“I was picking between Dayton and Rhode Island,” said Pollard on Thursday before practice at UD Arena. “Every time I play those guys, it’s always a statement game.”
The Flyers are 3-2 against Rhode Island in Pollard’s career. They will play twice in the regular season this winter. They meet again in Kingston, R.I., on Feb. 10. Pollard used to wonder what life would have been like if he had picked Rhode Island, but not anymore. He knows he made the right choice.
Pollard doesn’t need any new shoes for his birthday. He said he just wants a victory. The same would go for his fellow senior from Chicago, Kyle Davis, who celebrates his 22nd birthday Saturday.
This isn’t a big game because it’s their birthday weekend. It’s a big game because Dayton (11-3, 2-0) and Rhode Island (10-4, 2-0) are two of the top contenders in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Flyers were picked to finish first in the preseason poll. The Rams were picked second. Many experts did label the Rams as the favorite over the Flyers because they returned guard E.C. Matthews, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Matthews averaged 16.9 points as a sophomore and is averaging 15.3 points and leading the Rams in scoring as a fourth-year junior.
“Clearly, E.C’s one of the premier players in the league, and coming off an injury, he’s starting to get in a groove again,” Dayton coach Archie Miller said. “He’s probably one of the best offensive players the league has seen in the last couple of years, but the development of their other players while he was out was key.”
Junior guards Jarvis Garrett and Jared Terrell emerged as one of the A-10’s best backcourt tandems last season. They combined for 29 points in a 75-66 victory at UD Arena last February.
Rhode Island’s other top player is Hassan Martin, who returned to action Tuesday in an 88-58 victory over Massachusetts after missing five games with a quadriceps injury.
Rhode Island made a school record 16 3-pointers Tuesday. Dayton made 14 3-pointers in a 90-74 victory at St. Bonaventure. Neither team expects to have that kind of success in this game. Rhode Island leads the league in scoring defense (64 points per game). Dayton ranks second (65.3).
“This is going to be a big, big game in our league,” Miller said. “It’s probably the premier game in the league early in the year.”
The status of Dayton senior guard Charles Cooke remains in question. He didn’t play Tuesday because of back and wrist injuries.
“It’s undecided right now,” Miller said. “He didn’t practice (Wednesday), so we’ll see how it goes, but we’re prepared to play without him.”
FRIDAY’S GAME
Rhode Island at Dayton, 7 p.m., ESPN2, FM 95.7, AM 1290 WHIO
About the Author
