Rhode Island

Rhode Island basketball’s Sebastian Thomas plays the hero against George Mason. Here’s how

Published

1 year ago

January 4, 2025

Rhode Island basketball’s Sebastian Thomas plays the hero against George Mason. Here’s how

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Saturday afternoon saw Sebastian Thomas add another chapter to what is becoming a remarkable personal story in this 2024-25 men’s college basketball season.

The former star at Bishop Hendricken and Providence native has been Mr. Clutch for the University of Rhode Island, and so it was again with George Mason in town for the home Atlantic 10 opener.

Thomas dribbled, faded and nailed an off-balance jumper along the right baseline with 0.9 seconds left to electrify the Ryan Center yet again. The Rams slipped past the Patriots, 62-59, in a game where they trailed for nearly 30 minutes.

URI opted not to use a timeout after inbounding with 11.7 seconds left, and Thomas took a backcourt handoff from Jamarques Lawrence up the right sideline. He waved off any potential screening action and attacked Brayden O’Connor 1-on-1, creating some daylight just before falling out of bounds.

Thomas floated a shot that caught nothing but net and drew a foul, a conventional three-point play that snapped a 59-59 tie.

“I knew we were going to get the last shot,” Thomas said. “I definitely wanted the ball. I think my teammates trust me with the ball.”

Thomas helped drop Providence and Temple in previous games with 3-point daggers inside the final minute. This bucket and the ensuing missed full-court heave by O’Conner allowed the Rams to bounce back from a wretched road loss at Duquesne on New Year’s Eve. URI faced a 12-point hole early after a third straight ineffective half of offense, but Thomas and a revamped lineup took command just in time to win a fifth straight league home opener.

“He’s the ultimate gamer right now,” URI coach Archie Miller said. “Confident. Bailed us out there.”

Thomas floated home a soft jumper in the lane with 2:58 left to make it a 56-54 game, the first lead for the Rams since the 12:31 mark of the opening half. URI generated a couple key defensive stops and received another bucket at a critical time from an unlikely source. Quentin Diboundje beat the shot clock with a jumper from the left elbow with 23.5 seconds to play, and the Rams opened a 59-56 advantage.

“That was all the coach, right?” Miller quipped. “I give him credit. He’s been on the back burner. It’s been a 50-50 tossup for a long time about how we incorporate him.”

O’Conner slashed off the left wing for a conventional three-point play to answer, but URI opted against calling a timeout after the made free throw. Miller already had Thomas on the ball and didn’t want George Mason to switch defenses in its huddle. It was a decision that ultimately helped the Rams match the 9-0 start in Kingston they enjoyed during a special 2017-18 campaign.

“Find a way to score so we can win the game,” Thomas said. “I’ve been in that position a few times this year, and it’s worked for me.”

URI (12-2, 1-1 Atlantic 10) grinded its way back even thanks to some defensive energy. David Green’s steal in the lane led to a Diboundje layup in transition down the left side with 4:30 to play. Javonte Brown’s blocked shot – one of his career-high six – sent Thomas down the left side for a layup that made it 54-54 with 3:53 left, and the Patriots (10-5, 1-1) were forced to use a timeout.

“The message at halftime wasn’t basketball as much as it was our togetherness – to shake us up,” Miller said. “We had to give each other more energy. We had to have a little bit of spirit.”

URI celebrates its comeback victory over George Mason at the Ryan Center

Sebastian Thomas makes a final-seconds shot and hits the free-throw to seal the Rams comeback over Atlantic 10 rival George Mason on Saturday afternoon

It was the first appearance for Diboundje since some late minutes in a Nov. 24 blowout of Charleston, as the Rams juggled their rotation after a 67-55 stinker against the Dukes. Miller went a step further in the second half, putting Tyonne Farrell on the bench for the final 15:46 and Cam Estevez alongside him for the last 10:13. Thomas, Lawrence, Diboundje, Green, Brown, Jaden House and David Fuchs were the primary seven who limited George Mason to 1-for-8 from 3-point range, cobbled together a 9-2 scoring advantage off nine turnovers and pressured the paint to the tune of a plus-11 margin in made free throws.

“We just had to get back to our basics – Rhode Island basketball,” Brown said. “Playing physical and moving side to side.”

URI was fortunate to trail by just nine at the break, suffering through a field goal drought of 10:23 and finding itself on the wrong end of a 15-0 run. Brown’s putback with 5:27 left earned a sarcastic cheer from a crowd of 5,803 fans, a gathering whose mood had turned 180 degrees by the stretch run. The Patriots finished just 9-for-18 from the stripe, including a 1-for-7 start to the second half.

“We really didn’t have any business winning that game for a long period in the first half,” Miller said. “It could have gotten away from us.”

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

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Rhode Island

Thousands drop public health insurance coverage in RI after premiums spike

Published

3 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Thousands drop public health insurance coverage in RI after premiums spike

Thousands of Rhode Islanders dropped their health insurance plans after federal subsidies expired.
Enrollment in HealthSource RI, the state’s marketplace, fell by 20% in early 2024.
The average premium for enrollees more than doubled as federal funding ended.

Thousands of Rhode Islanders dropped health insurance coverage through Rhode Island’s public insurance marketplace instead of maintaining plans with rising premiums and lower subsidies, HealthSource RI said.

Enrollment through HealthSource, Rhode Island’s “Obamacare” exchange, plunged 20% between the end of last year and the close of the annual enrollment period a month later, as federal funding for premium tax credits expired, according to a HealthSource new release.

There were 48,060 individual and family enrollments on Dec. 31 of last year, the day the premium subsidies from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act ended.

On Feb. 1, there were 38,557 enrollments.

Before this drop, HealthSource has posted enrollment increases almost every year since Affordable Care Act exchanges launched in 2013.

How did we get here?

Last year, the Republican-controlled federal government declined to extend premium tax credits after a protracted budget battle with congressional Democrats, who are now negotiating to restore the health insurance subsidies.

The lapse in subsidies coincided with an increase in premiums, driven by a combination of factors, which sent the total cost of coverage climbing.

The average premium across HealthSource enrollees more than doubled (101%,) the exchange said, or $111 per person, per month.

Many enrollees opted for cheaper insurance plans despite their higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.

Others dropped coverage altogether.

“The increase in premiums, combined with the decrease in federal supports, makes this an incredibly challenging year for folks depending on HealthSource RI for health coverage,” HealthSource Director Lindsay Lang said in the release. “Having health coverage helps protect against one bad turn of luck becoming years of financial burden. We will work with every customer to find options that are best for their needs and budget, and continue to work with state leaders and our federal delegation to find long-term solutions.”

Could help be on the way?

Gov. Dan McKee included $9.5 million in his proposed state budget for the year starting July 1 to subsidize coverage for some of the lowest-income exchange enrollees.

The enrollment declines show that may be too little for some Rhode Islanders, and too late for others.

“It is disheartening but not surprising that, as President Trump’s policies have caused health insurance costs to skyrocket, more Rhode Islanders are struggling to pay for health coverage,” McKee said.

Since the exchange opened in 2013, Rhode Island’s uninsured rate has declined by two thirds, down to 2.2%, HealthSource said.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for March 9, 2026

Published

15 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 9 drawing

22-23-28-36-54, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from March 9 drawing

Midday: 5-7-4-4

Evening: 2-1-3-2

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from March 9 drawing

02-14-16-34-35, Extra: 10

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 9 drawing

06-16-26-41-43, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Rhode Island

Spring And Summer Concert Guide: 10 Can’t-Miss Shows In Rhode Island

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Spring And Summer Concert Guide: 10 Can’t-Miss Shows In Rhode Island

Whether with a stop on a national or international tour or a regional favorite, the spring and summer concert calendar is filling up in Rhode Island.

The Ravers, Newport’s reggae band, comes to Rhode Island in April. There are plenty of concerts in the area that will have you dancing all spring and summer long, including some regional favorites.

We’ve rounded up 10 concerts in Rhode Island that are worth getting on the calendar. And speaking of calendars: Are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!

Here’s what you need to know about upcoming concerts:

Candlelight: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles, March 20, Bishop McVinney Auditorium, Providence
Soulful Sounds in Pawtucket, April 3, Hope Events on Main, Pawtucket
Ravers Night! April 11, Newport Vineyards & Winery, Middletown
Corvettes — Doo Wop Revue, April 19, Courthouse Center for the Arts, Kingstown
“Dancing at the Forty Steps” – Newport Irish Heritage Month flagship event, March 29, the Forty Steps on Cliff Walk, Newport
Newport Classical: Yevgeny Kutik & Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, April 10, Newport Classical Recital Hall, Newport
Newport Classical: Zijian Wei performs Ravel and Liszt, May 8, Newport Classical Recital Hall, Newport
Newport Classical Finale: Amir Hoshang Farsi and Chelsea Wang, June 5, Newport Classical Recital Hall, Newport
An Evening With John Legend, April 26, Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence
Ani DiFranco with Special Guest Valerie June, May 8, Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence

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