The University of Rhode Island has had a tough start to the season. Under new head coach Dan Hurley, the Rams have managed to survive (barely) a stretch of games against major conference competition, including No. 3 Ohio State. However, they were able to get into the win column Sunday with a double overtime thriller against Auburn (can anything go right for the Tigers right now?).

With a win under their belt, the Rams no longer have the winless monkey on their proverbial backs. However, they would like to continue their winning streak against a quality opponent in Mason.

The Mason women’s basketball season has officially started with a fall to the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, 62-58 on Nov. 9. The first home opener is in sight and it is due time to preview the Lady Patriots’ season.

To get a better idea of how the Lady Patriots will finish the season, I took the time to look through last season’s depth chart and statistics to get a better gauge.

Coaching

It's hard to gauge how well a team will perform throughout a full season based on one exhibition game against a team that plays in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Although the experienced Bowie State Bulldogs gave the Patriots all they could muster Thursday night in a close 76-72 contest, only so much can truly be taken away from the outcome and the contents of the exhibition.

Washington, D.C. has been through a whirlwind of emotion over the past week. Postseason baseball returned to the nation's capital for the first time since the FDR administration. The Nationals won an exhilarating Game 4 in walk-off fashion on Jayson Werth’s home run, all before a heart-breaking collapse in the ninth inning of Game 5, roughly 24 hours later, putting an end to the team's promising season.