DAYTON, Ohio — Andre Berry made his 18th consecutive start on Saturday at Dayton, his final trip to UD Arena coming almost two years after the breakout moment of his University of Rhode Island career.
Berry was a little-used reserve entering his first visit to face the Flyers, but there was perhaps no member of the Rams who made a greater impact that afternoon.
Berry’s 15 points on 7-for-7 shooting was as unexpected as it was welcome, as URI stunned No. 22 Dayton, 75-66, on Feb. 27, 2016.
“I saw some things in him that were pretty impressive at the offensive end,” URI coach Dan Hurley said. “It was just an unlikely victory.”
The Rams were without E.C. Matthews and Hassan Martin, as both missed the game with right knee injuries. Jarvis Garrett and Jared Terrell were carrying the mail as sophomores, and it was a junior college transfer who helped them to the finish. Berry needed just 13 minutes to dominate the paint, one less than the 14 he totaled in his previous six games.
“It started my confidence,” Berry said. “I came off the bench when Hassan was out, when E.C. was out, and we were shorthanded. I just played well.”
Berry has long been a favorite of both the URI fans and his teammates. The 6-foot-8 senior spent his final prep season at St. Andrew’s in Barrington and one year at New Mexico Military Institute before committing to the Rams instead of Virginia Tech, North Texas and UT-San Antonio. He’s shed more than 60 pounds since his first day on campus in the summer of 2015.
“The guys are just proud of him,” Terrell said after the victory two years ago. “When somebody’s shining like that, you’ve just got to appreciate him.”
“I remember limping in there — no E.C., no Hassan,” Hurley said. “If you gave me truth serum, I probably would have taken a six- or an eight-point loss, got on the flight, gone home and felt like we were pretty competitive.”
On Saturday, Berry played only nine minutes and finished with four points.
All for charity
The aftermath of Thursday’s practice found Hurley answering the Hot Pepper Challenge, a fundraiser designed to promote ALS research.
La Salle coach Dr. John Giannini used the program’s Twitter account to bring in Hurley and St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt. Giannini wore a blue glove with the Explorers’ logo on the back of his left hand, picking up a ghost pepper and munching on it with no visible signs of distress. Hurley opted for something similar, with a gallon of milk nearby to lessen the sting.
URI’s basketball Twitter account posted a video clip of Hurley fulfilling the terms. He passed it on to his brother, Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, and Buffalo coach Nate Oats.
Back home
Anthony Grant is just the seventh Dayton coach in the last 70 years, returning to his alma mater this offeseason after Archie Miller departed for Indiana.
Grant had previous stints at VCU and Alabama, reaching the NCAA Tournament at each stop. The VCU Rams played in the Colonial Athletic Association at the time — the Flyers crushed them, 106-79, in their first matchup with Grant on the Dayton sidelines on Jan. 12.
Grant was a four-year starter at Dayton, graduating in 1987. He averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds over 105 games, earning team Most Valuable Player honors as a senior.
Upgrades continue
Constructions cranes dot the landscape outside UD Arena, with a $72-million renovation ongoing.
New seats have been installed in the lower bowl, concourses have been reconfigured and suite levels above each baseline have been expanded, the first in a three-phase process to improve the home of both the Flyers and the NCAA Tournament’s First Four.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2019. Local officials estimate the arena provides up to $10 million in economic impact to the region, with Dayton setting a program attendance record last season. The Flyers averaged 13,018 fans per game, less than 500 shy of capacity.