The leaves are falling, and you’ll soon be handing out Halloween candy — two sure signs that college basketball season can only be a few days away. Rhode Island’s Division I programs all have different stories to tell as the season tips off in early November, and The Providence Journal’s college hoops expert Bill Koch has been busy catching us up on all the hardwood happenings in RI.
Tuesday marked the last Media Day event — the annual Big East shindig at New York’s Madison Square Garden — so it’s a good time to look back on the torrent of college hoops news over the past few weeks.
Here’s a Rhode Island-themed college basketball primer as the season is about get underway:
Coach Kim English with players Devin Carter and Donovan Santoro before the Providence College annual Mal Brown scrimmage on Oct 14, 2023.
Will the Providence Friars men’s basketball team under new coach Kim English surprise us this season, after being picked to finish 7th in the Big East?
This is the first season since 2010 that Ed Cooley is not leading the Providence men’s team. What did he say about jumping ship to Georgetown after last season?
The Providence women’s basketball team has a new coach, too. And expectations are not that high for those Friars, either. Erin Batth is out to change that.
Providence women’s basketball coach Erin Batth is interviewed during Media Day at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday in New York City.
The AMP in Downtown Providence will be an amazing place this season, with an array of legendary coaches coming in to face the Friars.
One of the best college basketball players in the nation comes from Cumberland. Will Tyler Kolek and the Marquette Golden Eagles find championship gold this season?
Mar 4, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek (11) celebrates winning the Big East Conference Regular Season Championship after cutting down the net following the game against the St. John’s Red Storm at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Big East conference playoffs have been a staple at the iconic Madison Square Garden for more than 40 years. Will that New York City tradition continue?
University of Rhode Island men’s basketball is in year two of Archie Miller’s rebuild, but the Atlantic 10 coaches still don’t have high hopes for the Rams this season.
Despite the dire predictions, The Journal’s Bill Koch isn’t buying the Rams are the second-worst team in the league.
URI coach Archie Miller motivating his team to hold their lead against the Dayton Flyers in the second half.
The Atlantic 10 only managed to get one team to March Madness last season, a far cry from its peak just a few years ago. Will this season be any better?
Thee are plenty of Rhode Island connections across the Atlantic 10 this season.
After a busy offseason with USA Basketball, URI women’s coach Tammi Reiss has her Rams ready to take the next step.
URI coach Tammi Reiss directing her players from the bench in the final minutes of their 74-63 loss to Harvard.
The Rhode Island women are off consecutive appearances in the WNIT and shared an Atlantic 10 regular season championship in 2022-23. But they want more this year.
The biggest story concerning the Bryant men’s basketball team is happening off the court, with head coach Jared Grasso placed on leave. Assistant Phil Martelli Jr. is now tasked with taking the Bulldogs into battle.
Phil Martelli, shown last season as Bryant men’s basketball assistant coach, is now the interim coach.
Despite the coaching drama, the Bryant men’s basketball team is picked 3rd in America East, with two players named to the preseason all-America East team.
The Bryant women’s team has lots of room to improve this season under first-year coach and program alum, Lynne-Ann Kokoski
Coach Mike Martin has high hopes for his Brown men’s basketball team, which is vying for its first-ever postseason bid
1004919507 ri_pvd_PC Hoop PROVIDENCE, RI–Wednesday, December 6, 2017–Brown University vs Providence College. PICTURED IS: Brown head coach Mike Martin on the sideline in the second half. The Providence Journal/Glenn Osmundson
The Brown men’s basketball team was selected 4th in the preseason Ivy League poll. Can they live up to the hype?
After taking a step forward last season, the Brown women’s basketball team is expecting to keep trending upward under coach Monique LeBlanc.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island men’s and women’s college basketball primer
