Rhode Island
Sebastian Thomas saves day for Rhode Island basketball. Here’s what happened vs. Temple
URI coach Archie Miller speaks after Rams beat Temple, 85-79
Led by Sebastian Thomas down the stretch, the Rhode Island Rams end their nonconference schedule with a win over Temple in a holiday tournament.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — It wound up being just a one-game absence for Sebastian Thomas due to a foot injury, and how much the University of Rhode Island needs the veteran guard was on full display Saturday evening.
The former Bishop Hendricken standout flashed some ice cold blood in the final seconds against Temple, making the two biggest plays that dropped an old Atlantic 10 rival.
Thomas knocked down a wing 3-pointer that snapped the game’s sixth tie, then came up with a steal on the ensuing possession. The Rams avoided what would have been a painful meltdown in the second half and instead surged into league play off the back of an 85-79 victory at MassMutual Center.
Thomas conjured up a four-point play with 20.8 seconds left to break a 79-79 deadlock, the highlight in his second double-double of the season. He finished with 20 points and 10 assists after missing a victory over Central Connecticut State last time out. URI made relatively routine work of the Blue Devils at the Ryan Center but could have been in serious trouble against the Owls here.
“Sebastian stepped up when it was money time,” URI coach Archie Miller said. “He delivered not only from the foul line and his last shot, but he made plays for others.”
Miller called a timeout with 37.6 seconds left looking to snap a string of three straight missed shots. Thomas drew two defenders off the dribble on the left side, David Green drew two more on a drive into the paint and Thomas drifted open on the wing. He fired a jumper and absorbed some contact on the wrist from Quante Berry, resulting in a four-point play that made it an 83-79 game.
“I was confident,” Thomas said. “I feel like in those situations you just have to make the right pass. I threw it back to (Green), he drove and my guy kind of helped.”
It was a shot reminiscent of the late dagger Thomas plunged into Providence at the Ryan Center to begin the month. The Rams held on for a 69-63 triumph over the Friars. They matched that margin against the Owls, an old league foe that had captured the last seven meetings in the series. Javonte Brown added his own double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, helping to author the perfect lead into a New Year’s Eve trip to Duquesne.
“We knew they were a good defensive team,” Brown said. “We also knew the advantage was me on the inside. Shoutout to my teammates for finding me.”
Thomas sealed the victory on the defensive end. Jamal Mashburn Jr. missed a 3-pointer and Shane Dezonie gathered an offensive rebound along the right baseline. Thomas stripped Dezonie from behind and was fouled with 10.1 seconds left, setting up a pair of free throws to close it out.
“My foot is definitely improving,” Thomas said. “I wasn’t 100% going into the game, but I think it was a mindset thing. The team needed me — the team wanted me to play.”
The Rams (11-1) squandered a 16-point lead with 14:54 left and were in danger of absorbing a painful defeat. Jaden House answered a Mashburn drive down the lane with one of his own to make it 77-77, and URI never trailed over the final 2:59. Mashburn entered averaging 20.8 points per game but went just 5-for-20 from the field, as the Rams did just enough to limit other options and survive.
“These guys are probably exhausted from hearing his name,” Miller said. “That’s how much the game plan really kind of stressed what he was doing.”
The Owls (7-5) took a 36-35 edge into halftime before falling in a deep hole. URI was at its sharpest through the opening 5:34 out of the locker room, zipping out to a 56-40 cushion thanks to no turnovers and sizzling shooting. Green’s 3-pointer from the left corner capped an 8-for-9 stretch from the field.
“We looked right,” Miller said. “Guys were really sharing it. Our defense was creating some offense for us. We capitalized.”
The Rams followed by giving the ball away six times in less than six minutes, and Temple built its own momentum. The Owls were 12-for-18 from the field after a 1-for-6 start, and a Mashburn jumper from the right baseline gave them a 72-71 advantage with 5:36 left. Miller called a timeout prior to the ensuing possession and looked to reset.
“You found a way to win 11 games,” Miller said. “They found a way to do it again here tonight.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On X: @BillKoch25
(WJAR) — Rhode Island and Massachusetts governors said residents’ EBT cards will remain active amid new directive on SNAP benefits.
The Trump administration’s new guidance follows a Supreme Court stay.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said pending any new direction from the Food and Nutrition Service, states should not issue full November benefits and should only load the partial 35% of the money.
A store displays a poster indicating it accepts SNAP benefits. (WJAR)
This comes after states such as Rhode Island and Massachusetts filled SNAP recipients’ EBT cards with the entire months’ worth of SNAP benefits on Saturday, following a previous court order and USDA’s issuance.
USDA now said states that have sent full SNAP payments need to “immediately undo any steps.”
“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” the new USDA directive said. “Failure to comply with this memorandum may result in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative costs and holding States liable for any overissuances that result from the noncompliance.”
On Sunday, Gov. Dan McKee said Rhode Island recipients’ EBT cards will remain active, and that his team has reached out to the Food and Nutrition Service related to the latest update.
“I am disgusted by the chaos and hardship that President Trump and his Administration continue to create across the country. While states have been forced to navigate a series of conflicting and erratic directives around SNAP benefits, Rhode Islanders, and all Americans, have been anxious, confused—and hungry,” McKee said in a statement.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said residents should continue to spend funds on their EBT cards.
“If President Trump wants to penalize states for preventing Americans from going hungry, we will see him in court,” she said. “These funds were processed in accordance with guidance we received from the Trump Administration and a lower court order, and they were processed before the Supreme Court order on Friday night. We will continue to work with Attorney General Campbell to make sure everyone gets the full benefits they are owed.”
McKee said on Saturday that so far, 79,000 in-state recipients have received their benefits and contingency plans are in place if future funds aren’t released.
Meanwhile, 100% of Massachusetts beneficiaries have received their November allotment.
RIFC opens Centreville Bank Stadium, May 3, 2025
RIFC opens Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket on May 3, 2025. Rhode Island and San Antonio FC played to a 0-0 final.
Rhode Island FC is moving on in the USL Championship playoffs.
Albert Dikwa found the net twice late in Saturday’s match at North Carolina FC to lift the Ocean State club to a 2-0 victory at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The victory means, for the second straight season, RIFC will be playing in the Eastern Conference Final with a chance to play for the league title.
North Carolina has had RIFC’s number in the previous two meetings at First Horizon Soccer Stadium, earning shutout wins in both matches. That changed on Friday night, thanks to Dikwa’s goals.
The first score, in the 81st minute, came on a header from the left side of the six-yard box that found the bottom left corner. Noah Fuson got the assist. The second score came in the 90th minute when Dikwa’s right-footed blast from more than 35 yards out found the bottom right corner of the net, following a fast break.
With the win, Rhode Island will advance to the conference final set for next week (Date/time TBD), against the winner of Saturday’s semifinal matchup between Detroit FC and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
Earlier this week, news broke that North Carolina FC will not field a team in the UFL Championship next season. First reported by The Athletic, North Carolina’s players were informed of the news as the club prepared for their playoff game against Rhode Island. All players under contract will be released after the season and can sign elsewhere. Those with guaranteed deals will receive about two months’ salary, per the report.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — High school football playoffs have returned to Rhode Island, and ABC6 has a full slate of action from all four divisions in the Ocean State.
Scores from featured games are listed below:
- DI — (No. 4) Cranston West 14 / (No. 5) Portsmouth 7
- DI — (No. 3) Hendricken 23 / (No. 6) St. Raphael 0
- DII — (No. 2) South Kingstown 42 / (No. 7) Lincoln 12
- DII — (No. 4) West Warwick 35 / (No. 5) Woonsocket 13
- DII — (No. 3) East Providence 48 / (No. 6) Pawtucket 9
- DIII — (No. 4) Johnston 28 / (No. 5) North Providence 14
- DIV — (No. 3) Davies 28 / (No. 6) Juanita Sanchez 0
- DIV — (No. 1) Narragansett / (No. 8) Hope 6
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