Tag: Men’s Basketball
Friars Down Siena in Home Opener
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
Friar Sports
A.J. Reeves ’22 Scores 29 in Record-Setting Debut
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
On Tuesday, November 6, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team begin their journey for the NCAA Division I National Championship as they took on the Siena College Saints at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in a 77-67 victory.
After winning both exhibition games over the past three weeks, and with plenty of buzz over a talented recruiting class, the Friars have much to look forward to this season.
The victory belonged to the entire team, thanks to the all-around effort on both sides of the ball, excellent passing, smart shooting, and excellent defensive abilities. One player whose performance stood out amongst others was one of the newest faces, A.J. Reeves ’22.
In his first career game, as well as his first game as a member of the starting five, Reeves contributed on all facets of the game as he tallied 29 points, two rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 30 minutes of playing time.
Reeves stated at the end of the game, “I just want to contribute to our team getting a W…They [teammates] have confidence in me shooting the ball…I just want to do my job.” Reeves’ contribution to the game included 10-13 field goals, 7-9 three point shooting, and even 2-2 on free throws, thus setting the school record for most points scored by a PC freshman in their debut.
One important aspect that contributed to Reeves’s successful shooting was the entire student body cheering for him and even chanting his name seven minutes into the first half, after he had just performed a chase down block on Siena. Friar Fanatic Vice President Joe Haughey ’20 stated after the game, “It is pretty incredible how a player such as Reeves is able to perform the way he does, and the energy he brings to us allows us to show that Friartown has his back, especially in his first career game, we are able to get the whole arena to chant his name within the first half, that’s pretty special.”
Throughout the offseason, and even in the beginning of the season, Head Coach Ed Cooley has been nothing but impressed with the development and skill of Reeves. Cooley even stated to his colleagues that Reeves has the potential to be the all-time leading scorer at PC.
After the victory last night, Cooley stated, “I didn’t expect A.J. to do what he did…I wish I was watching as a fan for this game.”
Another key player that stood out for the Friars, was Alpha Diallo ’20. Putting in 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, Diallo was able to step up as the team’s leader in crucial moments throughout the game, such as scoring off an offensive rebound and a put-back layup in the last three minutes of the second half. Cooley stated on his behalf, “Leaders step up…I always tell my leaders, when we need a basket you have to be that person, and Alpha stepped up.”
While the Friars need to figure out a set rotation for all players, the team as a whole was able to compete and show their true strides of professionalism, which will be important for the rest of the season. The early victory in Providence is just one step towards achieving the team’s season goals.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
PCI
The Men’s Basketball Team Will Have The Best Record This Season
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
After making their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is poised to take the next step and compete for first place in the Big East and surpass the PC Men’s Hockey Team as the best winter sports team on campus.
The basketball team is loaded with talent at every position and has a high potential to succeed this season in a conference that has gotten much weaker since last season. All the uncertainties around this team, such as the return of Emmitt Holt ’19RS and a promising freshman class, will fall in PC’s favor.
With the loss of offensive leaders Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Rodney Bullock ’18, Alpha Diallo ’20 will be ready to take on a larger role after having a breakout sophomore season. Last season, Diallo averaged 13.2 points per game and ended the season by scoring 21 points against Texas A&M University in the national tournament. This season he was named to the All-Big East Preseason First Team. Diallo will be one of the best players in the Big East this season which will make it difficult for any team to beat the Friars.
There has been plenty of speculation as to how Holt, a forward, will perform this season after missing all of last season due to injury. During the 2016-17 season, he averaged 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The Friars missed his presence underneath the hoop last season and his return will be a big boost for the young squad.
Before this season, Head Coach Ed Cooley put together possibly his greatest recruiting class during his time at PC. Highlighted by four-star recruits, David Duke ’22 and A.J. Reeves ’22. The freshmen will be able to step in immediately and produce right away. With the other teams in the Big East losing a lot of talent, the freshmen should not be terribly overmatched come conference play.
Despite the loss of three starters, the Friars have been able to reload on the fly and have the potential to improve from their overall record 21-14 and 10-8 record in the Big East. PC still has plenty of returning players that have lots of potential to improve. Christopher Novak of SB Nation is picking the Friars to finish in the top half of the conference this year. He predicts ”this Friars team being good enough to earn a Top 4 finish in the Big East and get one of their highest seeds in the NCAA Tournament in recent memory.”
While the men’s hockey team may be ranked third according to the USA Today poll, the team has yet to play top-15 ranked opponents such as the University of Denver, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Northeastern University, all of which will be tough games for the Friars to pullout. Likewise, Villanova University is the only team in the Big East that is ranked, which means PC will fair much better against the conference this season.
Men’s Basketball Reloads and Retools
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
Friars Ready To Pick Up Where They Left Off
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
It’s been 244 long and arduous days since the Dunkin’ Donuts Center was last filled with the raucous chants and thunderous applause associated with college basketball. Luckily, for Friar Fanatics everywhere, the approach of Nov. 6 means that the Dunk will soon be electrified again. The noise will begin when the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team takes on Siena College next Tuesday on opening night of their 2018-19 NCAA season.
Last year was a resounding success for the Friars as they defeated both the number one seeded Villanova University Wildcats and the number five seeded Xavier University Musketeers in regular season play. The team advanced all the way to the finals of the Big East tournament, eliminating Xavier along the way before coming up short to Villanova in the final. Despite the outcome, PC punched their ticket to their fifth straight NCAA tournament.
Three key seniors from last season’s successful team have moved on from Friartown: Kyron Cartwright ‘18, Rodney Bullock ‘18, and the sweet-shooting Jalen Lindsey ‘18. With the significant loss of veteran leadership, PC will look to forge a new identity with a host of both familiar and new faces. One player who Providence will look to to take a leading role on the team is Alpha Diallo ’20.
Diallo made a huge leap in his second year with the Friars, going from scoring 5.7 points as a freshman to 13.2 points as a sophomore. His impact was felt on both sides of the ball as a talented slasher and pesky defender, and he also threw together a slew of magnificent performances in the Big East tournament. The 6’7” guard from New York, New York will look to continue his upward trend as the focal point of the PC offense. Diallo has already seen himself named to the 2018 preseason All-Big East First Team.
Diallo is far from alone in his quest to lead the Friars to their sixth straight NCAA tournament appearance. The roster boasts a surplus of talent and versatility, as 12 of the 13 players are listed as either guards or forwards. The lone center on the team, Nate Watson ’21, will look to continue the improvements he made as a scorer in the paint as last season progressed, and should be positioned for statistical improvements across the board.
The return of forward Emmitt Holt ’19 is also a major headline for the Friars, as Holt was the second leading scorer on the 2016-17 team before redshirting last year due to injury. Holt finished in the 87th percentile nationally in offensive efficiency two seasons ago; adding his versatility as a scorer will greatly benefit an offense that at some points last season lacked a go-to scorer.
Isaiah Jackson ’19RS, along with Kalif Young ’20, Maliek White ’20, and Drew Edwards ’20RS will also all have opportunities to bring leadership to a young squad. Each could potentially find themselves in the starting lineup at some point this season, as head coach Ed Cooley has fiddled with various lineups throughout the preseason. Jackson’s experience and solid three-point shooting (36 percent) likely gives him the edge to lead the foursome in minutes played.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the 2018-19 team is the addition of two top-50 recruits in guards David Duke ’22 and A.J. Reeves ’22. Providence native Duke is a talented ballhandler and playmaker who excels at creating his own shot. His AAU-teammate and fellow New Englander, Reeves, possesses a beautiful stroke and has great off-ball movement that is a perfect match with the playmaking ability of Duke. The two have the potential to become part of a prolific scoring backcourt that could ignite the Dunk for years to come.
The Friars capped off their preseason schedule on Saturday, October 27, where they defeated the Bowie State University Bulldogs 83-55. Watson led the team in scoring with 14 points, while four other Friars also achieved double-digit point totals. The evenly distributed scoring likely foreshadows things to come, as the Friars are a deep team with seemingly unlimited potential.
Editor’s Corner
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Friar Sports
New Basketball Facility Will Pay Off
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
This past weekend marked a historic moment for Providence College Athletics with the official dedication of PC’s new basketball training facility, the Ruane Friar Development Center. This $30 million facility broke ground last school year and was completed in time for the team to begin using it this fall. The facility includes two full-sized basketball courts, a float tank, a studio for interviews, and (believe it or not) a barbershop.
While some students do not see why the College would build such a large, expensive building that is used regularly by a small group of students, a new practice facility has been a long-time coming after the College undertook many other upgrades around campus.
When current men’s basketball head coach, Ed Cooley, was hired back in 2011, Athletic Director Bob Driscoll told Cooley that the school had multiple projects before creating a new practice facility. Since then, the College has seen the creation of Anderson Stadium, the relocation and upgrade of Glay Field, and renovations of Schneider Arena and the Taylor Natatorium. PC has also seen the construction of the Arthur F. and Patricia Ryan Center for Business Studies and, more recently, the science complex.
For both men’s and women’s basketball, a new practice facility was a necessity to remain competitive in the Big East. Former head coach Tim Welsh found that he lost many recruits to schools with facilities specific for basketball.
Now that the Big East is comprised of schools focused on basketball, many of the schools upgraded their facilities. According to Cooley, PC was the last school in the Big East to get a basketball-specific facility. Being the smallest school in the Big East, the Friars need every advantage they can get.
To attract the best recruits in the northeast, having a facility that compares to those at Syracuse University and the University of Connecticut is crucial. This season Cooley was able to keep Providence native David Duke ’22 from leaving the state and also kept Massachusetts native A.J. Reeves ’22 close to home.
Cooley has kept the Friars relevant with five-consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. With the news of a new practice facility, he has brought in possibly his best recruiting class, which is just another step for the Friars to reach the level of rivals like Villanova University, who compete for a national championship year after year.
While a championship is far from guaranteed right now, a new practice facility and a top recruiting class shows progress in the ever-changing landscape of college basketball where recruiting has become more competitive than ever. While everyone at PC hopes for quick improvement this season in the team’s success, Driscoll and Cooley have built a program with the potential to stay competitive for years to come.
A Year in PC Sports: Friars Make Run At Big East Title
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
Basketball Team Falls Just Short of Third Championship
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team had an overall successful regular season this year, going 21-14 overall and 10-8 during Big East play. While there were disappointing losses to DePaul University and to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst who would go on to finish 13-20 in the regular season.
This left some fans frustrated with the team’s performance, but the Friars certainly made up for those losses with home wins against top 10 ranked Villanova University and Xavier University.
Despite the impressive upsets, many basketball experts still had PC on the edge of being picked for the NCAA National Basketball Tournament. Most people believed the Friars had to pick up a win or two in the Big East tournament to solidify a spot in the field. With a first round matchup against Creighton University, who also finished 10-8 in the Big East, a win was no guarantee. But by the end of the tournament, the Friars accomplished more than enough to earn a bid.
The game against Creighton was tight the whole time as neither team had more than a three-point lead in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Alpha Diallo ’20 scored on a putback layup with 12 seconds left to tie the game at 59-59 and force overtime.
In OT, Kyron Cartwright ’18 scored five out of Providence’s 13 points to lead the Friars to a 72-68 victory over the Blue Jays and a matchup with first place Xavier. Diallo was the leading scorer for the team with 19 points while Cartwright and Rodney Bullock ’18 each had 13 points.
The semifinal game did not start the way Providence had hoped as they found themselves down 17 points early in the second half. The Friars then went on a miraculous 29-12 run to tie the game at 64, sparked by Cartwright and Nate Watson ’21, who had 10 points in the second half. The Friars would head into overtime tied 68-68.
Again, it was Diallo and Cartwright who led the team in OT. Cartwright hit the go-ahead shot with less than a minute to go to give the Friars a 73-70 lead and then drew an offensive foul on Xavier’s J.P. Macura to seal give the ball back to the Friars. Diallo scored four points into overtime and his last second free throws forced Xavier to shoot a three that was too late.
The unbelievable win sent the Friars to their third Big East Finals appearance in team history and first since winning the Big East in 2014. The only team left standing in their way was the defending Big East Champions, the Villanova Wildcats.
While it may have been a daunting task to upset a heavily favored Villanova team, the Friars were already able to upset the Wildcats at home earlier in the season and beat Xavier twice.
After a close first-half where the Friars found themselves down by four, Villanova made a run to extend its lead to 12 early in the second half. Luckily, the Friars found enough magic once again to make a comeback to tie the game late. Diallo gave the Friars a 60-58 lead with 40 seconds left in regulation before Villanova managed to the tie the game and force Providence’s third straight overtime game, a Big East tournament record.
In overtime, Villanova took complete control and Providence was outscored 16-6 in the extra minutes. Diallo finished with another great game, scoring 22 points and had 10 rebounds while Cartwright had 19 points.
Even though the Friars fell short of the title, the team played its best when it counted the most. After a season with several disappointing games, the Friars showed college basketball what they were capable of when they played their best, a team that plays tough defense and hustles until the end. Despite losing the first round of the national tournament, Providence’s remarkable run in the Big East tournament proved that the season was a success.
A Year in PC Sports: Miracle at the Dunk
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
Basketball Season Highlighted by Upset Win Over ‘Nova
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
After seeing the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team come off an unexpected loss against DePaul University during the latter part of the week, the Friar faithful made sure to come out in force and rally behind their home team as they hosted the No. 2 ranked Villanova University Wildcats on Wednesday, February 14. Friar students stole the clothing headlines as they outmatched Villanova head coach Jay Wright and his fresh dry-cleaned suits with their pink Friar t-shirts to commemorate Pink Out in Friartown.
PC had gotten crushed by the Wildcats earlier in the year, but from the tip-off, Friar fans could see the team was going to fight all 40 minutes.
The Friars stuck with Villanova early on and had a 27-23 lead at half. PC’s defense held the Wildcats to 0-7 from behind the three point line in the first half.
Through the first 10 minutes of the second half, neither team could gain an edge. PC held a 49-47 lead when Rodney Bullock ’18 finished with an electric one-handed slam dunk that sent the Dunkin’ Donuts Center into a frenzy.
Villanova continued to struggle to find their rhythm on offense as the Friars put constant pressure on their shooters all night. Lead by Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Alpha Diallo ’20, PC pushed ahead to a 67-58 lead with about four minutes left to go.
Cartwright led the Friars with 17 points while Diallo and Bullock both scored 14. Jalen Lindsey ’18 also chipped in with three 3-pointers and playing stout defense.
Villanova did not go down quietly, however, as Collin Gillespie hit a layup with 29 seconds left to make the score 72-69, but it was too late for a comeback. The Wildcats were forced to foul and the Friars hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the unlikely win.
The Friars’ performance on the court that day prompted a court storming by the student section to celebrate the upset victory over a rival. The Friar community united to yell and scream the entire game.
Many coaches in the Big East despise coming to the Dunk, as it has been shown that the Dunkin’ Donuts Center is where ranked teams come to die. Friar fans welcomed Coach Wright with open arms and made sure to make it as difficult as possible for his Wildcat team to feel comfortable.
In a college basketball season full of upsets, PC was fortunate enough to be a part of the history, especially against one of their closest rivals.
The scene of students swarming the court only added to the tradition and the pageantry of PC basketball. From their double overtime upset bid over No. 1 Michigan in 1976 to their magical run in 1987, the Friars’ program looks to add more hardware and banners in the rafters in the near future.
A Year in PC Sports: Men’s Basketball Recruiting Class
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
The best Providence College sports moment of the year was earlier in the basketball season, when the announcement of the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team signing two ESPN Top 100 High School players: Massachusetts native A.J. Reeves and Rhode Island native David Duke.
With many of the starters of this season including Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Rodney Bullock ’18 graduating, PC students needed a silver lining for next season; luckily, that miracle came in October off the court. Point guard David Duke from Cushing Academy, ranked 46th on ESPN Top 100, declined offers from University of Florida, University of Kansas, Syracuse University, University of Rhode Island, and University of Connecticut to stay in his home state and join Ed Cooley to become a Friar. Duke grew up in Providence and his parents still live in the Elmhusrt neighborhood. Duke is the highest ranked player to commit to PC since Rickey Ledo came to campus in 2012.
He will be joined by shooting guard A.J. Reeves from Brimmer & May High School, who signed in June of last summer, after declining offers from University of Louisville, Villanova University, and the University of Virginia. Reeves, who is six foot six inches, was named the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior season, where he averaged 27.1 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game.
According to rivals.com, which ranks the recruiting classes for each team, Providence has the 22nd best class in Division I. Both Duke and Reeves are considered to be four-star recruits according to Rivals and ESPN. With the signing of these two, alongside the signing of power forwards Kris Monroe and Jimmy Nichols Jr. PC turned into one of hottest schools to sign with in the Big East.
Aside from making PC one of the stronger schools in the Big East, Reeves and Duke’s attendance at PC maintains the winning culture and mindset Head Coach Ed Cooley brings each season for the school. Both athletes attended this year’s Iverson Classic, hosted by NBA Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson, and have been in the gym together working on one goal, bringing the March Madness championship to Providence.
Their chemistry will be pivotal this upcoming season to help develop a rhythm to mix together with our current players to find the strengths of any team that stands in front of the Friars. Reeves and Duke are the spark of light this school needs to be taken seriously as contenders for March Madness. Their addition to the team will attract upcoming future Friar recruits who are looking to come here and be a part of the Friar Family and culture.
Villa-Game-Ova
by The Cowl Editor on February 16, 2018
Friar Sports
Friars’ Win Creates Big Upset
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
As the end of the season swiftly approaches, the Providence College Friars dominate the Big East Conference play, with a major win against the # 3 overall Villanova, with a final score of 76-71.
After suffering a heavy loss to DePaul last Saturday, 80-63, the Friars bounced back and came back better than ever beating Nova and securing a 8-5 record in the 2017-2018 Big East Standings behind Xavier, Villanova, and Creighton, and a 17-9 overall record in the NCAA.
While the season has been back and forth with significant wins and tough losses, the Friars hope to provide the burning energy and spirit needed as they head towards the Big East Tournament and hopefully an appearance in the March Madness Tournament. Some of these notable wins come from Big East play, including ranked rivals such as #5 Xavier, Creighton, Marquette, DePaul, and Butler when the team was on a four-game winning streak.
However, things took a turn for the worse when the team’s streak was snapped by back to back losses to Villanova and Seton Hall. The team found themselves back on pace with back to back wins against Marquette and Georgetown, but DePaul, as mentioned previously, came out swinging to hand the team their fifth loss. All hope was not lost as the Friars brought the win to Villanova and look to carry the momentum of this win into the end of the regular season.
In a game filled with jaw-dropping dunks, plays, and a court storming by the entire student section, the team now has something to celebrate. The Friars defense was able to stop Nova from shooting threes and allowed 19 turnovers that turned into some scoring opportunities. The offense was excellent as five Friars had double digits in scoring, including a leading 17 points from Kyron Cartwright ’18.
Head Coach Ed Cooley stated to the press after the game, “Honestly, the greatest win I’ve ever had at Providence College.”
The team will look to continue this spark for the last few games, including the last home game of the season against St. John’s. Despite a few losses on the way, the players have played consistently good basketball throughout Big East games. Rodney Bullock ’18 has been leading the team in both minutes and points this season with 31.9 minutes per game and 14.6 points per game, as he continues to find a rhythm both on and off the court.
Cartwright has also been leading in assists with six per game, noticeably becoming the difference maker on the team. With games coming down to the wire, Cartwright has been putting the team on his back to provide the leadership needed for this squad.
The Friars must face each team this year without forward Emmitt Holt ’18, who is redshirting this year due to injury. However, Holt has been back on campus this semester and has been practicing with the team. This not only provides an on-campus energy used on game day, it creates the opportunity for Holt to teach the younger players and allow them to be stronger in the paint from experience.
These younger players include Alpha Diallo ’20, Kalif Young ’20, and Nate Watson ’21, all of whom have improved their game, including great offense and stellar defense against the Big East’s best players. With minimal games remaining in the regular season, it is now or never for the Friars.
Soon they will be sent off to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament, hopefully taking down Villanova and becoming the champions again, which will hopefully make things easier after their upset. For now, Friar fans must wait and enjoy the last few games of the season while continuing to bring the constant energy to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and help the team motivate each other to secure a spot in March Madness.
Friars Reignite Their Fire
by The Cowl Editor on January 18, 2018
Friar Sports
By Chris McCormack ’18
Sports Staff
Providence College Men’s Basketball Team turned their season around when they needed it most. After a rough start to Big East play with a near 20-point loss to Creighton University on the road and a tough overtime loss to Marquette University at home, the Friars came into what seemed to be a must-win game against the 5th ranked Xavier Musketeers.
Xavier was riding a 10-game win streak and seemed to have destiny waiting to make it 11 games going into a matchup against the top team overall, the Villanova University Wildcats. The Friars had other plans.
Kyron Cartwright ‘18 led the team with a packed stat sheet featuring 19 points, 9 assists and 4 steals helping boost the team to a much needed 81-72 win. The Friars then traveled to the Windy City to face the DePaul Blue Demons, where they won with a score of 71-64. The story of that game was the 22-0 run they had in the middle of the second half, which turned the game around.
That run turned a 10-point deficit for the Friars into a 12-point lead and that was all they needed to finish off DePaul.
The team then looked to their next matchup against Butler University which was the first game of the second semester, and this showed.
The Dunkin’ Donuts Center was rocking in the second half as the Friars were able to get off to a hot start and take the lead. The game remained close throughout, but they held off a tough Butler team with a score of 70-60.
The team had four players in double figures, led by a great second half performance from Cartwright who finished with 18 points and 11 assists. Jalen Lindsey ‘18 notched 13 points including his three 3-pointers that all came at crucial times in the game. Rodney Bullock ‘18 and Alpha Diallo‘20 also put up double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The team gets some time off before they look to seek revenge in another tough matchup against Creighton on Saturday. The Bluejays, led by Senior guard Marcus Foster, are coming off a blow-out loss against Xavier this weekend and play a tough Seton Hall team before coming to the Dunk.
The team is going to need a similar atmosphere to the one against Butler. Students need to be loud and energetic if the Friars are going to beat this team. Given the loss earlier in conference play, look for Ed Cooley and the guys to study the film and change what they need to change before taking the court.
After Creighton, the team heads to Philadelphia to take on the current best team in the country, the Villanova Wildcats. It is never good to be look past the next matchup, but if the Friars are able to beat Creighton, they are going to be right where they need to be heading into the matchup against number-one Villanova.
Editor’s Corner
by The Cowl Editor on January 18, 2018
Friar Sports
PC, like College Basketball, is Unpredictable this Year
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
One thing that has become clear this year in college basketball is that there is no team that is the clear-cut favorite to win the NCAA tournament come March. No team was able to make it to January undefeated. While Villanova University is currently ranked first in the country, their loss to Butler University shows how tough the Big East is and how challenging it will be for them to finish the season without another loss. Preseason favorite Duke University lost two games to unranked Boston College and North Carolina State University and needed a miracle comeback to beat the University of Miami. The Universities of Virginia and Oklahoma were both unranked coming into the year and have slowly made their way into the top-10 ranking (they are ranked second and fourth respectively).
Now how does Providence College fit into all of this? The Friars were picked to finish fourth in the Big East, behind Villanova, Xavier College, and Seton Hall University. After starting 6-1, it looked at though PC was on the verge of cracking the Associated-Press Top 25 teams, but then the Friars suffered through a 2-3 stretch that included a bad loss to University of Massachusets-Amherst, an overtime win against an average Brown University team, and a 2-point win over a poor Stony Brook College squad. With a record of 9-4 heading into Big East play, many were left questioning how PC would handle a tough Big East schedule.
So far in Big East play, PC is 4-2 with wins over Xavier, who was ranked fifth, and Butler, who beat Villanova. That’s the good side of PC’s unpredictability. The bad side is the 19-point loss to Creighton University and an overtime loss to a Marquette team where the Friars let a 6-point lead with a minute to go slip away from them. For this team to have a chance to make the NCAA tournament, PC needs to get at least a combination of two wins over Villanova, Creighton, Seton Hall and Xavier and avoid any bad losses to St. John’s University, DePaul University or Georgetown University.
It is too early to tell how PC will finish their season. The Friars had an outside chance of making the tournament last year until they tallied off six straight wins to finish the regular season. With 12 games left in the season, PC still has plenty of work to do.
Tip-ins:
· After only scoring 10 or more points twice in his first 10 games, Isaiah Jackson ’19 has reached double-digit figures six times in his last nine games
· During PC’s 3-game streak, the Friars have held opponents to an average of 65.33 points after allowing 95 points in a loss to Marquette
· In the Friars’ six losses this season guard Jalen Lindsey ’18 shoots 44.4 percent from the 3-point line but in the 12 wins he has played in, he brings that number up to 49.3 percent.