Welcome to the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tipoff for the 2020-21 Season. This afternoon, we feature the Rhode Island Rams. To revisit all of the season previews throughout the week, click here.
Rhode Island
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@GoRhodyRams | @RhodyWBB | @TReiss32
Wait until you see Rhode Island.
Parlez-vous français?
No, Coach Tammi Reiss doesn't, but associate head coach Adeniyi Amadou is a Paris native and the international recruiter she credits for a cast that includes six natives of France who have the potential to transform the program.
"We're going to fly," said Reiss, who in just her second year with the Rams has now surrounded herself with the type of high-major talent she routinely recruited and helped develop during her four-year stint as an assistant at Syracuse.
"Now we've completely turned the roster over and all these kids that are here were recruited here for a reason. Our system. Our culture."
Meet the French connection led by junior Emmanuelle Tahane. Reiss uses the word "phenomenal" to describe the 6-1 transfer from Missouri. "She's battle-tested. She's played against (South Carolina's) Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson. She can play perimeter, face-up. She can play the 5. She can do it all."
Another transfer, 6-1 forward Marie-Paule Foppossi from Syracuse, is equally versatile. "She can play from the 2 to the 5," Reiss said of Foppossi, a former team captain of France's U20 national squad.
Washington State transfer Johanna Muzet, long and versatile at 6-0, comes in with significant collegiate experience after a Pac-12 career that included two 20-plus steal seasons with the Cougars. Reiss even uses the term "Ionescu-like," to describe the graduate student, who like Foppossi, has had French national team reps.
"Those three have elevated our skill level," Reiss said.
In addition to the newcomers, senior combo guard Marta Vargas, a Portugal native hurt for most of last season, is healthy again. "The leadership ability, the experience — she's playing at a much better level," Reiss said. "If Marta doesn't get hurt last year, we win five or six more games."
Toss in one more transfer, Yanni Hendley, a transfer from Reiss' alma mater, Virginia, and the result is an athletic, self-motivated group that makes Reiss excited to go to work every day.
"These kids live in the gym. I don't have to do anything," Reiss said. "This team represents my personality."
Remember, Reiss was a three-time All-American who led the Cavaliers to three Final Fours.
In just one year at Rhode Island, she's already done plenty. The assistant on the Syracuse team that reached the NCAA title game in 2016, Reiss doubled the team's conference win total last year behind the league's assist leader Davida Dale and All-Atlantic Team first-teamer Nicole Jorgensen, both of whom graduated.
But she itched to get away from halfcourt sets and go high tempo. Look for motion offense and wicked defense from the Rams, ranked last in turnover margin a year ago.
"The days of pounding it into Nicole Jorgensen are gone," Reiss said, referring to the graduated 6-5 center and A-10 All-Conference First Team selection. "We have five players who can score now at all three levels. You're going to have to guard us."
There's more, of course. Reiss won't talk about the freshmen, but adds, "You're in for a surprise."
Can you tell she's stoked?
A look at the Rams:
Coach: Tammi Reiss, 13-16 in one season at Rhode Island and overall
Last year: 13-16, 6-10 Atlantic 10, (lost at Duquesne 70-53 in first round of the Atlantic 10 Championship).
They'll miss: Nicole Jorgensen (third in A-10 with 16.0 ppg, 2nd in A-10 with 8.3 rpg, 50.9 FG percentage, All-Atlantic 10 First Team); Davida Dale (A-10-leading 5.0 apg, 37.8 minutes per, All-Atlantic 10 Third Team); Erin Jones (10.4 ppg), transferred to North Florida
Impact returners: 5-9 Sr. G Marta Vargas 11.6 ppg, (played just nine games before being sidelined by injury); 6-2 sophomore C Kassondra Brown (7.6 ppg)
Newbies of note: 6-3 freshman F Maye Toure; 6-1 redshirt sophomore G Marie-Paule Foppossi (Syracuse); 6-1 redshirt junior F Emmanuelle Tahane (Missouri); 6-3 sophomore F Haby Niang; 6-0 graduate student G Johanna Muzet (Washington State); 5-9 junior G Lya Farcy (Gulf Coast State); Yanni Hendley (Virginia), 6-0 sophomore G
Reason for optimism: A serious infusion of high-end talent has Reiss in a position to transform this program seemingly overnight — that is, if she can get so many newcomers to come together, no easy feat after such an uncertain offseason.
Bottom line: This Rhode Island team could be among the most improved in Division I and a serious A-10 contender.
Vicki Friedman is a freelance writer who has covered women's basketball for major newspapers for over two decades, and she has written for Atlantic10.com since 2012. Her blog, LadySwish, can be found at ladyswishwbb.com and on Twitter.