Tag: Jack Belanger ’21
Former Friar Named to Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
by The Cowl Editor on April 11, 2019
Friar Sports
Ernie D Becomes the Third Friar Inducted Into Hall of Fame
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Last week, the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2019 who will be inducted into the elite group on Nov. 24 in Kansas City, Missouri. Among the inductees this year will be former Providence College Men’s Basketball guard Ernie DiGregorio ’73. DiGregorio was a key part of the 1972-73 Final Four team that reached the national semifinals for the first time in the college’s history. He led the team with 24.5 points per game and 8.6 assists per game.
“Ernie D” was born and raised just up the street in North Providence, where he won a high school state basketball championship in 1968. After high school, he came to his hometown Friars and started three seasons at the College from 1970-1973.
Known for his spectacular ball handling and passing abilities, DiGregorio holds multiple school records from his playing career including, field goals made in a season with 348, assists in a season with 267, and assists per game for a career with 7.7. He also averaged 20.5 points per game for his career, never averaging lower than 17.7 in a season.
During the 1972-73 season, DiGregorio, along with teammate Marvin Barnes ’74, led the Friars to a then-program record 27 wins and brought the team to the national semifinals where they lost to the University of Memphis 85-98. After the season, DiGregorio was voted a First-Team All-American.
After his career with PC, DiGregorio was drafted by the Buffalo Braves as the third overall pick in the 1973 NBA Draft. His career lasted five seasons, four with the Braves, and one season split between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.
He had an incredible rookie season where he led the league in free throw percentage at 90.2 percent and assists per game with 8.2 stats that led him to be named the 1973-74 NBA Rookie of the Year. He also set a record for most assists in a game by a rookie with 25, a statistic that has been matched by only one player.
DiGregorio is the third Friar of all time to be elected into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Former player Lenny Wilkens ’60 and DiGregorio’s head coach, Dave Gavitt, are the other former Friars in the Hall of Fame.
Editor’s Corner
by The Cowl Editor on April 4, 2019
Professional Sports
Gronk Gone in a Flash, but Not the Patriots
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
We all knew it was going to happen eventually; there was no way anyone could expect Rob Gronkowski to play into his 40s like his quarterback. With the number of injuries he was enduring, continuing to play is not worth it. As sad as it is to see Gronkowski’s Hall of Fame career end so quickly, appreciate the fact that he was able to go out a champion while he was still relatively successful on the field.
While I am sure many fans would have loved to see Gronk play for another year, the risk of injury and becoming ineffective on the field would only result in many calling for his retirement. He has not played in more than 14 games in the past three seasons, and that probably would not have changed had he kept playing.
It is amazing how quickly he was able to solidify his spot in the conversation as one of the greatest tight ends of all time. While he will not have big career numbers that stack against others who played much longer than he did, the fact that Gronk only played in nine seasons (seven of which he played more than 10 games) speaks to how much he dominated defenders on the field.
However, Gronk’s Hall of Fame career began and ended while Tom Brady continues to add to his own legacy.
While it may seem Brady and the Patriots’ next challenge going forward is to figure out how to make up for the Gronk-sized hole in the offense, believe it or not, it may not be a challenge at all.
The Patriots have seen their fair share of great receivers come and go during the Brady era, and Bill Belichick and Brady have shown that the offense can adjust. Did the dynasty go away when Randy Moss and Wes Welker left? Nope. In fact, New England was able to make and win three Super Bowls after they both left the team.
The Patriots still have several great receiving options on the roster with Julian Edelman returning for a full season, a great pass-catcher in running back James White, and a promising runner in Sony Michel.
New England also owns three picks in the first two rounds of the NFL draft this season. Do not be surprised if you see Belichick pick up a tight end in the second round. Gronkowski himself was a second-round pick after getting overlooked due to injuries in college. Expect the Pats to look at University of Alabama’s Irv Smith and Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger as two tight ends who should be available when it comes time for the team to pick.
While it may be the end of one crazy, exciting, and amazing Hall of Fame career, Gronkowski will always be a key piece that helped keep the dynasty alive during this decade that elevated the Patriots’ offense to new levels post-Moss and Welker.
The Cowl’s Second Annual March Madness Bracket
by The Cowl Editor on March 21, 2019
Sports
The Cowl’s Sport Staff Has The Tar Heels Upsetting Rival Duke
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Coeditor
Members of the sports staff came together to create The Cowl’s Second Annual March Madness Bracket. Thanks to Cam Smith ’21, who gave his analysis for the South Region, Scott Jarosz ’21 for the East Region, and Sullivan Burgess ’20 for the West Region, and to everyone for helping make the picks. I took on analyzing the Midwest Region, Semifinals, and Finals.
South Region:
The South Region features the University of Virginia as the top dog, and the Cavaliers will be looking for revenge following last year’s disastrous first round loss to the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Also in the South is the University of Wisconsin and Purdue University, two veteran squads poised to make deep runs. The Boilermakers will in fact ride star shooting guard Carsen Edwards all the way to the Final Four, as they will knock off top-seeded Virginia in the Elite Eight. This minor upset may very well be overshadowed by the two major ones set to take place in the first round. The University of California Irvine, coming into the tournament scorching hot and on a 16-game win streak, will take down Kansas State University, a team that will likely be without All-Big 12 forward Dean Wade. Not to be outdone, the Colgate University Raiders out of the Patriot League will stun the University of Tennessee, an upset that is sure to bust brackets across the country.
East Region:
The East Region features some very intriguing matchups, as well as numerous potential upsets. One such matchup that could be interesting is the University of Maryland versus Belmont University. Coming off an 80-71 win over Temple in its First Four game, Belmont is a team that should not be taken lightly. The Bruins boast a record of 27-5 and could very well upset Maryland in the first round. Another East Region matchup worth watching is LSU vs. Yale. Yale has played well as the underdog in the past, beating #5 seed Baylor in a first-round game back in 2016. If Yale can upset LSU, it can very well take down Belmont and advance to the Sweet 16. Although Yale could make a run in the East, it is hard to see them upsetting Michigan State. For the matchup in the East Region Final, we have Michigan State and Duke. Given that Zion Williamson is back and fully healthy, it is hard to see Duke being stopped by anyone in the East.
West Region:
In the West Region of the March Madness Bracket, Buffalo University, the sixth seed, will find their way into the final four facing against the #1 Duke University. Buffalo finished first in the MAC East at an overall record of 31-3 and are highly favored this year to even win it all. Syracuse University will also find a spark that usually occurs when they enter the March Madness tournament and will make a run until they face Buffalo in the Elite Eight. One highly anticipated matchup is Marquette University and Murray State; while Murray State may have the best player in college basketball, Marquette has the better team that will defeat Murray State, but will lose to the ACC Championship runner-up Florida State University. Lastly, Michigan University, who has been hot all season, will come to face Buffalo in the Sweet 16, yet Buffalo will find themselves favored to make their way to the Final Four.
Midwest Region:
With the likes of the Universities of North Carolina, Kansas, and Kentucky, the Midwest Region is full of blue-blood programs that know how to make deep runs into the Final Four. Out of the three programs, the Tar Heels have the easiest road to the Final Four and are one of the most balanced teams in the country. After winning their first game, Kentucky is going to fall to a red-hot Seton Hall University team, who took Villanova to the final seconds of the Big East Finals and had a chance to win the game at the buzzer. A potential first-round upset to look out for is Ohio State University over Iowa State University. The Buckeyes played in a much tougher conference this year, while Iowa States’s defense has been questionable. Also, first-year head coach Chris Holtmann had plenty of experience in the tournament when he coached for Xavier University.
Semifinals:
Syracuse will force the Blue Devils to shoot the three, which will keep the game close early, but Duke has simply too many weapons to be stopped in the second half. Once Duke begins to build a lead, Syracuse is going to have a tough time keeping up to make shots.
The other Semifinal game will feature a back and forth game between two teams who can score in a variety of ways. While Edwards will do everything he can to keep Purdue in the game, the Tar Heels will dominate inside the paint which will prove to be the difference, sending UNC to the finals.
Finals:
Duke may be the favorite to win it all, but UNC has been their kryptonite this season. The Tar Heels have beaten the Blue Devils twice during the regular season and played tough in the ACC finals. The Tar Heels have enough size inside to match up with Williamson and slow down Barrett and Reddish on the outside. Do not be surprised when you see UNC win their second title in three years.
Who Will Win the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament?
by The Cowl Editor on March 7, 2019
PCI
Marquette University
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Marquette University will win the Big East Tournament next week due to the simple fact that it is nearly impossible to stop this team on offense. The Golden Eagles have too many weapons for any team to take away for an entire game.
A perfect example of the team’s depth on offense is when Marquette beat Providence College on Feb. 23. They had five players score in double-figures, with forward Sacar Anim (fourth on the team in scoring), who was tied with Sam Hauser for the team lead in points that day with 18.
Three of the team’s starters are shooting over 39.8 percent from the three point-line, including Joey and Sam Hauser who are shooting 45.5 and 40.1 percent, respectively. The team overall is shooting 40.7 percent from behind the arc, which is the eighth in the country.
It is also helpful to have one of the top candidates for Big East Player of the Year in guard Markus Howard. Howard has led the conference in scoring for most of the season and, with three games of 40 or more points, is certainly capable of taking control of a game. Having a guy who can create his own shot in games coming down to the wire can prove to be the difference in the final possessions.
While Villanova University is certainly also a contender to win the tournament, the Wildcats simply are not as dangerous as they were last season. The team lost its top four scorers to the NBA draft and has suffered through some inconsistent play this year, losing to weaker teams such as Furman University as well as University of Pennsylvania, and suffering through a three-game losing streak in the Big East.
These two teams have the best point differentials in the Big East with the Golden Eagles having the best at +9.2 with Villanova second at +7.9. While these have been the two best teams in the Big East, they are trending in opposite directions going into the final weeks. Since Jan. 28, Marquette has been ranked #11 or better. Meanwhile, in the same timeframe, Villanova has gone from #14 to being unranked.
While every team in the Big East will be a tough opponent come tournament time, regardless of how they finish in the standings, Marquette is playing at their best which will give them momentum over other teams. While Villanova has won three of the last four Big East Tournaments, this year, the Golden Eagles will outshoot and defend well enough to be the last team standing at Madison Square Garden.
PC Honors Multiple Record Holders
by The Cowl Editor on February 28, 2019
Friar Sports
Twelve Friar Alumni Inducted into Hall of Fame
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
On Friday, February 22, friends, family, teammates, and coaches gathered at the Biltmore Hotel to celebrate the 2019 Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. There were 12 inductees this year, 11 in attendance, that included athletes from several sports and one lifetime achievement award.
The inductees were Amy Kvilhaug ’96 (softball), Dr. Al Puerini ’74 (lifetime achievement award), Paul Kostacopoulos ’87 (baseball coach), Mary Cullen ’06 (women’s cross country/track), Mario Proulx ’84 (men’s hockey), Jamel Thomas ’99 (men’s basketball), Frank Conway ’90 (men’s cross country/track), Jessica Tabb ’01 (women’s hockey), Sandra O’Gorman ’89 (field hockey), Kevin Jones ’01 (men’s soccer), Kevin Sheehan ’73 (baseball) and Michele Tamburo ’95 (women’s swimming/diving) who were all announced back in November. Kostacopoulos was the only inductee not in attendance due to his current job as the head baseball coach at the United States Naval Academy.
Kvilhaug is one of the best pitchers in Friars history as she holds multiple team career records such as wins (72), complete games (84) and earned run average (1.02). She helped lead PC to three consecutive 30-win seasons. In 1994 she was named to the First Team All-Big East and Second Team All-Northeast Region.
Dr. Puerini, who has been working for PC as the Head Team Physician since 1988, was awarded with this year’s lifetime achievement awarded for his commitment and work in the athletics department. Throughout his career he has been awarded multiple honors from his peers. Most recently, he was given the Outstanding Achievement Award in Sports Medicine by the Rhode Island Interscholastic League in 2015, and Physician of the Year by the Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians in 2017.
During the ceremony, Puerini reflected upon his time at the College. “Providence College has given me so much. An education, a career, a life’s philosophy, good friends, and an invitation to be part of the Friar Family.”
Cullen and Conway were both top runners during their time at Providence College. Cullen became the fifth woman at PC to win an individual track title when she won the 5,000 meter race at the NCAA Championships in 2006. Conway made history when he became the first New England collegiate runner to run a sub four-minute mile indoors in 1988.
Proulx is one of the best goaltenders in PC Men’s Ice Hockey history. He is second all-time in wins (64) and fourth all-time in shutouts (five). In 1984 he was the recipient of the College’s Mal Brown Award.
Tabb played for the Women’s Ice Hockey team during the late 90s and early 2000s. She was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star Team twice during her career. She is eighth all-time in career goals (86) and was named PC Athlete of the Year in 2001.
Thomas is one of the best scorers to put on a uniform for the PC Men’s Basketball Team. He ranks sixth all-time in points with 1,971. He was one of the key members of the 1996-97 team that made it to the Elite Eight. He made it to the Second Team All-Big East and First Team his junior and senior years, respectively.
Sheehan might be the best pitcher in Friars history. The lefty holds the school record for strikeouts in a career with 151 and third for a single season with 68. He was named the team MVP in 1973 and received the Father Krieger Award for outstanding achievement in the PC baseball program in 1972.
O’Gorman helped make PC field hockey history as the goalie for the 1987 team who achieved the #1 overall ranking in the country and made the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance. She is one of five field hockey players to be named First Team All-American. O’Gorman holds the team record for career saves with 685.
Jones was one of the best offensive players to suit up for the PC Men’s Soccer Team. He is ninth all-time in goals with 21 and sixth all-time in points with 59. After the 1999 season, Jones was named to Second Team All-Big East and awarded Providence College Athlete of the Year.
Tamburo is one of the most decorated swimmers in PC history. She set five school records during her career, one of which, the 200-yard backstroke, still stands today. In 1993 she was named the team MVP. She won Big East titles in the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard backstroke while swimming for the Friars. She finished her speech with some words of wisdom to future athletes.
“To all the young athletes out there,” said Tamburo, “push yourself outside of your comfort zone, in your sports… and someday in your career.”
Friars Compete at the John Thomas Terrier Invitational Meet
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Friar Sports
by Jack Belanger ’21
The cross country season is long over, but as the Providence College Track and Field Team heads into the midst of the winter track season, records are still being broken, and one runner has been making headlines. While it was Abbey Wheeler ’20 who dominated in the fall, placing first in multiple races and being named both NCAA XC Division I National Athlete of the Week twice, Millie Paladino ’18RS has led the team this winter.
During the John Thomas Terrier Invitational on Jan. 25, running on the indoor track at Boston University, Paladino broke the school record for the 1,000-meter run where she finished with a time of 2:42:13. Not only did her time break the 29-year-old school record, she also broke the New England Collegiate Record and her time is good for 10th best all-time in the NCAA.
Her time is also a huge improvement from last season. At the University of Rhode Island Sorlien Memorial Invitational on January 20, 2018, Paladino finished the 1,000-meter at 2:51:01. Earlier in the winter season she also set a personal best in the 800-meter run during the Penn Challenge, finishing at 2:08:94.
Two other Friars also came in first for their individual events. Brianna Ilarda ’18RS won the 3,000-meter race with a time of 9:12:58. Regan Rome ’18GS and Maria Coffin ’21 were among the leaders for the entire 5,000-meter race. Rome managed to separate herself from the rest of the pack and win with a time of 16:27:34. Coffin finished strong, placing sixth with a time of 16:46:94.
This meet was the second time this winter that Ilarda and Rome have come first for a respective events. At the Penn Challenge, Illarda won the mile while Rome won the 3,000-meter race.
On the men’s side, the Friars found their most success in the 1,000-meter run. Two Friars, Ryan Jendzejec ’21 and Nick Carleo ’19, finished in the top-20 as Jendzejec finished 0.02 seconds before Carleo. With times of 2:28:39 and 2:28:41, respectively, both runner qualified for the IC4A Championships.
Both the men’s and women’s teams will return to Boston University this weekend to take part in the Valentine Invitational. The team will have two more meets after the invitational to prepare for the Big East Championship at the end of the month.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on January 31, 2019
PCI
Pass Interference Should Be Reviewable Because The Referees Need To Get The Right Call
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
After the blatant missed defensive pass interference call on Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman that shifted the outcome of the National Football Conference championship game that cost the New Orleans Saints the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl, it is time for the NFL to follow suit with other professional leagues and improve their replay system.
While those opposed to making the play reviewable will point out it is a “judgement call,” the truth is, if a guy does not even try for the ball and is solely focused on inhibiting the defender from trying to get to the ball, it must be called 10 out of 10 times. When Major League Baseball decided to expand the number of calls that can be challenged, the idea was that it was important that the umpires get the right call because games should not be decided on a missed call.
Other leagues have also allowed judgement calls to be replayed. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), hard fouls will be reviewed to see if excessive contact is used. If so, then a flagrant foul are assessed. It may be based on the referee’s judgement, but it is important the league gets the correct call in order to protect its players.
With 22 players on the field at a time, there is a lot happening on the field at once, which means plenty of calls are being missed. By having pass interference be reviewable, the number of incorrect calls will be reduced and fewer games will be determined by missed calls.
It is not necessary for small five-yard penalties to be challenged and reviewed as most teams can make up five yards easily, but calling pass interference can be the difference of a 20 yards or more, which can quickly give an offense the momentum it needs or kill the drive completely.
Regarding other calls that get replayed in the NFL, unless there is conclusive evidence to overturn the call, the original call on the field stands. While we should not expect every time that there is a little contact it will be overturned, by reviewing pass interference the league will be able to cut down on the number of incorrect calls, and there would be fewer games decided by a controversial call.
Allowing defensive pass interference to be challenged should not slow the game down significantly to the point that fans stop watching football. Since coaches only get two challenges a game, unless a pass interference was obvious or on a crucial play, they would be more likely to hold onto their challenge for later in the game.
In a time where referees have fallen under more scrutiny than ever before, with camera angles that allow the average fan at home to get a close look at every play, it would be beneficial to the league and referees to allow coaches to challenge pass interference calls. It is more important to get the call right than to worry about slowing down the game. Getting more calls right means that refs will be criticized less, and games will not be determined by an incorrect call.
Editor’s Corner
by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019
Friar Sports
With a little luck (and help) the Friars can still go dancing
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
It has been a tale of two seasons for the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team. After a successful nonconference schedule in which the team got its 10 wins that they usually strive for and only had one bad loss to University of Massachusetts-Amherst (again), the team has struggled to put together a complete game against their Big East opponents. While many Friar fans are nervous that the team will miss their first NCAA Tournament in six years based on their start in the conference, there is still plenty of time for the team to turn their fortune around. With 12 games left, the Friars can still reach the 10 conference wins needed to put themselves in a position to be called on Selection Sunday. Here is what needs to happen:
1. A.J. Reeves ’22 returns to form quickly.
The offense just has not looked the same ever since Reeves went down with a foot injury in early December. While Alpha Diallo ’20 may be the team’s most versatile player on the offensive end, Reeves has simply been the best shooter on a team that has struggled to find success behind the arc. He leads the team in shooting from three with 45.3 percent and has made the second most threes on the team despite missing nine games. Until the star freshman makes his return, it will be hard to win a shootout versus teams like Marquette University.
2. Get one win between Marquette and Villanova University.
Even if the Friars reach 10 wins in the conference, the selection committee always will look at what teams you beat. Right now the team is missing that key signature win that will put them above other teams. While wins over Power-Five Conference teams like the University of South Carolina and the University of Texas are solid, neither team is a top team in their respective conference. Last season, the Friars got two big wins over ranked teams in Villanova and Xavier University. With a much tougher nonconference schedule this year than last, one win over the top of the Big East will go a long way for the Friars.
3. A team or two needs to falter down the stretch.
The yearly theme in the Big East is that every game will be a dogfight and there will be no easy wins to come by. That theme never has been truer than this season. After Marquette and Villanova, no team currently has a winning conference record. So while the Friars may only be less than two games behind third place, they need to jump above several teams to get back into the top half of the league. Having more than three teams finish at 10-8 might mean that one of those teams will be left out. Friars are going to need to sweep usual contenders such at Butler University and Xavier and hope those teams fall below .500 at the end of the season.
Lady Friars Roll Into Big East
by The Cowl Editor on January 17, 2019
Friar Sports
Nogic Breaks 3-Point Record; Team Sweeps Friar Classic
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
This basketball season has been one full of turnarounds and milestones for the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team. Only 18 games into their season the Friars have already matched their overall win total from last season at 10. The team is on pace to have its best record under third-year Head Coach Jim Crowley.
Just before students left for winter break, Jovana Nogic ’19 broke the school record for three-pointers when she hit her 253rd shot against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Dec. 8, breaking former Friar Julie Wheeler’s ’98 record set in 1998. Nogic felt that achieving the record has been a reward for the work she has put in during her four seasons at the College.
“It is truly a blessing to be among great Friar names and to be able to be at the top of them,” said Nogic. “And of course, it shows as well how much my teammates trust me.”
She is also climbing up the team’s all-time scoring list. With 1,483 points to her name, Nogic currently has the eighth most points in team history.
The Friars ended their nonconference schedule on a high note, going 3-0 in the Friar Holiday Classic at Alumni Hall, highlighted by a 77-47 victory over La Salle University, putting them at 8-4 going into the Big East schedule. Nogic was named the Classic’s MVP while Mary Baskerville ’22 was also named to the All-Tournament Team after she scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against La Salle.
While the team had plenty of momentum going into Big East play, the Friars started out with a tough task as their first two conference games were against Marquette University and DePaul University, both of which are Top 25-ranked teams. PC struggled shooting the ball in both games and took two tough losses.
The Friars got their first Big East win of the season on Jan. 6 at home, defeating Villanova University 67-61. Nogic scored 23 points in the game, leading all scorers. Maddie Jolin ’19 also scored a season-high 18 points.
With the score being tied at 56 and about three minutes left, PC went on an 11-2 run, highlighted by eight points from Nogic, to put the game out of reach down the stretch and seal the win.
In their next game against St. John’s University, the Friars once again found themselves in a close game after a slow start that caused them to fall into an 11-point deficit halfway through the third quarter. The Friars managed to work themselves back into the lead after a 9-0 run to begin the fourth quarter, taking the lead 51-48.
The Friars held onto the lead with the clock winding down, but St. John’s sunk a three at the buzzer to tie the game 57-57 and force overtime.
In overtime, the Friars led by as many as five points but saw their lead disappear when they fouled St. John’s with the score at 66-63. Akina Wellere of St. John’s would hit three free-throws with 11 seconds left. Jolin, who finished with 19 points, came in clutch for PC as she forced a foul and sealed the game by making one of two free throws and gave the Friars their second victory in a row.
Currently, the Friars’ record in the Big East stands at 2-4. While this does not seem impressive on the surface, the team is still optimistic that they can compete in the Big East Tournament. Looking forward to the rest of the season, Nogic wants the team to keep working every day to put themselves in a good position come March. “We definitely want to keep improving each game and being able to finish close games. The goal is to have the best record we can have walking into the tournament.”
PC Takes On Northeast Rivals
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
Friar Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
With conference games less than a month away, it is easy for Friar fans to look forward to seeing the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team get another chance to upset Villanova University and Xavier University in front of the home crowd at the Dunkin’ Donut Center. After having played against weaker competition in Iona University and Fairleigh Dickinson University, teams who, to the average fan, are fairly unrecognizable.
Yet, as the calendar turned to December, the Friars had three games in a row against northeast teams that Friars fans love to hate.
On Dec. 1, the Friars faced off against in-state rival University of Rhode Island at the Dunk in front of a sellout crowd. PC was looking for revenge after the Rams snapped the Friars’ seven-game winning streak last season at the Ryan Center in Kingston, Rhode Island. Both teams have brought new faces into the rivalry as a total of six freshmen played in the game. URI also featured a new coach in David Cox after long time coach Dan Hurley left to coach at the University of Connecticut.
PC got the early jump out of the gates led by A.J. Reeves ’22. Reeves scored eight of the Friars’ first 10 points, including back-to-back threes to force URI to call an early timeout. PC controlled both ends of the court and finished the half leading URI 39-27. Reeves would lead the Friars in scoring for the day with 15 points.
Both teams struggled to score in the second half as they combined to make only ten shots. PC’s zone defense held the Rams to 20 percent shooting in the second half, while only going 1-11 from the three-point line. Cox credited PC’s physicality for forcing URI to miss some easy shots. PC’s offense was equally as bad as the Friars were able to score 20 points in the half but managed to keep the game just out of reach for URI. Head Coach Ed Cooley referenced the defensive battle as a “typical PC-URI rock fight.”
On a day when Alpha Diallo ’20 and David Duke ’22 drew most of the defensive attention, and combined for nine points, it was the under-the-radar performance from “silent assassin” Isaiah Jackson ’19RS that made the difference for the Friars. Jackson, who began the season in the starting lineup but has since been coming off the bench, played 26 minutes and gave the Friars 13 points and nine rebounds in a game where points were hard to come by.
“He is such a calming influence,” Cooley said of Jackson, “he doesn’t say much, he just produces. Whether it’s a free throw, a loose ball, a big three, he is always communicating. He’s our leader.”
URI brought a full-court press with less than five minutes left with the game still in reach, but the Friars were able to make enough plays down the stretch to win 59-50 and finish the home stand at a perfect 3-0.
Three days later, PC faced off against the Boston College Eagles who have also gotten off to a hot start this season coming into the game at 6-1. The Friars were looking to win at Chestnut Hill for the first time since 2004, when Cooley was an assistant coach for BC.
Once again, PC’s offense came out hot scoring 39 points in the first half, but struggled to slow down the Eagles who had four players score seven or more points, including nine from star player Ky Bowman, as Boston College dropped 43 in the half. Nate Watson ’21 led the Friars in scoring at the half with eight points to go along with six rebounds.
The Friars took advantage of the Eagles’ lack of size throughout the game. BC was missing their 6’11” forward Nik Popovic due to injury. PC scored 44 points in the paint as Watson had a double-double, recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds.
In the second half, BC took a seven-point lead early after a Bowman layup to make it 53-46 in favor of the Eagles with 17:03 left to go in the game. The Friars fought back to take the lead on multiple occasions as the score would go back and forth down into the final minutes of the game.
With 11 seconds to go, the Friars found themselves down 84-87 with one last chance to send the game into overtime after a Friars timeout.
With the clock running down, Duke ran the ball down the court and found Reeves coming off a screen at the top of the key for a last second three to tie the game at 87 and force overtime. Reeves finished the game with 24 points, which was the most for PC.
In overtime, the Friars had the lead for most of the five minutes and kept the lead at hand by going 9-14 at the free throw line to outscore BC 13-8 and win the game 100-95, the Friars first true road victory of the year.
The Friars, now 7-2, will take on the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Minutemen on Friday, Dec. 7 at home. The Friars lost in Amherst last season 72-63.