What you need to know about the Atlantic 10 home opener for men's basketball

Photo courtesy of Shane Donaldson

Looking for redemption after a poor opening effort to start Atlantic 10 play, the Rhode Island men’s basketball team will hope to avenge their 12-point loss to Duquesne with a better result against George Mason tomorrow afternoon at the Ryan Center.

The Rams have lost four straight games to the Patriots, with their last victory coming back in January of 2021. The first three losses of the skid were relatively close, all ending with single-digit deficits. However, the final matchup saw the Rams put up their lowest offensive tally of the season, scoring just 51 points in an 18 point loss at home.

The following are the keys to the game for Rhode Island and things to watch out for from the Patriots, as the Rams try to get back to .500 in conference play.

Rhode Island Key Player: David Green

During the half-season for David Green in 2023-24, the veteran forward featured several key performances for fans in Keaney Blue. His double-double against Saint Joseph's and the 24-point production in the upset win over UMass all are notable, but none stand out quite as much as his mammoth game at George Mason.

In the first of two meetings last season with the Patriots, Green scored his career-best 29 points in a 92-84 loss on the road. Green knocked down six three-pointers on eight attempts while shooting 62.5% from the field.

The thing to watch out for from Green is his health. The senior injured his shoulder against Temple in the first half of a neutral site contest on Dec. 21, but was resilient enough to come back and play the second half and score 7 of his 17 points in the final 20 minutes.

At Duquesne though, Green was nowhere near as active. Scoring just 7 total points, which snapped a seven-game double-digit scoring streak, Green only took six attempts from the field, which coincided as his lowest attempt rate on the season so far.

If Rhody can get Green going early from the four-spot, it will open up scoring avenues for other primary scorers both down low, like redshirt-senior Javonte Brown, and up high like senior Sebastian Thomas – the more scorers the better for the conference’s best offense.

George Mason Key Player: Jalen Haynes

Unlike Green, Haynes did not play last season, and opted to redshirt the campaign due to sufficient frontcourt depth on the roster. The season of rest has seemed to pay off for Haynes, as he has been on a wild run as of late.

The forward, who will likely guard Green based upon size comparisons, has not only scored in double-figures for the last nine games, but also has recorded a double-double in four of the last six.

In both of the Rams’ losses this season, they have allowed a double-double. In fact, this season when the Rams do not allow a double-double, they have a record of 10-0. Correlating to the probability that if the Rams can shut down Haynes, they have a good chance of landing in the left column at the end of the afternoon.

Rhode Island Key to the Game: Get to the line and make it

George Mason possesses a stellar defense, ranking second in the conference allowing just 61.8 points per game and ranking first in the A-10 with opponents shooting just 35.6% from the field against them.

That leaves Rhode Island with not a whole lot of wiggle room, even with their explosive offense. Getting to the free-throw line can help to alleviate that pressure. The Rams have attempted the third most free-throws per game in the country this season with 28.6, but have failed to make shots at a high clip as of late, shooting 65% or below in two of the last three games.

If the Rams can get the Patriots in foul trouble early and start to execute, it could see their tally on the scoreboard increase quicker than some expect.

George Mason Key to the Game: Constant ball pressure

Rhode Island, powered by their speedy point guard, loves to play fast. This season, the Rams are a top-20 team in the nation when it comes to fastbreak points, getting 16.2 to fall per contest.

The goal is to frustrate the primary ball handler in Thomas with constant pressure and not let him get up the floor quickly. Duquesne opted to pull out a full-court press early in the A-10 opener and it caused some ill-advised passes from the guard which led to several empty possessions in the first half.

If the Patriots can emulate that early, the Rams could fall into the teeth of the best defense in the conference.

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The Rams and Patriots tip-off at the Ryan Center tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. The game can be streamed on the USA Network, with radio broadcasts available on WRIU 90.3 FM and the Varsity Network.