Tag: Men’s Basketball
PCI: Who Will Win the Big East Tournament?
by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020
PCI
Seton Hall University
by Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
The Big East Tournament is just around the corner, and the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is looking to become champions for the first time since 2014. And with their recent form, the Friars have shown they are more than capable of making a deep run. It would be quite an accomplishment as the Big East is notably deep this year, full of talented programs from top to bottom. One of these teams is Seton Hall University, a foe that will unfortunately end up winning the tournament over the Friars.
Indeed, Seton Hall appears to have the regular-season championship and no. 1 seed locked up as they sit at 13-3 in Big East play. However, they do play two tough games this week first against Villanova University and then away at Creighton University. Both of these teams currently sit at 11-5 in the conference and will likely be the two and three seeds, respectively.
If Providence finishes its season with wins in their games vs. Xavier University and DePaul University, they will be at worse the four seed. Xavier, Marquette University, and Butler University are all strong programs that are currently sitting in the projected NCAA tournament field. Georgetown University, St. John’s University, and DePaul, could potentially pull off an upset in an early-round (St. John’s has the energy and home-court advantage to cause a high seed some trouble), but they do not pose much of a threat to win it all.
Seton Hall, though, has arguably the most complete team in the Big East. They have a senior leader in Myles Powell who can get a bucket in the biggest moments and is a player who loves playing in New York City. 7’2’’ Romaro Gill is a tough matchup for anyone. Quincy McKnight, Myles Cale, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Jared Rhoden can all knock down shots and fill out the roster nicely. Here and there, Powell has had poor performances, but it is hard to see him having any letdowns at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall is also having a historically great year for the program – the last time they won the Big East regular season was in 1992-93 under coach PJ Carlesimo. That year, they won the Big East Tournament and won at Villanova for the first time in 25 years.
If the Pirates finish their regular season with momentum from wins over Villanova and Creighton, I think that there is no doubt they have the best shot at winning the Big East Tournament.
Providence College
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Coeditor
The 2020 Big East Tournament is fast approaching and, at the moment, it is completely up for grabs. Seton Hall University is arguably the favorite to win the whole tournament, but the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is currently in a position that could very much challenge that. I predict that they will be victorious in the tournament.
The main reason why PC has a shot at winning the entire tournament is because, compared to the other teams, their momentum has finally kicked in and it is strong enough to carry them throughout the tournament. Coming off of one of the best months of basketball play, PC has won four-straight games, with three of those wins coming against top-ranked teams. According to ESPN, PC is one of only five teams ever to knock off five top 25 teams in a month.
The most recent was their upset win against Big East rival Villanova University, who is ranked third in the Big East, just behind Seton Hall and Creighton University, and 14th in the country. This 58-54 win secured the Friars a first round bye in the tournament. In addition, with the exception of Xavier University, PC has beaten every team in the Big East.
Alongside their momentum, Luwane Pipkins ’20GS has finally found some consistency. Playing what is without a doubt his best play this season pointwise, Pipkins has finished the last four games with 27, 24, 16, and 13 points, respectively. He also shot 71 percent against Georgetown University, 64 percent against Marquette University, and 54 percent against Villanova. Averaging about 20 points per game, the burst in Pipkins play has, without a doubt, transformed a formally dismal season and has given the team life and chance to secure a NCAA tournament bid.
With Pipkins leading the way, other Friars such as Alpha Diallo ’20 and Maliek White ’20 are playing exceptionally well and other teams will have a hard time shutting them down defensively. Diallo scored a remarkable 35 points against no. 1 ranked Seton Hall and White scored 15 points against Villanova.
In addition to players such as Pipkins finding his stride, the Friars’ defense has been a key component to the success that the team is finding. As head coach Ed Cooley said after the team’s upset against Villanova, “We hang our hat on defense.”
The tenacity that the Friars are displaying after their dismal 6-6 start to the season, along with the fact that key players such as Pipkins, Diallo, and White are finding a way to make their presence known on the court and their recent stellar defensive play are all reasons as to why they have the best shot to claiming this year’s Big East title.PCO
Bryce Cotton ’14 Wins MVP in Australia
by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020
Professional Sports
Former Friar Finds Stride Down Under
by Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
As Friar fans, we have a special appreciation for former basketball players who are recognized for their talent. This past year, former Friars standout Bryce Cotton ’14 won his second National Basketball League MVP award overseas in Australia. So how did he get to this point, and what has he done to become one of the elite players in Australia’s best basketball league?
Cotton started his professional career in the NBA with the Utah Jazz. However, his time with them was brief. In the 2014-2015 season, Cotton played 14 games with the Jazz before finishing the season with the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs G-League (at the time still known as the D-League) affiliate. Cotton proved to be not ready for the big leagues just yet. While he did average about six points per game and a rebound and assist each with Utah, his average line would turn from 5-1-1 to 22-5-5 when he got to Austin.
The 2015-2016 season was even more tumultuous for Cotton, but he kept grinding. Cotton would spend limited time with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the Chinese Basketball League, the Austin Spurs, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Phoenix Suns. It would be one of his worse years since going pro, only averaging above 20 points in his two games in China. The lack of stability severely affected him and his play.
Over the next two seasons, Cotton would bounce around more, spending time in several different leagues, including his first stint in the NBL with the Perth Wildcats.
In 2017, Cotton would finally be rewarded with what he was lacking: a more permanent and stable home. Over the last two seasons, Cotton has been tearing up not only the premier basketball league in Australia, but one of the best in the world.
The NBL is a known source of NBA talent and even this past season some of the top NBA prospects, most notably LaMelo Ball, joined the league as opposed to going to college.
Cotton has been averaging 23 points, four assists, and four rebounds for the Wildcats. He is the eighth American player to play 100 games for Perth, the franchise’s first two-time MVP, and the first player in NBL history to lead the league in points and steals.
During his second MVP campaign, Wildcats head coach Trevor Gleeson said, “He’s on the whiteboard of every team that comes here, to stop.”
He added, “What he puts up with, gets double teamed, hit defensively all the time and he still produces under pressure… and he’s unselfish.” Gleeson also expressed his surprise when Cotton did not win the award in the 2018-2019 season, during which all his numbers improved from his first MVP campaign.
During his acceptance speech, Cotton made sure to comment first on his fellow competitors for the award and his teammates. Upon arriving back with his team, Cotton said, “It feels good to be recognized for the work you do. There were a lot of great contestants for the award but I’m glad to be holding the trophy.”
Now, while getting buckets has been a big part of the MVP’s game, it is not his entire focus.
“Take out the scoring and I’ve improved in all other categories, especially defense, which was a big focus,” said Cotton.
And while the ceremony was just a little more than a week ago, Cotton has his eyes on the prize. “I’m definitely excited, this is the best part of the year. Your main goal is to be the last one standing.”
Cotton and the Wildcats currently find themselves in the semifinals against the Cairns Taipans with the series tied at one game apiece. Cotton scored 42 points in an overtime victory in game one. The decisive third game will be Thursday, March 5.
Weekly Winners: Friars Dominate February
by The Cowl Editor on February 27, 2020
Friar Sports
Four Friars Nab Weekly Big East Awards
by Cam Smith ’21
Sports Assistant Editor
The second week of February was a great one for Providence College athletics, as four Friars took home weekly awards for their outstanding play. Besides putting up great stats, Alpha Diallo ’20, Alyssa Geary ’22, Lauren DeBlois ’23, and Toby Burgdorf ’21 all played key roles in leading their respective teams to pivotal victories.
The Big East Player of the Week went to Diallo, who became the first PC Men’s Basketball Team player to receive the award since Rodney Bullock ’17 in 2016. The senior forward averaged 27 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while leading the Friars to a 1-1 record for the week.
Certainly contributing to his achievement is the fact that Diallo set single-game career highs in both points and rebounds during the week. On Feb. 13, Diallo grabbed an impressive 17 rebounds to go along with 19 points in a loss to St. John’s University. He followed that performance up by pouring in 35 points on 5-5 shooting from the three-point line in a statement win against tenth-ranked Seton Hall University.
Diallo’s outburst from downtown came as a bit of a surprise due to the fact that he attempted zero three-pointers in the previous game against St. John’s University. Even so, there was little hesitation in pulling the trigger against the Pirates. “I just tried to do whatever it took to help us get the win,” said Diallo after the game. “My teammates were finding me in open spots. I make those shots a lot in practice, so they knew to have confidence in me.”
Further sweetening Diallo’s triumphant week is the fact that his scoring outburst against Seton Hall pushed him past 1,500 career points. Diallo now sits as one of just 17 Friars in school history to pass the scoring milestone.
Meanwhile, on the women’s basketball team, Geary was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. In a week that very much mirrored Diallo’s, Geary helped lead her team to a 1-1 record while posting a team high in points against Seton Hall.
“It felt pretty good to receive the weekly award,” said Geary when asked about the honor. “I did not expect it at all and was shocked that I was even considered, let alone picked as a recipient.”
Geary credited her teammates for allowing her to play at such a high level in recent weeks. “I owe it all to them. They have the confidence to constantly feed me the ball in the post or kick it out to me believing that I can knock that shot down.”
Geary played a crucial role in the Friars’ defeat of St. John’s on Feb. 16, posting 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one block to go along with a game-saving three pointer to tie the game with 1:36 left in regulation. “I knew I was feeling the three,” Geary said of the shot following the game. “I knew I was going to knock that down and my teammates gave me the confidence to do it.”
Geary would later add, “The three was a great play because of the way my teammates hustled down the floor and found me. Mary [Baskerville ’22] could have easily tried and scored as soon as she got the ball, but she gave me that extra pass we practice with one another and I was able to knock it down.”
Geary and the Friars would go on to seal the victory on a miraculous Earlette Scott ’22 and-one from the top of the key with four seconds remaining.
Representing the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team, DeBlois continued PC’s success by being named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week. She and the rest of the squad took down third-ranked Northeastern University on Feb. 14 in a game that featured two goals from DeBlois.
Her first goal came off a Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 faceoff win that was flicked back to Whitney Dove ’20. Dove slid it over to DeBlois, who placed a perfect wrister through traffic into the back of the net at 16:04 in the second period.
DeBlois’ second goal just so happened to be a game-winner, as she sent the Huskies packing with a wrister from the point with 1:03 remaining in overtime. The goal would secure a 2-1 Friar victory and the second game-winner in Deblois’ young career.
Finally, Burgdorf wrapped up a phenomenal week for Friar athletics by being named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week for men’s lacrosse. Burgdorf picked up a career-high in saves versus Bryant University in the Ocean State Cup, stifling 15 shots on a .625 save percentage. In the fourth quarter alone, he turned back seven shots compared to a measly two by the opposing goalie.
It was the second time this year that Burgdorf has been named Defensive Player of the Week, with both honors due in large part to the goalie’s impressive 3-0 record in his first three career starts for PC.
Diallo, Geary, and DeBlois look to continue their success as their respective teams make late-season pushes for the postseason. Burgdorf, on the other hand, looks to maintain his status as a defensive stalwart as the men’s lacrosse team continues to start the season strong. Regardless of the status of their season, all four athletes have shined so far this year for the Friars, and their long list of accolades is a testament to their hard work.
Sport Shorts 2/20-2/27
by The Cowl Editor on February 27, 2020
Friar Sports
Sport Shorts Week of Feb. 20-Feb. 27
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Men’s Ice Hockey:
This weekend, the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team played a home-and-home series against Hockey East rival Merrimack College. The first game occurred on Friday, February 21 in Providence, where the Friars lost to Merrimack 0-2; this was their tenth loss of the season. While goalie Michael Lackey ’20GS recorded 21 saves for the Friars, nothing could stop Merrimack’s goal in the second period, which put Merrimack up 0-1. Merrimack then closed the game on an empty net goal late in the third period, to win 0-2. The next night at Merrimack, the Friars did manage to score but lost again—this time with a score of 2-3. Patrick Moynihan ’23 started the game off for the Friars with a pair of goals, making the score 2-1 by the end of the first. However, Merrimack scored the tying goal on a power play during the second period. The winning goal came for the Warriors at even strength during the third period.
Men’s Basketball:
The men’s basketball team won a 84-72 victory against the no. 26 seed Marquette University this past weekend. The win puts the Friars at a 16-12 record overall 9-6 in the Big East. It was their fourth win over a ranked team, as well as the Friars’ third straight win. While Marquette’s Markus Howard dropped 38 points on the Friars, nothing stood in the way of the overall outstanding defense played by the team throughout both halves. Six Friars broke double digits in scoring, including Luwane Pipkins ’20GS with a team high of 24 points. David Duke ’22 scored 15 points, which included a pair of alley-oops to ignite the crowd. Coach Ed Cooley was beyond proud of the team as the season ends soon and the Friars desperately work to make the NCAA Tournament.
Men’s Lacrosse:
On Saturday, men’s lacrosse found themselves in Pennsylvania for a non-conference matchup against Saint Joseph’s University. Sadly, the team came up short in their matchup, losing 8-10 for their first loss of the season. SJU started the game with a 3-2 lead throughout the first quarter. Three players from the Friars, Dan Axelson ’20, Ryan Nawrocki ’20, and Sean Leahey ’20 each had three points in the outing. This marked Axelson’s first hat-trick of the season and third of his career. Goalkeeper Toby Burgdorf ’21 had 11 saves with an overall .524 save percentage, recording three more saves than SJU’s goalie. This puts the Friars at an overall 3-1 record for the season as they continue their non-conference games for the beginning of the season until Big East play comes into effect in late March. The Friars will look to secure the Ocean State Cup against Brown University next weekend.
Men’s Basketball Weekend Recap
by Meaghan P Cahill on February 13, 2020
Friar Sports
By Gavin Woods ’22
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team was defeated by Xavier University last Saturday, 58-64. The Friars record has now fallen to 13-11 on the regular season, and 6-5 within the Big East.
Both teams came out of the gates aggressively. The Friars got into an early rhythm, but struggled to slow the Musketeers from inside the paint. The soft coverage down low and lack of communication among the defense enabled the Musketeers to consistently get high percentage looks.
The Friars’ offense seemed to be working effectively, as they maintained the lead for the majority of the first half. However, their issue was not scoring, but rather keeping Xavier from scoring easy layups. As the game progressed, Xavier seemed to find success with their substitutions, particularly with Kyky Tandy, who scored 10 points off the bench.
PC’s offense was led by Nate Watson ’21 with 16 points and seven rebounds. Watson was supported by Alpha Diallo ’20 and David Duke ’22 with 14 and 12 points, respectively. However, the Friars seem to be struggling to find their identity, as these three stars are the only players to consistently score double digits each game. The offensive burden for the Friars must be more evenly distributed among the team.
Another issue currently plaguing the Friars is subpar perimeter shooting. Out of 23 attempted three point shots, only four fell, resulting in a three point percentage of 17.4. It’s entirely possible that PC is simply attempting too many three pointers. Luwane Pipkins ’20 shot a total of nine three pointers only to make two of them. This means that seven possessions were essentially handed to Xavier. The Musketeers attempted only 19 three pointers and landed five of them for a three point percentage of 26.3.
Perhaps the biggest issue for the Friars lies in the way they finish games. As seen several times throughout the 2019-2020 season, including the recent loss to Villanova University, PC’s shot selection in the dying minutes of the second half become erratic and forced. With 8:59 to play in the second half, Providence led 50-47. Xavier then went on to execute a 5-0 point run, leading PC 52-50. Following this run, the Musketeers never gave the lead back, with the Friars making only three shots within the final 10 minutes of the second half.
Head coach Ed Cooley voiced his frustration following the loss saying, “I’m really pissed at my team. I thought we were undisciplined. I thought we took some uncharacteristic shots. I didn’t think we were united the way you have to be on the road in these environments.”
The PC versus St. John’s game was not completed at press time.
Editor’s Column: Hope is Not Lost for Men’s Basketball
by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020
Friar Sports
Changes to Lineup Could Shift Team’s Momentum
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Before his team’s upset win over Butler University on Feb. 1, Providence College Men’s Basketball head coach Ed Cooley told his players that it was going to be an “old-school Big East game.”
“I said, ‘We don’t need to play pretty. We just need to play efficient enough to win,’” Cooley explained. The Friars were able to come out on top 65-61, holding the Bulldogs 1-14 from the three-point line.
The win was much needed as the Friars were playing their fourth consecutive game against a ranked opponent, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Cooley found the right formula as he started big men Kalif Young ’20 and Nate Watson ’21 together for the first time and benched Alpha Diallo ’20, making it the team’s seventh different lineup of the season. Watson was coming off a great game against Villanova University where he had season highs of 18 points and nine rebounds. Against the Bulldogs he had another solid game, scoring nine points on 4-7 shooting in only 17 minutes.
If the Friars want to build momentum from this game and push for a tournament bid, they will have to do two things: keep playing tough defense and embrace the young talent.
The offense has not been getting it done for the Friars all season. Outside of David Duke ’22, no player with 50 or more three-point attempts is shooting over 35 percent from deep. The team also posts the worst field goal percentage in the Big East. Thankfully, they have given up the fourth fewest points in the leagues and are second in steals.
After his 30-point game against Creighton University, it has become clear that Duke is the team’s best player this season. Despite being second on the team in points, he has shot the ball efficiently from the floor at 41.4 percent overall and 44.4 percent from three. He is also leading the team in assists and has grabbed the third most rebounds.
In the past, Cooley’s offense has always relied on strong point guards such as Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Kris Dunn ‘16 to make a play when the team needs it. It is time to give Duke control and move away from the flex offense.
It is also time to give more touches to Watson in the post. With the lack of shooting depth, Watson is the next best option, shooting 52.4 percent while hitting 79.2 percent of his free throws in Big East games.
This also means Cooley should move the offense away from Diallo and Luwane Pipkens ’19G, who were supposed to be the main guys going into the season. While both have had their share of highlights, neither have been productive enough to overcome their inefficiencies.
Diallo has regressed this season as a shooter, posting career lows in field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage, while also shooting under 30 percent from three. His season hit a low point against Villanova when he got benched early after going 0-6 shooting with three turnovers and fouls. While his versatility remains valuable, he cannot keep shooting like he is the number one option.
After scoring 22 points off the bench, Pipkens may have finally found a role as the sixth man. He has not shot consistently enough from deep to be starting every game, and he operates at his best when he gets to the free-throw line. He is only shooting 31.1 percent from three and often the ball gets stuck in his hands. Both of his 20-point games this season have come when he went 10-10 from the free-throw line. Having him come off the bench against the opponent’s second unit will give him the chance to thrive.
It is hard to believe that the Friars are tied for fifth in the standings, but they are getting the job done. The Friars still need some help if they are going to make it into the tournament; however, the Butler win gives them some life. With nine games left in the regular season, the Friars will need to go at least 6-3 and win two games in the Big East tournament in order to reach the 20 wins Cooley usually targets. They have a tough stretch ahead of them, but things are starting to move in the right direction for the Friars.
Sport Shorts Jan.31- Feb. 6
by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020
Sports
Sport Shorts for Jan. 31-Feb. 6
by Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
Men’s Basketball:
The men’s basketball team had a big week on the hardwood this week. They played one game, Saturday, February 1, and started the month off with an away win at Butler University. Butler was ranked 16th in the nation, and the Friars were coming off a three-game losing streak that some believed killed their bid for the NCAA tournament. After a close loss to Villanova University last week, the Friars finished this time, winning 65-61. The Friars rolled out a larger lineup this week that involved bringing Luwane Pipkins ’20G and Alpha Diallo ’20 off the bench. The Friars offense operated much smoother, with better ball movement and more pick-and-roll and post plays. It also helped that Butler shot just 7.1 percent from three. The Friars’ leading scorers were Pipkins (22-3-2 with a steal) and David Duke ’22 (10-4-1).
The Friars extended their win streak to two games after beating Creighton University 73-56 on Wednesday, February 5. A.J. Reeves ’22 led the Friars with 22 points. The Friars’s defense held the Blue Jays to 37 percent shooting from the field. The team’s next game will be this upcoming Saturday, February 8 at Xavier University.
Women’s Basketball:
The Providence College Women’s Basketball Team had a rough week with two road losses on Friday, January 31 and Sunday, February 2. The first of the losses came at Marquette University, with a final score of 55-85. The teams started the game close, both shooting poorly in the first quarter. Both teams dramatically improved their shooting (for the most part) each quarter thereafter. However, poor defense from the Friars and good shooting from Marquette allowed for the Golden Eagles’ efficiency to rise above that of the Friars. Marquette had more rebounds and fewer turnovers. The leading scorers for the Friars in this contest were Mary Baskerville ’22 (11-2-1 with 2 blocks), Kyra Spiwak ’21 (10-2-3 with a steal), and Chanell Williams ’21 (10-1-1 with a steal).
The Friars then traveled to DePaul University and suffered another tough loss 71-93. The Friars found themselves struggling behind the arc, shooting worse than the Blue Demons. On the bright side, they shot significantly better than DePaul at the charity stripe, shooting 80 percent as opposed to 60 percent. The Friars were once again outrebounded and responsible for more turnovers. The leading scorers for this game were Williams (15-3-3) and Spiwak (13-3-2). Next up for the Friars is a home game Saturday, February 8 against Creighton University.
Swimming and Diving:
This past Friday through Saturday (January 31- February 1) the Providence College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams traveled down to Berkeley Aquatic Club in New Jersey for a Tri-Meet with the Seton Hall University Pirates and Georgetown University Hoyas. Both the men’s and women’s teams lost to the both Seton Hall and Georgetown in a disappointing fashion. The men’s team lost by a total score of 553 to 122 while the women’s team lost by a total score of 503 to 193. It’s been an up-and-down season for sure in the pool for both Friars squads, and they came into this meet riding a bit of a hot streak. The men’s team came in off a two-meet win streak while the women’s team was coming in off a tie. Both squads will next compete in the BIG EAST championships in East Meadow, New York from February 26-29
Basketball Loses Heartbreaker to Nova
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020
Friar Sports
By Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
The noise was deafening. Screams and shouts coming from every corner of the sold out Dunkin’ Donuts Center, ready to watch the Providence College Friars take on rival Villanova University Wildcats. That same energy would remain for the entire game, which resulted in a close, yet devastating loss for the Friars.
“I really want to thank our crowd. Our crowd gave us every opportunity to be successful. The energy in here, I couldn’t be more blessed,” said head coach Ed Cooley after the game. The crowd showed up for the Friars team coming off two road losses to Creighton University and Seton Hall University that some believe may have killed their tournament chances. But the fans were not ready to give up on their Friars.
The game was close and physical for the entire 40 minutes. The Friars showed some improvement offensively, but a lot of the struggles that had haunted them all year came back to bite them in the end.
“That’s the Big East this year, man,” said Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “That’s what every game has been for us. That’s what makes this league great.” The Big East has been one of the most competitive conferences in all of college basketball this season. Many believe there will be up to six of the ten member schools in the NCAA tournament this year, which has caused almost every game to be thrilling, exciting, and important. This game was no different.
Both teams felt the pressure heading into Saturday’s game. Villanova was ranked in the top-10, looking to defend their spot against a gritty PC team at home. And PC has been trying to dig themselves out of a hole since the first few weeks of their basketball season.
The young Wildcats were led by junior guard Collin Gillespie, who dominated the game. He had 18 points, four assists and seven rebounds all while shooting 50 percent from the floor and controlling the pace. Gillespie is one of the oldest and most experienced on the young Villanova team and is taking on his leadership role very well.
“I still got a year and a half left. It’s just so fun with this group, we’re all so young and everything is a learning experience for us,” said Gillespie when asked if he felt like an “old man” with such a young group. Gillespie rose to the challenge in this game, staying in for most of the second half with four fouls. “Definitely still be aggressive but be smart,” Gillespie said of his play style in the second half. “On defense and offense you just gotta be smart.”
Unlike Villanova’s offense, the Friars had another rough night shooting-wise. PC shot an abysmal 31.7 percent from the field, 13.0 from three and 77.3 from the free throw line. But that was not the only issue as turnovers also killed the team.
“[The turnovers were] as costly as we’ve had since I’ve been coaching here.” said Cooley. “For a game of that magnitude to not even get shot attempts turnovers.We try to work as much as we can on time and scoring.”
Cooley also spoke about the overall offensive struggles the team has dealt with all season. “When you look at the overall body of work of this year’s team, our offense is really struggling,” he said. “The efficiency just isn’t there.”
Cooley noted how the team runs different situations and drills in practice and that the same shots that are missing in games are falling in practice. He stressed that the team has put in the effort and has the talent and that’s why it has been such a stressful season on the coaching staff.
However, the offense showed promise and life in the first half when they utilized off ball motion, more pick-and-roll plays and had more of an intensity driving to the rim. Perhaps the brightest star who thrived for PC was Nate Watson ’21. The center had been coming back from a knee injury suffered in the preseason and had been either off the bench or on a minutes restriction for most of the season. “Nate is coming along. I’m really proud of him…today was a big day for him.”
Watson finished shooting 7-12 with 18 points, nine rebounds, and a steal. It was a very encouraging performance for the future.
The Friars play 16th-ranked Butler on the road next Saturday, followed by Creighton at home and Xavier University on the road.
A Decade of PC Athletics
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Friar Sports
A Look Back at a Monumental Ten Years
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
This decade has shown one of the largest growths among every sport at Providence College. There are so many moments to choose from but here are some of the greatest from this past decade:
Men’s Basketball Capture 2014 Big East Championship
Ed Cooley and the Friars playing in Madison Square Garden are something Friars fans have begun to enjoy throughout this decade, and it all began back in 2014. This was the first year of the newly aligned 10-team Big East conference and the Friars only championship was back in 1994. The Friars were an NCAA Tournament bubble team coming into the tournament making it vital for them to win. Some had the Friars succeeding and others had them as the first four teams out. Well, the Friars burst a couple of bubbles and downed the Creighton University Blue Jays to punch their ticket. This Creighton team held one of the greatest college basketball players ever to roam the floor, Doug McDermott. The Friars were led by Bryce Cotton ’14 and LaDontae Henton ’15 with a number of other upperclassmen who started the rise of Friar basketball. This would be their first of five straight NCAA tournament appearances and set the standard of what PC basketball is today.
Friars Knock off No. 3 Villanova
Valentine’s Day 2018: The Friars needed a win to bolster their NCAA tournament resume, having already defeated the No. 5/4 Xavier University Musketeers about a month prior in Providence. The holiday featured a Big East match-up against rival Villanova University. The team PC faced is considered by many college basketball critics to be the best team of the decade, as they would go on to win the NCAA Tournament. It was a fast-paced, nail biter of a game as the Wildcats and Friars remained within single digit points of each other over the course of the two halves. Ultimately, the Friars pulled ahead at the end and beat Villanova 76-71 in a game that Cooley cites as “the greatest win” that he has had with the College. Scenes of students storming the court in a matter of seconds have stuck with many Friar basketball fans ever since. The win was a pivotal moment for the team that year as it gave them the momentum they needed to make a push in the Big East Tournament which secured them a spot in the Championship game.
2014 Men’s Soccer College Cup
Just like the men’s basketball team, 2014 brought great success for the men’s soccer team. The Friars advanced to the NCAA tournament as the 11th overall team. The Friars earned themselves a first round bye and picked up victories over Dartmouth University, the University of California-Irvine and the No. 3 team Michigan State University en route to their first ever College Cup appearance. The Friars faced a tough task with in the No. 2 University of California-Los Angeles Bruins and fell 3-2 in double-overtime. Under the direction of Craig Stewart, the Friars have made six NCAA tournament appearances with a follow-up Sweet 16 appearance in 2016 under future MLS star Julian Gressel ’16.
Women’s Cross Country National Championship
Any time there is a national championship mentioned, it more than likely will be involved as one of the greatest moments. The 2013 National Championship Women’s Cross Country Team is no exception. The Friars were runners up the year prior and would not be deterred the following year. The Friars were led by Emily Sisson ’14 who finished seventh overall. Sisson is now currently competing for a spot on the U.S. National team for this upcoming Olympics and is well known in women’s running. It was the Friars first championship since 1995. Under head coach Ray Treacy ’82, the team has won two national championships and has transformed into one of the best programs in the country.
Men’s Hockey Team Wins 2015 National Championship
Friars head coach Nate Leaman has elevated this program to national prominence once again and brought the Friars back into the spotlight by advancing to the 2015 Frozen Four. The Friars were one of the final teams to make the tournament and used this motivation to their advantage. After the Friars got past the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the Friars faced off against the Boston University Terriers in the NCAA National Championship game at the TD Garden in Boston. The Friars were searching for their first National Championship in program history and, after falling behind 3-2 after two periods of play, needed some magic to secure the win. In what is considered one of the craziest finishes to an NCAA Championship hockey game, the Friars were able to come out on top in last ten minutes of the third period after finding themselves in a tied game when BU accidentally scored on their own net. It was Brandon Tanev ’15 who flicked in the game-winner wrist shot with just over six minutes left of play that secured the program’s first ever NCAA championship. Tanev would go on to become one of seven Friars to play in the NHL from the team.
Women’s Basketball Team Advances it to the 16th Round of the 2018 Women’s Basketball National Invitation Tournament
Women’s basketball had lost its way for a bit after their great success in the 1980s and early 90s at PC. Jim Crowley in his third year at the helm took tremendous strides for the Friars. The Friars made postseason play for the first time since 2010 and just the second time since the Friars advanced to the 1991-92 NCAA tournament. The Friars defeated University of Hartford and University of Pennsylvania to advance to the Sweet 16 of the WNIT and were set to face their fellow Big East foe, the Georgetown University Hoyas. The Friars ultimately fell to them, but this was a special collection of players young and old. Friar fans saw one of the greatest scorers in program history, Jojo Nogic ’19, and featured the Big East Freshman of the Year, Mary Baskerville ’22. Nogic finished as the 4th all time leading scorer in program history and Baskerville also set the program record for blocks for a freshman and the most by a Friar since the 1999-2000 season. The Friars also won eight games in conference play, the most since the 1996-1997 season. These are just a few of many accomplishments for this women’s basketball program as they look to continue their rise in the rigorous Big East conference.
What You Missed: Men’s Basketball
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Friar Sports
Friars Get Back on Track With Four Game Win-Streak
By Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
As the first semester of the 2019-2020 school year came to an end on Dec. 14, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team was sitting at a 5-5 record, a record that the team did not expect to be at. However, the season was young, with winter break just around the corner. That Saturday night, Ed Cooley’s team faced off at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center against Stony Brook University.
The Friars got off to a quick start against Stony Brook, getting up by ten points at halftime. Stony Brook made it interesting in the second half, scoring 54 points, but thanks to David Duke’s ‘22 and Luwane Pipkins’ ‘20G 21 points on the night, the Friars pushed their record to 6-5 after a 82-78 victory.
The Friars would be back in action just three days later as they traveled to Brooklyn, NY to play in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational against a solid University of Florida side. From the very start, the Friars were just not in the game.
The Gators got an early lead and went on a couple of runs to push their lead at halftime to a score of 37-22. There was no looking back for the Gators after that and the final score in the sixth loss of PC’s season was 83-51. The Friars were 15-58 (25.9%) from the field, 1-18 (5.6%) from three-point range, and 20-34 (58.8%) from the free throw line.
This game was one the Friars wanted to forget about. It would have been no Christmas gift.
The rest of the month-long winter break was very successful for the Friars. Right before the Christmas festivities, PC finished up their non-conference play and hosted the University of Texas Longhorns in a solid challenge for a Big East-Big 12 Battle. The game was nothing like the previous one, and the Friars answered the call. The Friars were great defensively and held the Longhorns to 48 points. Ed Cooley’s team grabbed a 22-point victory by a score of 70-48 and grabbed 52 rebounds, the first time they have grabbed over 50 rebounds in a game since they played the University of Connecticut on January 31, 2013. Alpha Diallo ’20 led the team with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Friars finished up their non-conference play at 7-6.
Big East play opened on New Year’s Eve at the Dunk as the Friars hosted Georgetown University. From the get-go the Friars came out to play. At the end of the first half, the Friars went up 54-23, shooting 64.5 percent from the field. Alpha Diallo once again led the team with a game-high 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. The Friars led the entire game and closed out their first victory in the Big East 76-60.
PC then had to go on the road for two tough contests against DePaul University and Marquette University.
Both teams had very good non-conference performances. In Chicago, the Friars were in a nail-biter against DePaul. After being down by two at halftime, the Friars came back and grew their largest lead of ten points in the second half. DePaul would not go down easy and, with under a minute to go, the game could go either way. Thanks to Maliek White ’20 and his 16 points off the bench, the Friars won another Big East game by a score of 66-65. Three days later PC headed to Marquette, having to face up against Big East Player of the Year Markus Howard. This was probably the most entertaining game of the break. The Friars did as much as they could to shut Howard down although he had 39 points on the night. AJ Reeves ‘22 saved the day for the Friars as he hit a game-tying three pointer with under ten seconds remaining. White had another big game and in overtime propelled PC to their fourth straight win behind his 19 points.
The final game of the break was against the No. six team in the country, Butler University. Although being down by 12 at halftime, the Friars had made the game as close as it could have been, but the shots were not falling. PC shot 31 percent from the field and 24 percent from behind the arch. It was a tough test for the Friars and, unfortunately, they lost their first game in five games. PC now currently sits at 10-7 overall and fifth in the Big East standings at 3-1.