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.
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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.”
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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.”
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island basketball beats Temple, 85-79, in nonconference finale
