Holy Cross at Rhode Island

Rhode Island opened last season at home against Stetson with a 93-62 win, 155 combined points. The Rams open this one tonight against a Holy Cross defense that allowed 73.3 points per game a year ago, 160th of 365 teams. Opponents shot 47.5% from the field against the Crusaders, 900 makes on 1,896 attempts. Holy Cross scored 68.2 per game, 332nd in the country. Rhode Island's own defense allowed 68.2 and 43.2% shooting. Both rosters have changed. Rhode Island returns six scholarship players and adds three transfers. One of those transfers is Matas Deniusas, the Ohio Valley rookie of the year, who averaged 12.5 points at UT Martin. Holy Cross brings back six players, led by Aidan Richard, John St. Germain III and Declan Ryan, under fourth-year coach Dave Paulsen. The Crusaders protect the ball, at 10.2 turnovers a game (50th nationally). They also shot 75.6% at the line, 59th, which matters when a team trailing a heavy favorite has to foul. Rhode Island returns Jonah Hinton, who led the team with 76 three-pointers, and Jahmere Tripp, who combined for 24.6 points per game last season. Holy Cross let opponents make 242 threes in 33 games, so I'm on the OVER.