The University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team moved to 5-0 for the first time since the 2007-2008 season on Sunday, taking down the College of Charleston 91-53.
The Rams established their dominance early on in the non-conference matchup, jumping out to a 11-4 lead by the first media timeout with 14:56 left in the first half. By the second media timeout at 11:03, that lead increased to 18-8 as the Cougars were unable to find their mark, shooting 8-23 from the field and 0-12 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Entering the second half with a 45-16 lead, the Rams stuck to what was working and continued defensive pressure around the perimeter, not allowing a Charleston three-point basket until the nine-minute mark.
Paint defense was also a factor in the Rhody victory. Fourth-year Charleston forward Ante Brzovic entered the game ranked third in the NCAA in points-per-game with 26.4. The Rams, specifically fourth-year center Javonte Brown, kept him in check, only allowing four points on 20% shooting. Brown also blocked four shots throughout the contest.
“Defensively, we were on,” URI Head Coach Archie Miller said. “For the long stretches we were smart, we were disciplined. I thought Javonte impacted the game in a big way around the rim.”
Rhode Island didn’t just get the job done defensively. The team shot efficiently throughout the afternoon as well, shooting 55% from the field and 10-23 from the perimeter. The Rams also tallied 20 assists, with 10 of those assists coming from fourth-year guard Sebastian Thomas, marking his season-high.
Thomas recorded his first double-double of the season in the win, racking up 15 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals.
“I finally got one,” Thomas said. “The past couple of games I’ve been at eight, nine assists. [I give] credit to my teammates for making shots. It’s my job to get them the ball…I’m just thankful for them.”
Thomas has now recorded 35 assists in four games played this season. He finished the game ranked number four in the nation in assists per game with 8.8. His impact on both the floor and the rest of the team has been undeniable, according to Miller.
“When you have a point guard like Sebastian [Thomas] it makes life easy sometimes, for everybody,” Miller said.
URI had a 45-33 advantage in total rebounds. Second-year forward David Fuchs led the team in boards off the bench with 11. With the Jacksonville Classic right around the corner, Miller and the Rams will look to rely on their defense and rebounding to return home triumphant.
“I think defense travels,” Miller said. “It’s one message we’re gonna have to take down there. You don’t go into those tournaments thinking you’re gonna shoot it well, you go down there ready to compete.”
Rhody will look to continue this momentum in Jacksonville, Florida later this week, where they will play Detroit Mercy on Wednesday at noon and University of Texas Arlington on Thursday at 2 p.m. Both games will be available to stream on BallerTV.com.