King Rice Keeps it in the Family to Boost Monmouth's Offense

 Last season, the CAA’s newly minted members – Stony Brook, Monmouth and Hampton – all finished within the bottom-four of their new conference’s standings, proving the challenge many teams face while transferring up in the current maelstrom of conference realignment. 

In the previous decade, Monmouth head coach King Rice steadily built up the program into one of the most respected in the MAAC. Typical Monmouth teams feature a pesky, turnover-oriented defense that ignites their quick-paced offense that highlights athletes’ breakdown ability.

In the 2021-22 season, fifth-year guards George Papas and Shavar Reynolds fit that offensive mold perfectly, but their graduation along with Marcus McClary, Walker Miller and Samuel Chaput quickly transformed a team with the ninth most Division 1 experience into the eighth least experienced team last season, per KenPom.com. 

The 2022-23 Monmouth Hawks still generated turnovers and were still effective on defense, but that lack of experience made it difficult to build synergy on offense. Boiling it down, the Hawks missed too many shots (4th lowest field goal percentage in the nation) and generated too many turnovers (32nd highest turnover rate in the nation). 

Monmouth’s lack of shooters made their offense attack predictable: with just a quarter of their shot attempts from three (fourth lowest 3PA/FGA rate in the nation), defenses packed it in and were able to focus more on help coverage when the ball kicked out to the perimeter. 

Despite their struggles, the returning core has value. Senior big Klemen Vuga is stout under the basket; senior point guard Jakari Spence brings energy and can guard the opponent’s best ball-handler; two-way sophomore guard Jack Collins is the team’s most prolific scorer; senior Jack Holmstrom and sophomore Andrew Ball possess stretch potential; Sophomore power forward Jaret Valencia is an electric athlete.

What was missing? A guard that can carry the team. 

Fortunately for Monmouth, Coach Rice had the inside track to a talented, veteran guard who was very familiar with the coaching staff: his son Xander. 

A full-time starting guard for Bucknell over the last three seasons, Xander gained prominence as one of the best guards in the Patriot League, earning an All-Patriot League Third Team selection last season after averaging 14.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.2 three-pointers made per game. Not only does Rice let it fly from three: his 39.1 3P% across the last three seasons should give him green light whenever open on the perimeter.

Rice can contribute in a variety of ways: he is a much-needed alpha guard who can create his own offense, find the open man and attack the rim. His three-level scoring, especially from deep, will not only provide Monmouth with a reliable perimeter option, but Xander’s presence focuses the defense on him, thus opening up perimeter options for Collins, Ball and Holmstrom, Monmouth’s best returning perimeter scorers. 

Xander Rice is not the only transfer addition looking to add a jolt in Monmouth’s offense: Evansville transfer Gabe Spinelli, a 6’2 sophomore originally from Watertown, Mass., fits the guard profile Coach Rice fancies: an assertive combo guard who can contribute in a variety of ways. 

Spinelli needs to limit his turnovers (4.8 turnovers per 40), but he was an efficient scorer inside the arc (47.8 2P% and about 90% of his field goal attempts were two-point attempts). Spinelli is expected to compete with returning reserve guards Jayden Doyle and Sam Fagan for bench backcourt minutes. 

Over time, Rice has proven that he is not afraid to play freshmen, so incoming wing Cornelius Robinson is one freshman who has the versatility, toughness and competitiveness to assert himself to an immediate role. Originally committing to Albany, Robinson possesses a college-ready 6’5 220 frame and a winning pedigree playing alongside five-star recruits DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw at Camden High. 

Tulsa grad transfer Nikita Kontstantynovskyi will compete with returning sophomore Amaan Sandhu for backup center minutes behind Vuga. Redshirting last year due to injury, the 6’10 240 Ukraine native is a classic, low-post big who rebounds and defends under the rim, keeping his game simple and limiting mistakes.

Considering that last season’s 1-20 start was quelled by a respectable 6-6 finish, the maturation of Monmouth’s ten returnees and the fortification of talent led by Xander Rice should make it fair to expect the Hawks to at least double their win total last season.