By Mark Radigan
GoRhody.com Staff

KINGSTON, R.I. - After a rough opening two games, the Archie Miller Era of Rhode Island men's basketball is officially underway, with the Rams picking up their first win of the season Tuesday night against Stony Brook. Led by inspiring performances from guards Ishmael Leggett, Sebastian Thomas, and Louis Hutchinson, the Rams showed improvement in nearly every aspect of their game, coming away victorious over the Seawolves, 74-64, in Kingston. 
 
FREE THROW - Sebastian Thomas With A Career-Best Performance
Sophomore guard Sebastian Thomas ran the court for Rhode Island Tuesday night. The Providence native finished with his first career double-double, managing 13 points and 10 assists, both of which were career highs. The guard was also one assist shy of the Ryan Center single-game assists record. Post-game, when asked what allowed him to flourish as both an offensive threat and a distributor on the court, Thomas said, "They (Stony Brook) were playing a 2-3 zone the whole night. There are a lot of gaps in the zone, and I was just hitting the open guy and they were just knocking down shots. It goes hand in hand."

Head Coach Archie Miller discussed how important it is to have a player like Thomas playing at such a high level. He said, "We have a guy that made somebody better, we have a guy that delivered the ball and got some guys some open shots." Following this performance, Thomas has 27 points and 17 assists through his first three games this season.
 
MID RANGE - Welcome to Kingston, Louis Hutchinson
While experienced players helped kick the Rhode Island offense into high gear, it was first-year guard Louis Hutchinson who had a breakout performance. Coming off the bench in the first half, Hutchinson played 26 minutes, scoring 15 points and going 6-for-8 from the field, including 2-for-3 from long range. Having battled mononucleosis late into the preseason and getting cleared to play just before the home opener against Quinnipiac, Hutchinson's minutes have steadily increased. When asked post-game how it felt getting the chance to come into the game and show off his potential, Hutchinson thanked his coaches and teammates, stating, "They had trust in me. They got me the ball in open spots, in places where I could be successful."

The plaudits following his performance continued as Miller spoke highly of the freshman.

"Lou Hutch, as a true freshman, is obviously starting to show a little bit of his diverse skill set," Miller said. "The more he's out there for us offensively, I think he's a guy who can space the floor, but I also think he did a great job in the middle of the zone and made some good passes."

FROM THE ARC - Ishmael Leggett With Another Veteran Performance
Ishmael Leggett continues to show the Rhode Island coaches and fans why he's so crucial to the success of this team going forward. Following a 21-point performance in Saturday's loss to Texas State, Leggett followed that up with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the win over Stony Brook. The sophomore guard shot 7-of-15 from the field. When asked what was different about URI's performance as opposed to the first two games, Leggett said getting a feel for one another on the court was key.

"Getting a better feeling for where each other are going to be definitely plays a part," Leggett said. "Our overall chemistry definitely improved for sure." 
 
HALF COURT - Rams' Finally Get First Win
During his post-game remarks, Archie Miller emphasized how important experiencing victory was for his players.

"I'm just glad our guys got a chance to take a deep breath," Miller said. "Just the fact we were able to get one tonight, kind of takes a deep breath and resets here a bit, which I'm happy for."

Rhode Island showed some improvement from beyond the arc, shooting 30 percent from long range. Rhode Island was down two key guards in Brayon Freeman (coaches' decision) and Jalen Carey (hip), but it showed resilience and the ability to adapt when needed. Players like Louis Hutchinson and Brandon Weston were called upon to fill big spots in the rotation and produce in critical moments, which they were ultimately able to do, much to the delight of the Rhode Island students and fans in attendance. Exemplified by how cheerful and bubbly the guys were in the media room post-game, this first win was significant. It is a symbol of progress and change for the program. It is a sign that the players are learning from the new coaching staff, and are willing to grind out results. 
 
With their first win under their belt, the Rams travel to the Cayman Islands Classic next week. Rhode Island is part of an eight-team field that includes LSU, Kansas State, Tulane, Illinois State, Nevada, Western Kentucky and Akron. URI's opening game is Monday, Nov. 21 against Kansas State, with the tip scheduled for 7:30 pm EST. Stream all the action at flohoops.com.

Mark Radigan is a sophomore in URI's Harrington School of Communication and Media.