The University of Rhode Island’s non-conference slate – complete with dramatics, comebacks and an 11-1 start to the 2024-25 season.

URI marked its 11th tally in the win column against longtime foe Temple University on Saturday night, in a back-and-forth battle at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

“[This is] such a tough time of year for our guys,” URI Head Coach Archie Miller said. “We actually start school a little later than most, so we’re just finishing finals on Friday, trying to practice. So it’s a mentally exhausting time of year for us.”

Temple and Rhody used to play on a yearly basis, back when the Owls were in the Atlantic 10. In 2013, the Philadelphia-based university realigned to the American Athletic Conference, ending the annual matchup.

On Dec. 21, 2024 the rivalry was renewed as Rams fourth-year guard Sebastian Thomas sank a dramatic three-pointer, along with a foul, with 21 seconds to play. The shot lifted Rhode Island to an 85-79 victory. 

Thomas missed Rhody’s previous matchup with Central Connecticut State University on Dec. 15 due to an injury, in his return he notched a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists. 

“I wasn’t 100% going into the game, but I think it was kind of just a mindset thing,”

Thomas said. “[The] team needed me, the team wanted me to play, and I just went in and I delivered.”

The two teams were separated by a single point heading into halftime, with the Owls leading 36-35. The Rams came out of the break on a 21-4 run and once led by 16 at the most. 

“[In the] second half, the first five, six minutes, I thought we really hit on all cylinders in terms of what we were trying to do, taking care of the ball, [building] a lead,” Miller said.

Temple would not go away quietly though, erasing the Rams lead and taking the lead itself, up 72-71 with 5:36 to play. 

“Just some real sloppiness from us on both ends allowed the game to sort of get back into working manageable distance from them,” Miller said. “ I thought defensively [out of the timeout], more important than anything, we got about three or four really key stops. It could have maybe broken away from us, but we were able to get some key stops in that last four or five minutes.”

Rams fourth-year center Javonte Brown was key in the victory, and the final few minutes, as he matched his career-high with 21 points along with 10 rebounds – including four dunks. 

“We knew going into it, we knew it was a good defensive team, but we also knew that the advantage was me on the inside, so shout out to my teammates for finding me inside,” Brown said.

The main contributors for Rhode Island were Brown, Thomas and fourth-year forward David Green, who combined for 58 points and 19 rebounds. The trio pushed Rhody to 11-1 in its non-conference finale, the team’s best start to a season under head coach Archie Miller. 

The Rams have nine days off before they appear again, as they open A-10 play in Pittsburgh against Duquesne University on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. That matchup will be available to stream on ESPN+ with an audio broadcast available on the Varsity Network.

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