Tag: Friar Sports
PCI: What was the Best PC Sports Moment of the Decade?
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Sports
Men’s Hockey Wins National Championship
One of the best parts of sports are the iconic, unlikely, and exciting pieces of history they create. A lot of these great sports moments have blessed Providence College within the last decade alone. With a plethora of iconic memories to choose from, it is difficult to pick just one. However, for me, it has to be the 2015 Men’s Hockey National Championship.
Hockey has been a staple of this school and the New England area for a very long time. It was not until recently that the men’s hockey team became a competitive force to be reckoned with in the NCAA. Led by head coach Nate Leaman, at the time in his fifth year with the team, the 2015 Friars won 26 games. That was their best mark since the 1980’s. This, along with a second-place finish in the Hockey East conference set them up nicely for the tournament and a chance to reclaim glory for PC hockey.
Unfortunately, this was not the case. The Friars suffered a quarterfinal upset to the University of New Hampshire and crossed their fingers. Eventually, they did secure one of the last tournament spots and started their improbable run that included beating 4-seed Miami University, the University of Denver, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The Friars faced off against the Boston University Terriers on April 11, 2015 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Slated to win, the Terriers went into the second half of the third period with a 3-2 lead against the Friars. However, in the final minutes of the game, PC scored two unanswered goals to not only win the game, but also to secure the program’s first ever NCAA win in hockey.
The team was packed with several great players who would eventually move on to the NHL. Players like Noel Acciari ’15, Brandon Tanec ’16, and Mark Jankowski ’16 were key players that pushed the Friars to the title. Acciari was tied for the team lead in goals while Jankowski was second on the team in assists.
The win managed to pull the Friars not just back to relevancy, but to the top of the nation as the team still remains one of the biggest powerhouses of hockey to this day. This championship was an incredible feat for the school as well as a turning point for the program as it allowed the team to consistently compete at this level in the years to come and set them up with great, national recognition.
– Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
Kris Dunn Drafted in 2016 NBA Draft
One of the best Providence College sports moments of the decade occurred off the court: the 2016 NBA Draft. Indeed, this event was made so special because point guard and Friar Legend, Kris Dunn ’16, was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Being selected to play professionally in the NBA is already an accomplishment in itself. However, being selected in the first round, and in the top five especially, is a shining moment in a decade of PC success.
Dunn was among All-NBA talent, like Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, and Jaylen Brown. This gives a better picture of just how special this moment was. Indeed, it cemented him as one of the top talents not only from the collegiate level, but also from around the world.
The talented Friar point guard did not get drafted as high as he did for just any reason. His college career featured a wealth of highlights and notable awards including being named a Second-Team All-American in 2016, receiving Big East Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and a two-time First-Team All-Big East in 2015 and 2016. Dunn was also a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and finally, was a Big East Tournament champion in 2014.
Even with all the statistics and accolades received throughout his tenure at PC, Dunn never let personal achievement get in the way of the success of the team. He was renowned for always putting in 110% in every game and against every team he faced. This is best shown in the win over a challenging University of Southern California team in the 2016 March Madness Tournament.
As brilliant as the 2016 draft was, Dunn struggled in his rookie season for the Timberwolves. Dunn, in 78 games played, averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 assists per game.
Currently, Dunn, in his fourth season in the NBA and third with the Chicago Bulls, is averaging 7.2 points, 3.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. He is in second place in the league for total steals, and has been hot on the tail of league-leader Ben Simmons for the entire season.
Truly, college basketball players work hard to achieve their dream of making it to the professionals, going out every night to play the game they love. This is why hearing one’s name called on the stage is such a special moment for not only the player, but also for the school they represent. It exemplifies the hard work put in to get to that point, and the support the school provided along the way.
Dunn was able to use the knowledge he had gained from PC to achieve the greatest accomplishment for a basketball player: getting drafted. His recent success on the biggest stage makes it one of the best moments of the decade for PC athletics.
– Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Cross Country Teams Finish Strong
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams both ended their fall seasons strong, each team winning the ECAC/IC4A Championship in the Bronx, NY recently. For the men, five finished in the top 12, with Ryan Gallagher ’21 leading the way with his third place finish. On the women’s side, Abbey Wheeler ’20, Maria Coffin ’21, and Lilly Tuck ’23 finished in first, second, and third place, completely dominating the rest of the field. The captain of the men’s team, Michael O’Leary ’19GS, explained just how much this win meant to his team: “It felt great to run well as a team and end our season on a high note. For some of us, it was our last cross country race for Providence so to come away with a win against some good teams was a special moment for everyone there.” With such a strong finish to their fall season, it is time to reflect on all that these teams have accomplished so far.
The men’s team finished in first place out of 25 teams at the New England Championships this year. This was their 26th New England Championships victory, their first since 2014. With this great accomplishment, the Friars hope to keep this momentum going. O’Leary said, “Winning New England was a great day for the team. We ran with a lot of confidence and I think that helped us run as a group and come away with a win.”
At the Big East Championships this year, the women’s team finished in fourth while the men came in fifth place. The women were led by Wheeler, Coffin, and Tuck who all earned All-Big East Honors following the race. Wheeler secured her fourth consecutive year having earned All-Big East Honors, an impressive accomplishment by the senior.
The men were disappointed in their performance this year since they finished in fifth in last year’s meet. O’Leary expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance, saying, “Big East is a big race for us and we definitely wanted to do better. We know we are a better team than fifth, so I know the guys will come together next season and make sure we’re back to where we should be.”
At the NCAA Northeast Regionals, the men finished 13th and the women were 10th with three members of the team earning All-Region honors due to placing in the top 25. Wheeler, Tuck, and Marcelo Rocha ’21 all earned All-Region honors.
With regards to their upcoming spring season, O’Leary explained, “For spring, we always want to make sure we’re setting personal bests, performing well at Big East, and sending as many guys to regionals as possible. We have a really strong team this year and we’re looking forward to racing on the track again soon.” With the fall cross country season coming to an end, the men and women’s track and field season has just begun.
Cross Country Teams Finish Strong
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams both ended their fall seasons strong, each team winning the ECAC/IC4A Championship in the Bronx, NY recently. For the men, five finished in the top 12, with Ryan Gallagher ’21 leading the way with his third place finish. On the women’s side, Abbey Wheeler ’20, Maria Coffin ’21, and Lilly Tuck ’23 finished in first, second, and third place, completely dominating the rest of the field. The captain of the men’s team, Michael O’Leary ’19GS, explained just how much this win meant to his team: “It felt great to run well as a team and end our season on a high note. For some of us, it was our last cross country race for Providence so to come away with a win against some good teams was a special moment for everyone there.” With such a strong finish to their fall season, it is time to reflect on all that these teams have accomplished so far.
The men’s team finished in first place out of 25 teams at the New England Championships this year. This was their 26th New England Championships victory, their first since 2014. With this great accomplishment, the Friars hope to keep this momentum going. O’Leary said, “Winning New England was a great day for the team. We ran with a lot of confidence and I think that helped us run as a group and come away with a win.”
At the Big East Championships this year, the women’s team finished in fourth while the men came in fifth place. The women were led by Wheeler, Coffin, and Tuck who all earned All-Big East Honors following the race. Wheeler secured her fourth consecutive year having earned All-Big East Honors, an impressive accomplishment by the senior.
The men were disappointed in their performance this year since they finished in fifth in last year’s meet. O’Leary expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance, saying, “Big East is a big race for us and we definitely wanted to do better. We know we are a better team than fifth, so I know the guys will come together next season and make sure we’re back to where we should be.”
At the NCAA Northeast Regionals, the men finished 13th and the women were 10th with three members of the team earning All-Region honors due to placing in the top 25. Wheeler, Tuck, and Marcelo Rocha ’21 all earned All-Region honors.
With regards to their upcoming spring season, O’Leary explained, “For spring, we always want to make sure we’re setting personal bests, performing well at Big East, and sending as many guys to regionals as possible. We have a really strong team this year and we’re looking forward to racing on the track again soon.” With the fall cross country season coming to an end, the men and women’s track and field season has just begun.
Swim Team Wins Key Meet
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
Freshmen Shine in Victory
By CJ McCartin ’20
Guest Writer
From Friday, November 22 to Sunday, November 24, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams competed in the annual Harold Anderson Invitational, a three-day, six-session meet held at the University of Rhode Island. The meet was full of tough competition, featuring notable New England teams such as University of Maine, College of the Holy Cross, University of Vermont, Assumption College, and University of Rhode Island. The Friar men placed first out of four men’s teams, while the women placed sixth out of seven women’s teams.
Freshmen standouts Aidan Hughes ’23 and Sally Alrutz ’23 dominated the backstroke events, both breaking program records. Hughes set records in the men’s 100-yard and 200-yard backstrokes, finishing first in both events with the times 0:50.84 and 1:50.91 respectively.
Alrutz shaved off nearly a second from the previous women’s 100-yard backstroke record, touching the wall first in a time of 0:56.31. Reflecting on her first collegiate invitational, Alrutz said, “It was really cool to see the whole team come together and support one another throughout the weekend. Swimming is so much more fun when you have a family, like our team, to support you during practices and meets as well as off the pool deck.”
Other top finishers on the men’s side included Andrew Ferrell ’21 and Justin Viotto ’22. Ferrell swept his individual events with first place finishes in the 200-yard individual medley, the 100-yard butterfly, and the 200-yard butterfly. Viotto swept the distance events, placing first in the 500-yard freestyle, 400-yard individual medley, and 1650-yard freestyle.
Top female finishers were Lauren Zawacki ’21 and Maddy O’Connor ’23. Zawacki placed third in the 100-yard freestyle, competing in a final full of tough talent. Murray also had a solid performance, placing fourth in the 1650-yard freestyle.
Reflecting on the meet, co-captain Chris Centrella ’20 said, “Harold is the flagship meet of our first semester. Typically, kids hunt down Big East cuts or season bests to set the bar for the rest of the season. The team had an excellent performance, and I am proud of everyone, top to bottom, for stepping up and competing with heart.”
The Friars will return to campus on Dec. 28 to prepare for their training trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico in January. The next home meet will be Jan. 11, when the women host Assumption College.
Men’s Soccer Falls in NCAA Tournament
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
Penalty Kick in Double-Overtime Ends Friars’ Season
By Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team lost in a heartbreaking fashion this past Sunday against Clemson University, losing 1-2 in double-overtime to end their season.
The Friars went down to South Carolina last week to face off against the No. 2 team in the country. Head coach Craig Stewart’s team was not one of the 16 teams ranked heading into the tournament, but they still found themselves in the third round of the 2019 Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, and for good reason.
After defeating New Jersey Institute of Technology at home on Nov. 21 in the first round of the tournament, the Friars traveled to PA to take on the No. 15 ranked Pennsylvania State University three days after their opening round game. Providence found themselves in a two goal deficit early in the second half, but climbed back into the game, scoring the equalizing goal from Tiago Mendonca ‘20RS with less than four minutes to play in regulation. Esben Wolf ‘23 got the Friars on the board first to start the comeback.
The game headed into overtime, and just four and a half minutes into some free soccer, Trevor Davock ‘20RS found the back of the net to complete the upset and send the Friars into the third round of tournament play. Davock also had assists on both goals in regulation. Paulo Lima ‘22 picked up an assist on the game winner.
The Friars then spent Thanksgiving break in preparation for the number two team in the country. On Sunday, the team came out and fought to the very end.
Unfortunately, after giving the Clemson University Tigers all they could handle, the team fell in overtime in the 105th minute to a 1-2 score.
The Tigers opened up the scoring in the first half with a goal in the ninth minute by their leading goal scorer of the season, Robbie Robinson. The Friars would not give up, though, and found their way into the game throughout the first half. After a Clemson corner kick right before halftime, Danny Griffin ‘20 and Mendonca found themselves on the counter attack. Mendonca tucked it into the far corner with just seven seconds left on the clock in the first half to make it 1-1.
Both sides had their chances in the second half, but 90 minutes of play would not be the way this game was going to end. Extra time would end up being the deciding factor.
After the first 10 minutes of golden goal overtime, neither team would score. In the second half of overtime, five minutes into play, the Tigers would draw a penalty inside the box. The Tigers leading goalscorer and the man who put them in the lead earlier in the game, Robinson, stepped up to send the Friars home.
The Friars gave the Tigers all they could handle with 13 shots and five on target with plenty of opportunities to score. Although this team finished before they would have liked, they have a lot of reasons to hold their heads high.
This was a team for head coach Craig Stewart that had a combination of both young and experienced players. Each side of the age group held their own for this team.
Davock, a forward, led the team in points this season with six goals and eight assists. Lima led the team in scoring and played exceptionally well in the center of the field, tallying eight goals this the year.
Austin Aviza ‘20RS was exceptional all year for the Friars. Aviza won numerous games for the Friars this season and recorded a total of 58 saves.
The Friars will not be playing soccer anymore this season, but they finish the year 16-7, third in the Big East Conference. Their season also included a trip to the Conference Finals and a third round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Although the squad might look back and think they could have done more, the Friars had a lot of success this season.
14 Friars Named to All-Big East Teams
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
Hogan ’20RS, Leitman ’23, Serrano ’20RS Among Athletes Named
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
At the conclusion of each sports season, the Big East gives recognition to the top stand-out athletes of the season. Following the conclusion of the fall sports season, Providence College had a combined 14 athletes selected to the All-Big East First, Second, Third, and Freshmen Teams. Each athlete was voted onto the teams by coaches throughout the league. The men’s soccer team had the most athletes voted in with five players and women’s soccer and field hockey both had four apiece. The volleyball team had one player selected to an All-Big East Team.
Men’s Soccer
Tiago Mendonca ’20RS and Joao Serrano ’20RS were both selected to the All-Big East First Team. Both players started in all 18 games, and Mendonca finished the regular season with one goal and four assists whereas Serrano finished with four goals and seven assists. As a midfielder, Mendonca logged 1,459 playing minutes. Serrano, who was a defender, logged 1,601 playing minutes; with the exception of one game, he played for the entire duration of games this season. He also tied for first in the Big East conference in assists.
Paulo Lima ’22 received All-Big East Second Team recognition. While he did not log a single playing minute during his freshman season, Lima started every game this year and logged 1,543 minutes on the field. The midfielder is tied with Serrano for most points for the Friars; each player recorded 15. Lima also led the team with seven goals.
Austin Aviza ’20RS and Danny Griffin ’20 were both named to the All-Big East Third Team. In his first year with the Friars, Aviza started in net every game this season and recorded eight individual shutouts and two shared shutouts. He had a 0.85 goals against average and a .717 save percentage. Griffin, who was a midfielder, has started in every game for the Friars over his four years at the College. In his final season, he scored two goals and notched a single assist.
Women’s Soccer
Shelby Hogan ’20RS, who was acknowledged as the Big East’s Goalkeeper of the Year, was named to the All-Big East First Team. Leading the league with 52 saves, she recorded a .788 save percentage and finished the season with four individual shutouts and one combined shutout.
Named to the All-Big East Second Team, Hannah McNulty ’21 finished the season with a team-high nine goals. The forward started every game for the Friars this season and ranked third in the league in shots (66), eighth in the league in goals (eight), and third in the league in game-winning goals (four).
Both Lisa Verhoeven ’23 and Alexis Rothmann ’23 were named to the All-Big East Freshman Team. Verhoeven started every game this season for the Friars and recorded 1,752 total playing minutes. Likewise, Rothmann also started every game and she recorded 1,721 minutes on the field.
Field Hockey
Corinne Kenney ’19 and ’20G and Mary O’Reilly ’20 both were voted onto the All-Big East First Team. Kenney, a defender for the team, has started in each of the 74 games she has appeared in during her career. Throughout the course of the 2019 season, she notched three assists. O’Reilly finished her career as a midfielder with career highs in points (16), goals (five), and assists (six). Four of her five goals were game-winners.
Lydia Rice ’19 and ’20G and Izzy Mendez ’20 received All-Big East Second Team recognitions. A starting goaltender for the Friars, Rice totaled 1,139 minutes in net this season with a 1.26 goals against average and 0.739 save percentage. She registered six shutouts this season, the most in a single season since 2007. Mendez, a forward, was the lead scorer for the team this season with nine goals and notched 20 points total overall.
Volleyball
Jennifer Leitman ’23 was the lone Friar on the volleyball team to gain a spot on an All-Big East Team. Voted onto the All-Big East Freshman Team—the first Friar to be named to the team since 1998—Leitman ranked 10th overall in points per set (3.33), 11th overall in kills per set (2.78), and 11th overall in service aces per set (0.31) in the Big East. Over the course of her freshman season, she notched a total of 239 kills, 31 service aces, and 286.5 points.
14 Friars Named to All-Big East Teams
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
Hogan ’20RS, Leitman ’23, Serrano ’20RS Among Athletes Named
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
At the conclusion of each sports season, the Big East gives recognition to the top stand-out athletes of the season. Following the conclusion of the fall sports season, Providence College had a combined 14 athletes selected to the All-Big East First, Second, Third, and Freshmen Teams. Each athlete was voted onto the teams by coaches throughout the league. The men’s soccer team had the most athletes voted in with five players and women’s soccer and field hockey both had four apiece. The volleyball team had one player selected to an All-Big East Team.
Men’s Soccer
Tiago Mendonca ’20RS and Joao Serrano ’20RS were both selected to the All-Big East First Team. Both players started in all 18 games, and Mendonca finished the regular season with one goal and four assists whereas Serrano finished with four goals and seven assists. As a midfielder, Mendonca logged 1,459 playing minutes. Serrano, who was a defender, logged 1,601 playing minutes; with the exception of one game, he played for the entire duration of games this season. He also tied for first in the Big East conference in assists.
Paulo Lima ’22 received All-Big East Second Team recognition. While he did not log a single playing minute during his freshman season, Lima started every game this year and logged 1,543 minutes on the field. The midfielder is tied with Serrano for most points for the Friars; each player recorded 15. Lima also led the team with seven goals.
Austin Aviza ’20RS and Danny Griffin ’20 were both named to the All-Big East Third Team. In his first year with the Friars, Aviza started in net every game this season and recorded eight individual shutouts and two shared shutouts. He had a 0.85 goals against average and a .717 save percentage. Griffin, who was a midfielder, has started in every game for the Friars over his four years at the College. In his final season, he scored two goals and notched a single assist.
Women’s Soccer
Shelby Hogan ’20RS, who was acknowledged as the Big East’s Goalkeeper of the Year, was named to the All-Big East First Team. Leading the league with 52 saves, she recorded a .788 save percentage and finished the season with four individual shutouts and one combined shutout.
Named to the All-Big East Second Team, Hannah McNulty ’21 finished the season with a team-high nine goals. The forward started every game for the Friars this season and ranked third in the league in shots (66), eighth in the league in goals (eight), and third in the league in game-winning goals (four).
Both Lisa Verhoeven ’23 and Alexis Rothmann ’23 were named to the All-Big East Freshman Team. Verhoeven started every game this season for the Friars and recorded 1,752 total playing minutes. Likewise, Rothmann also started every game and she recorded 1,721 minutes on the field.
Field Hockey
Corinne Kenney ’19 and ’20G and Mary O’Reilly ’20 both were voted onto the All-Big East First Team. Kenney, a defender for the team, has started in each of the 74 games she has appeared in during her career. Throughout the course of the 2019 season, she notched three assists. O’Reilly finished her career as a midfielder with career highs in points (16), goals (five), and assists (six). Four of her five goals were game-winners.
Lydia Rice ’19 and ’20G and Izzy Mendez ’20 received All-Big East Second Team recognitions. A starting goaltender for the Friars, Rice totaled 1,139 minutes in net this season with a 1.26 goals against average and 0.739 save percentage. She registered six shutouts this season, the most in a single season since 2007. Mendez, a forward, was the lead scorer for the team this season with nine goals and notched 20 points total overall.
Volleyball
Jennifer Leitman ’23 was the lone Friar on the volleyball team to gain a spot on an All-Big East Team. Voted onto the All-Big East Freshman Team—the first Friar to be named to the team since 1998—Leitman ranked 10th overall in points per set (3.33), 11th overall in kills per set (2.78), and 11th overall in service aces per set (0.31) in the Big East. Over the course of her freshman season, she notched a total of 239 kills, 31 service aces, and 286.5 points.
Editor’s Corner: Do or Die Versus URI
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
This upcoming Friday was supposed to be the first test of the year. If things went the way they should have, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team would be 9-0 (or at the very least 7-2) with momentum going into their game against the University of Rhode Island Rams at the Ryan Center. A tough loss would not have been a season-ending blow and the team could use the game as motivation against the University of Florida and the University of Texas.
Instead, the Friars sit at 5-4 with bad losses to mid-major teams such as Long Beach State University and the College of Charleston. Even the loss to Big Ten Conference opponent Northwestern University is not great considering the Wildcats were not expected to be competitive. This team has struggled to finish games when their opponents show some fight in the second half (even the Pepperdine University game was too close).
Now, the Friars are walking a tight rope for any hope of returning to the NCAA Tournament. Not only does the team have to avoid anymore bad losses, they are going to have to win some games they will not be favored in like against Villanova University or Seton Hall University. Before the team can even think about Big East play, they need to take care of business against their in-state rival.
While the season up until this point has been unspectacular, the Friars can use this game against the Rams as a turning point for their season. This will be the first game where PC will be playing in front of a hostile crowd that will surely pack the gym on Friday. The Rams themselves are 5-3, but are battle-tested. Their three losses have come at the hands of Power-5 schools University of Maryland, Louisiana State University, and the University of West Virginia. Needless to say URI will be itching to prove that they can beat the Friars.
The season is far from over but the team needs to build a winning streak going into the conference schedule to give themselves some breathing room. Last season the Friars were 10-3 going into Big East play and still finished 18-16 overall. This team has the talent to compete—CBS sportswriter Matt Norlander ranked PC as the 15th best team during the preseason.
One last thought on changes that need to be made: it is time for Greg Gantt ’23 to get more minutes. Last season, head coach Ed Cooley was willing to give big time minutes to A.J. Reeves ‘22 and David Duke ‘22 as freshmen and he needs to again. Gantt is averaging 4.1 points per game while playing in just 10 minutes per game, and shooting 60 percent from the field. Maybe it is because of the small sample size, but that is much more efficient than starting guard Luwane Pipkins ’20G who is shooting 29.5 percent overall and only scoring 8.8 points per game.
Cooley will have had almost a full week to prepare for this game. Now is the time to make the necessary adjustments if he wants his team to be playing meaningful games come March.
Editor’s Corner: Do or Die Versus URI
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
This upcoming Friday was supposed to be the first test of the year. If things went the way they should have, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team would be 9-0 (or at the very least 7-2) with momentum going into their game against the University of Rhode Island Rams at the Ryan Center. A tough loss would not have been a season-ending blow and the team could use the game as motivation against the University of Florida and the University of Texas.
Instead, the Friars sit at 5-4 with bad losses to mid-major teams such as Long Beach State University and the College of Charleston. Even the loss to Big Ten Conference opponent Northwestern University is not great considering the Wildcats were not expected to be competitive. This team has struggled to finish games when their opponents show some fight in the second half (even the Pepperdine University game was too close).
Now, the Friars are walking a tight rope for any hope of returning to the NCAA Tournament. Not only does the team have to avoid anymore bad losses, they are going to have to win some games they will not be favored in like against Villanova University or Seton Hall University. Before the team can even think about Big East play, they need to take care of business against their in-state rival.
While the season up until this point has been unspectacular, the Friars can use this game against the Rams as a turning point for their season. This will be the first game where PC will be playing in front of a hostile crowd that will surely pack the gym on Friday. The Rams themselves are 5-3, but are battle-tested. Their three losses have come at the hands of Power-5 schools University of Maryland, Louisiana State University, and the University of West Virginia. Needless to say URI will be itching to prove that they can beat the Friars.
The season is far from over but the team needs to build a winning streak going into the conference schedule to give themselves some breathing room. Last season the Friars were 10-3 going into Big East play and still finished 18-16 overall. This team has the talent to compete—CBS sportswriter Matt Norlander ranked PC as the 15th best team during the preseason.
One last thought on changes that need to be made: it is time for Greg Gantt ’23 to get more minutes. Last season, head coach Ed Cooley was willing to give big time minutes to A.J. Reeves ‘22 and David Duke ‘22 as freshmen and he needs to again. Gantt is averaging 4.1 points per game while playing in just 10 minutes per game, and shooting 60 percent from the field. Maybe it is because of the small sample size, but that is much more efficient than starting guard Luwane Pipkins ’20G who is shooting 29.5 percent overall and only scoring 8.8 points per game.
Cooley will have had almost a full week to prepare for this game. Now is the time to make the necessary adjustments if he wants his team to be playing meaningful games come March.
Men’s Basketball at Wooden Legacy
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team wrapped up their west coast swing on Sunday, after competing in the John Wooden Legacy Tournament in Anaheim, California. The Friars went into the tournament with high expectations but ultimately came out with more questions than answers.
After dropping a home game to the University of Pennsylvania, the Friars were defeated by Long Beach State on Thanksgiving Day. The Friars went into halftime with a 37-28 lead and led by as much as 17 in that first half. The Friars offense went stagnant at times which helped Long Beach State chip into the deficit. After shooting 48 percent in the first half, the Friars cooled off in the second half, shooting 35 percent from the floor and just 3-12 from downtown.
The 49ers pulled within one with under a minute left after Michael Carter III sunk a three to cut the score deficit to one. With the Friars up two with 17 seconds remaining, Alpha Diallo ’20 missed the front end of a one and one to extend the lead. Carter III was fouled again on a three-point shot attempt with three seconds remaining and sunk all three free throws. David Duke ’22 caught a pass on a give and go and his 15-foot runner was short as time expired. The Friars ultimately lost the game 65-66.
The Friars and Ed Cooley were absolutely shocked at the result as they left the floor. The Friars led the game for almost 37 minutes. “You all saw the game, it wasn’t one of our better finishes,” Cooley added. “You have to give Long Beach a lot of credit. They executed down the stretch and took advantage of our mistakes. Anytime you get in those close games; everything means something.”
Providence failed to record a field goal in the final seven minutes of game action. The Friars also did not help themselves by turning the ball over 21 times.
After the Friars dropped game one of the tournament, they took on the College of Charleston Cougars. Things did not get much better for the Friars. Many of the same problems seen in the game against Long Beach State reappeared again. The Friars struggled on the offensive end, especially finishing around the rim. For most of the game, PC was held to just one possession on the offensive end as they were outrebounded 25-37. It was the third time they were outrebounded this season. For the second straight game, Providence held a lead at the half, this time 29-27. The Friars shot 43 percent from the field before going 7-28 from the field in second half and a mere 1-8 from behind the arc. Duke led the way with 22 points, 7-8 FG, and five assists. On the other side, Grant Riller scored 29 points, including an impressive 9-10 clip from the free throw line. The Friars also held a lead that was as high as 13. For the first time since 2015, an Ed Cooley squad dropped three straight non-conference games.
Providence then finished out the tournament against the Pepperdine University Waves. Pepperdine took nationally ranked University of Arizona to the wire in the opening game of the tournament before falling just short 97-95. Ed Cooley knew that he would have his hands full and the Friars knew exactly where they needed to go in game three. The Friars needed to work the ball down in the post area and reestablish Nate Watson ’21, who is still working his way back from an MCL injury he sustained prior to the start of the season. Watson finished with a team high 15 points on 7-10 FG, with AJ Reeves ’22, who also netted 15 points on 4-8 shooting from the field. Reeves’ 15 points were the most he has scored since the home opener against Sacred Heart University. The Friars improved on offense in some parts shooting 47 percent from the field for the game while shooting 20-27 from the charity stripe.
According to Kevin McNamara, journalist for the Providence Journal, the Friars have not lost more than four games in non-conference play since 2000. For Friar fans, their schedule does not get much easier with a road game on Friday with their in-state rival University of Rhode Island, and games against the University of Florida and the University of Texas still left on their schedule. For now, PC basketball fans get a sigh of relief but, there is still work left to do. If the Friars want to compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, they will have to get better play from their senior leaders Diallo and Luwane Pipkins ’20G.