Both Providence and URI are riding highs heading into their rivalry game
It’s hard to believe Dan Hurley has been gone from the Providence/Rhode Island rivalry for seven years already. In those seven seasons the rivalry lost a bit of juice with each passing year.
Hurley built the Rams into a consistent NCAA Tournament contender, winning 51 games combined in his final two years in Kingston. In the first few seasons after he left the program, Rhode Island still presented problems for the Friars.
In 2018, AJ Reeves’ 15 points were enough to lead Providence to a gritty 59-50 win over a URI bunch with plenty of talent remaining from the Hurley era in Cyril Langevine, Jeff Dowtin, and Fatts Russell. A year later, that core (along with a pair of talented young players in Tyrese Martin and Jacob Toppin) beat up on the Friars at the Ryan Center, 75-61.
The talent disparity has been more stark in recent matchups. The two didn’t play in 2020’s shortened season (long story), Ed Croswell broke out with 13 points and 15 rebounds in a 66-52 win over the Mitchell Brothers and URI in 2021, while the past two contests haven’t been particularly close (88-74 at Rhode Island, 84-69 in last season’s matchup at the AMP — both in favor of the Friars).
Providence has won 11 of its last 13 games against URI, but after trending downward in the years following Hurley’s departure, the Rams might have their best team since Hurley’s holdovers.
Head coach Archie Miller entered the season with the heat turned up a bit following records of 9-22 and 12-20 in his first two seasons, but an 8-0 start has rejuvenated the Rams and should provide this game the boost its been lacking the past few seasons.
Through eight games, the numbers are terrific for Miller’s group:
An Offensive Rating of 121.4 (93rd percentile nationally)
A Defensive Rating of 97.4 (86th)
Their 18.9 fast break points per game account for 21% of the Rhode offense, which places them in the 98th percentile nationally in transition points
URI scores 87.4 points per game, 38 points per game in the paint, averages 17.3 assists a night, and has hit efficiently from two (58.4%) and three (38.6%)
The Rams also rank first in the country in made free throws per game (23.1) and free throw attempts (32).
Opponents are shooting 25.3% from three against them (6th in the country) and 44.8% from two (39th)
They have scored 80+ in each of their eight games this season and rank seventh nationally in points per game
Key to their offensive success has been the return of Rhode Island native Sebastian Thomas. The Bishop Hendricken grad started his career at URI, spent last season at Albany, and returned this year only to put up terrific numbers through eight games: 16.4 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.
Kim English cited Thomas and URI’s transition game as immediate concerns when asked about the Rams earlier this week: “Their transition offense is potent. Sebastian is back home and he’s playing his butt off. Archie’s built that thing. He’s built it the right way.”
In URI’s two biggest wins of the season, Thomas had 15 points, 10 assists, and six boards versus College of Charleston and 20/6/3 against Yale.
Running alongside Thomas is David Green, a 6’7 wing averaging 17.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game with a +25.7 Net Rating that far exceeds anyone else on the roster (their next closest player comes in at +11.9). Green is shooting 50% from three on 5.3 attempts a night after hitting at 43% last year. His averages are all the more impressive when factoring in that he’s played just 26 minutes a game.
Thomas and Green are seniors, as is third-leading scorer Jaden House (12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds per game), while seven-foot center Javonte Brown (who spent time at UConn and Texas A&M earlier in his career) and junior guard Jamarques Lawrence also average in double figures.
Here’s what they looked like offensively in perhaps their best win of the season against Yale on Monday:
Green seemed disinterested in adding fuel to the PC/URI fire after Rhode Island’s win over Yale on Monday: “I’m just looking forward to competing with my brothers. It ain’t really about them, it’s about us. I just want to see us keep this thing rolling, keep it on track, and play as hard as we can to get this W.”
“I just want bragging rights,” Thomas quipped. “I don’t know the last time URI beat them. I think it was like 2018 or 2019. I believe I watched that game. It’s been a long time, but I feel like this is the team to do it.”
While the numbers through eight games are terrific, Providence will be the most talented team URI has taken on when they host the Friars Saturday afternoon. The Rams haven’t played a team ranked in the top 100 yet this season.
With the Rams entering this one on a high note, the Ryan Center should be rocking — and not just because the Friars are in town. For the first time in a few years this game means something beyond bragging rights for URI. This could be the most hostile environment Providence sees this season.
Conversely, PC heads to URI this year not hoping to avoid a bad loss, but to pick up a good one on the road.
Providence is riding high itself following the return of Bryce Hopkins and a stirring 83-64 victory over BYU. Hopkins was outstanding after an 11-month absence and PC shot the lights out against BYU — 59.5% from the floor and 12-22 beyond the arc.
A win in a hectic road environment, following the victory over BYU, has a chance to turn this into a galvanizing week for this group of Friars.
This should be an outstanding afternoon of college basketball in the Ocean State.
