Rhode Island vs Milwaukee Odds and Picks (Dec. 13)

Odds as of Dec. 12th at FanDuel.

Rhode Island enters the contest as 6.5-point favorites, in a game that features a total of 131.

David Cox’s team has seven players averaging at least eight points per game this season. URI’s leading scorer, Makhel Mitchell, had 14 points to lead five Rams players in double figures in their 10-point win over the Pioneers.

Meantime, Pat Baldwin’s club led the Buffaloes 52-51 with just over five minute left in Boulder. But CU closed the game out on a 14-2 run to send Milwaukee to its seventh loss in its last eight games after a season-opening victory against North Dakota.

Ram Tough

Rhode Island has held opposing teams to just 36.4% shooting from the field this year, the eighth-lowest percentage among all Division I teams. It’s that kind of defensive effort that has seen Cox’s crew allow more than 67 points to opponents only once this season (in a 77-71 defeat to Tulsa just over three weeks ago). Tyler Thomas had 30 and Alex Watson had 14 for Sacred Heart last week — but the rest of the Pioneers only accounted for 18 more.

Back in the win column!#GoRhody | #TheRhodyWay pic.twitter.com/8ajXkenK1T

— Rhody MBB (@RhodyMBB) December 8, 2021

Only two players — Mitchell and senior guard Jeremy Sheppard — are scoring in double-digits for Rhode Island. But when you stymie opponents like the Rams do, you don’t need a ton of scoring. URI possesses the fourth-ranked defensive 2-point field goal percentage and the top-ranked defensive block percentage in the country, per KenPom.

Rhode Island has beaten Boston College twice, along with Harvard, while exceeding expectations early on. If the Rams can slow down the Panthers — Milwaukee is 0-7 this year when it scores 71 points or fewer and 2-0 when it scores at least 72 — they should be looking at their second true road victory of the season.

🔥 Defense…

Rhode Island ranks 9th in the nation in opposing field goal percentage, limiting teams to 30.6 percent from the floor. pic.twitter.com/YIlkvpZcem

— Rhody MBB (@RhodyMBB) November 17, 2021

Bucking Hope

The Panthers won’t be confused anytime soon for the the NBA team that plays in the same city. But a true bright spot for Baldwin’s squad is his son, freshman Patrick Baldwin Jr. The highly-touted 6-foot-9 guard — who was the No. 5 player in the Class of 2021 recruiting class — is averaging a team-high 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Panthers.

Nah…Patrick Baldwin Jr really did the Steph Curry and turned around and pointed at the opponent's bench before it went in!?! pic.twitter.com/xznyDuacYn

— Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) December 4, 2021

Baldwin has connected on 35% of the 40 3-pointers he’s attempted this season and also converted 77.3% of his free throws this season. He stayed home so he could play for his father. Now, the Baldwin Boys are just hoping for some victories.

But outside of a 77-69 home victory over Robert Morris Dec. 4, the Panthers have not tasted victory since the 2021-22 lid-lifter. DeAndre Gholston has put up 14.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, joining Baldwin as the only other player scoring in double-figures this season.

Rhode Island vs Milwaukee Pick

The Panthers are projected to lose this one by five points according to KenPom, and it’s hard to see a path to victory for the home team.

Rhode Island is one of the quietly elite teams defensively in the country. The Rams should easily shut down a fairly one-dimensional Milwaukee attack.

Pick: Rhode Island -6.5 (-110)