. Largely with Hurley’s roster, he’s had two successful seasons, sporting a winning record in each of his first two campaigns.

But now he’s building a behemoth on his own. Carey marked the fifth transfer Cox secured this offseason. Allen Betrand will be eligible in 2021-22 after averaging 13.6 points per game last season for Towson. Malik Martin will also become eligible in 2021-22; the forward averaged 9.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for Charlotte in 2019-20.

Perhaps most interestingly, the Mitchell twins – Makhi and Makhel – landed at Rhode Island after leaving Maryland during the season. Both of them are former top-200 prospects, according to 247 Sports, with the former landing in the top 75 of the Class of 2019.

While Cox is owning the transfer market, he could stand to make some improvements on the recruiting trail. The Class of 2019 ranked fourth in the Atlantic 10, with no four- or five-star recruits. The Class of 2020 also ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 and also includes no four- or five-star recruits. These recruiting classes will keep the Rams competitive in the conference, but it may not push the needle much for the program’s national prestige.

There’s also a pesky little issue of keeping the talent the Rams bring into the program. The Rams added a lot during this offseason, but that was only necessary because the team also lost a lot during the offseason. Four of their players graduated, including Cyril Langevine. Four other players left the program, including Jacob Toppin, who transferred to Kentucky. If the new transfers don’t get waivers to play next season, Fatts Russell’s last collegiate season could come without an NCAA Tournament berth.

The unreal season Dayton had in 2019-20 overshadowed much of the rest of the conference. If this offseason is any indication, however, the Rhode Island Rams should expect to live near the top of the Atlantic 10 for years to come.