URI loses star guard Matthews
Rhody leader has broken wrist, will miss 4-6 weeks
KINGSTON — The X-rays, the doctor visits, the rehab sessions, the practice sessions spent watching your teammates prepare for games you aren’t healthy enough to play – E.C. Matthews has been here before.
A hard block late in URI's 88-81 loss at Nevada Monday led to the experienced wing breaking his fall with his left wrist. The resulting fracture will sideline him for 4-6 weeks.
“Yesterday was a bad day for him,” URI coach Dan Hurley said Wednesday. “I think he thought he was okay. They tested him [at Nevada] right after he fell and I guess the adrenaline, he just kept saying he wasn't hurt. That's why he went back in the game.”
A brief trip to the locker room gave way to Matthews heading back out on the court in the waning moments of Monday's game. He left two free throws short after returning to action, indicative of the injury that would be revealed in an x-ray on Tuesday.
Just like Matthews is used to rehabbing and working back from an injury – the rest of the URI roster is used to playing without him. After having to scratch and claw their way through the 2015-16 season with Matthews on the shelf with a torn ACL suffered minutes into the season, the Rams are entering into familiar territory.
“We're in a much different place than we were a couple years ago,” Hurley said. “It's a much different situation. [When he tore his ACL] it was opening night and he was out for the season. We were still trying to establish ourselves as a program. We're in a much different spot now. The confidence level, experience, depth. We have enough guards to certainly hold down the fort.”
“Yesterday was a bad day for him.” – Dan Hurley on Matthews
“Our mindset hasn't changed at all,” added Jared Terrell. “We just have come out, defend, rebound and flow on offense. Not think about it, just play our game. I think I have a big responsibility overall, being a defender and a scorer.”
Terrell played 28 minutes against Nevada, pouring in a team-high 24 points prior to fouling out. In Matthews’ absence two seasons ago, the 6-foot-3 guard scored more than 20 points on six occasions.
There figures to be more help waiting in the wings this time around for Terrell. Freshman guard Fatts Russell has turned heads when he's been given the chance to run the offense, but minutes have been hard to come by for the newcomer.
“Fatts has been dying to get on the court,” Hurley said. “He only played seven minutes versus Nevada. He's a guy we'd like to have on the court, 1518 minutes. When you have six guards that's hard to do.”
Russell has played only 21 minutes total through two games, but now that the number of guards has dwindled down to five, he stands to see a lot more time on the court.
“Fatts has a lot of confidence in himself,” Terrell said. “I think we have a lot of depth with our guards.”
“Some guys have been staring at the back of my head while I'm coaching the game,” Hurley said with a laugh. “I've noticed a couple guys there who want more minutes. Now they're going to get that opportunity to play more. Some talented players. Everyone is going to have to do a little bit more.”
An added aspect to losing a talented and popular player like Matthews is getting the team to move past the injury quickly, all while picking up their fallen comrade.
“It's tough on E.C.,” Hurley said. “His senior year. He worked so hard to rehab the knee. He was feeling so great. Tough for him, but for us it's business as usual. We have a deep group of guards, experienced team. We're going to play real well while he's gone and when he backs it'll be like picking up a great free agent.”
In the loss to Nevada, the Rams struggled to stop 6-foot-7 Jordan Caroline (28 points, 14-17 from the free throw line). Last year, Hurley simply would've draped Hassan Martin all over him, and make the rest of the Wolfpack starting lineup beat him.
This year, Hurley's inexperienced frontcourt was unable to keep up with Caroline. Cyril Langevine – Martin's heir-apparent – scored two points and fouled out in 19 minutes of action. Andre Berry and Nikola Akele weren't up to the task either, leaving the middle of the Rhody defense wide open.
“We started really soft and played a soft first half,” Hurley recounted. “Playing a road game like that, second game in, really identifies for you where you have to get better. Your weaknesses get exposed when you step up to that level on the road early on.
“Lot of it centered around the defensive end for us. We're still searching for some production from our frontcourt. We have to find a way to get those guys to play better.”
“Not playing well throughout the game, and being able to stay in the game is something that we took out of there,” said Terrell. “Looking back, thinking if we did play well the whole game, it would've been a much better situation.”
One of the longest breaks in the season coincides with the loss to Nevada and Matthews’ injury. The Rams won't play again until Sunday, giving them a full week of practice to make adjustments and work a new starter into the mix. URI hosts Holy Cross, Sunday at 1 p.m.