What to look for as men's basketball loads up for rebuild

With the landscape of college basketball ever changing, many programs have seen major shakeups over the last few years and The University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team is no stranger to the changes. 

Photos courtesy of Chris Cost-Kirkpatrick

Rhode Island’s men’s basketball team has seen its roster turnover twice in the last two offseasons, with the Rams adding five new transfers this summer alone. Guards Sebastian Thomas and Jamarques Lawrence along with center Javonte Brown highlighted the URI transfer class in 2024.  

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Sebastian Thomas:

Thomas, a URI player from 2021-2023, averaged 20 points per game with the University at Albany in the 2023-2024 season, which claimed him the America East conference scoring title. Thomas averaged just 4.3 points per game in 63 matchups with Rhode Island during his freshman and sophomore seasons, starting just 16 of those games.

“He plays the most vital role on this team,” URI Head Coach Archie Miller said on Friday. 

 Thomas also added five assists per contest with the Great Danes, the type of facilitation the Rams have been looking for. URI averaged just 12.75 assists per game in the Atlantic 10 a season ago, good for fifth worst in the conference.

If the Rams want to take a step forward in 2024-2025, it'll start with Thomas. 

Javonte Brown:

Western Michigan University transfer Javonte Brown has a similar story to Rams senior forward David Green with both players ineligible for about half their teams season in 2023-2024. Brown is a seven-foot center who can control the paint for the Rams. In the Rams exhibition against the University of Connecticut, Brown was the only player on either team to have a double-double. Brown connected on five of his seven attempts from the field and added six free throws for 16 points while also pulling down 10 rebounds. 

Sophomore David Fuchs played well in his first season with Rhode Island, but at 6’9 he is undersized for the center position. Brown can complement Fuchs, as he's more fit for the center role. Rhode Island has been looking for a dominant big man and Brown has the tools to give Rhody what they have been looking for. 

Jamarques Lawrence:

Jamarques Lawrence adds more experience to an already loaded guard room with Thomas and senior Jaden House. Lawrence spent the first two seasons of his career in the Big 10 at the University of Nebraska. 

Lawrence averaged 6.9 points per contest in 2023-24 with the Cornhuskers, shooting 42% from the field. Lawrence is not expected to run the floor for Rhode Island, but if he can defend and shoot he’ll be a major contributor for URI in 2024 and 2025. His experience in a power conference will come in handy, as URI faces some strong schools early in Providence College and the College of Charleston. 

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For URI, a successful season will come if the team can rally around these three and the strong core of House, Green, Fuchs and Cam Estevez who they retained from a season ago.