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URI Journal: Matthews to undergo surgery for torn ACL

Bill Koch Journal Sports Writer
E.C. Matthews confirmed on Tuesday that he suffered a torn ACL in URI's season-opener.

PUERTO AVENTURAS, Mexico — For the second time in as many nationally televised games, University of Rhode Island guard E.C. Matthews was a welcomed guest for a segment with the broadcast crew. 

As he promised in a statement provided by the Rams, Matthews would be present and involved throughout the 2015-16 season despite being unable to play. His season ended after barely 10 minutes in the opener against American University — the junior confirmed to The Journal on Tuesday he suffered a torn ACL that will require surgery sometime before Christmas. 

No date has been set for Matthews’ operation. It’s an occasion he’s both ready to tackle and dreading simultaneously, an understandable feeling of mixed emotions as he begins the long rehabilitation road back to the floor. 

“I’m so eager,” Matthews said. “I’m so scared at the same time. I’ve got my teammates and family behind me — I know I’m going to be all right.” 

Matthews and the URI staff have chosen Dr. Brian McKeon to perform the reconstructive surgery — McKeon has served as the team physician and chief medical officer for the Boston Celtics since 2005. He’s also an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Tufts and was named one of the nation’s top 60 orthopedic surgeons, according to a recent piece in Becker’s Spine Review. Matthews expects his mother, Regina Townsend, to make the trip from their native Michigan when the critical day finally arrives. 

“I need mom,” Matthews said. “Coach (Dan) Hurley is going to be there. Everybody that’s supporting me is going to be there.” 

Matthews doesn’t waste much time thinking about the play that ultimately sidelined him, a spin in the lane in which he planted his right foot and crumpled slowly to the floor. The injury cast an immediate pall over the 65-42 victory against the Eagles. 

“It’s just a message from God,” Matthews said. “That’s all I can say. I do that move thousands of times — it was meant to happen.” 

Shutting down Vlad 

Judging by early returns, URI’s players are giving a good read to the scouting reports prepared by the Rams’ assistant coaches. 

Opposing leading scorers are finding it rather miserable to play against URI’s defense, which entered Tuesday's game ranked fourth nationally in defensive efficiency per KenPom.com. The Rams are allowing just 90.9 points per 100 possessions and are holding opponents to 48.3 points per game, which ranked first in the nation. 

TCU forward Vlad Brodziansky was the latest victim on Tuesday night, as the sophomore forward was limited to just eight points — well below 14.3 per game average he carried to Cancun — in 22 foul-plagued minutes. 

“I think we do a good job of taking the other team’s best player away,” Hurley said. “Obviously you can’t take everything away from every team, but I think we do a good job in our preparation.” 

American’s Jesse Reed, Valparaiso’s Alec Peters and Cleveland State’s Demonte Flannigan feel Brodziansky’s pain — all three players were also largely frustrated in games against URI. Reed (2-for-9, seven points) came up shy of his 11.3 points per game, Peters (4-for-12, 14 points) was well short of his usual 54.7-percent shooting from the field and Flannigan (1-for-10, four points) struggled mightily compared to his 12.3 points and 41.4-percent shooting. 

“Our assistant coaches do a great job,” Hurley said. “Our players listen well. And we’re a good defensive team.” 

URI enjoyed several such performances last season, starting with its stirring overtime home win against Nebraska. Terran Petteway (15 points, 5-for-18 shooting) failed to match his season totals (18.2, 39.6-percent shooting) in a difficult night that set the tone for the Rams’ season. La Salle guard Jordan Price (3-for-21, eight points) and Massachusetts big man Cady Lalanne (3-for-7, nine points) found the going particularly tough over two Atlantic 10 games apiece — the two combined to average 28.6 points per game in 2014-15. 

Heaven in Cancun 

For the fourth time in eight years, the Hard Rock Riviera Maya is hosting the Cancun Challenge. 

The resort’s conference center is reconfigured into a makeshift basketball arena for the event, with metal bleachers erected on all four sides and a court laid over the gray and yellow carpeting. All players, coaches and support staff from each of the tournament’s eight teams are housed in one of the resort’s 1,264 rooms. 

The property — which sits about an hour from Cancun International Airport — is divided between the Hacienda and the adults-only Heaven, which includes a private beach and an expansive outdoor pool. URI used that to its advantage early Tuesday, with trainer Mike Monteiro putting Matthews through a workout in the water.

The Rams’ traveling contingent included Hurley’s wife Andrea and sons Danny and Andrew, school president David Dooley and his wife, Lynn, athletic director Thorr Bjorn, noted Rams’ booster Tom Ryan and area restaurateur Joe Formicola.