Tag: Men’s Basketball
PC Takes On Northeast Rivals
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
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.
Big East Title Up For Grabs
by The Cowl Editor on November 29, 2018
Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
With Feast Week wrapping up this past week, we are just over a month away from Big East conference play. The Big East took a hit early on in non-conference play with its strongest team, Villanova University, getting blown out by University of Michigan at home in a rematch of the National Championship game last year. They also lost to Furman University, out of the Southern Conference.
With Villanova losing four of its key players in Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVencenzo, Omari Spellman, and Mikal Bridges all to the NBA Draft in June, this is the widest open the Big East has ever been since realignment. Starting with Villanova, the Wildcats added a graduate transfer, Joe Cremo, from the University of Albany, who can knock down the three, while also bringing back some experience from the National Championship team: Eric Paschall, Collin Gillespie, and Phil Booth. Villanova added 5-star recruit Jahvon Quinerly and one of the best 3-point shooters in the Big East, Cole Swider. The Wildcats also picked up a quality win this past weekend in the Advocare Invitational by defeating Oklahoma State University and against #15 Florida State University in the Championship game. With this win, the Wildcats hoisted their sixth straight November tournament title and have reentered the Top 25 at #23.
One of the favorites to dethrone the Villanova Wildcats are the Marquette University Golden Eagles. Head Coach Steve Wojciechowski has the most talented team yet in his tenure, led by the power scoring duo of Markus Howard and Sam Hauser. Both combined to hit 206 three-pointers last year, which was good enough to place seventh in the country. This Marquette team is a potent offense especially with Howard who dropped 52 points on the Friars at the Dunk last year. This year’s team will have to focus on defense and Wojciechowski brought in two transfers in Ed Morrow from Nebraska and graduate transfer Joseph Chartouny from Fordham University, where he was among the nations leaders in steals.
Another team that has stepped into the light has been the St. John’s University Red Storm. The Johnnies bring back leading scorer Shamorie Ponds who is one of the best pure scorers in the country. This talent has garnered him the Big East Pre-Season Player of the Year and is on the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award (Best PG). Head Coach Chris Mullin was also able to pull in prized Auburn University transfer Mustapha Heron. The former 5-star recruit from Waterbury, Connecticut averaged 15.8 points per game in his first two years at Auburn and has now made St. John’s one of the best backcourts in the country. St. John’s will have to hope that their other players like Marvin Clark, Justin Simon, and L.J. Figueroa complement their uber-talented offense. If not, Chris Mullin may find himself in the hot seat.
One team that is consistently at the top of the Big East rankings is the Butler University Bulldogs. In year two under head coach LaVall Jordan, the Bulldogs look to make their 5th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs will look towards Kamar Baldwin and guard Paul Jorgensen after the departure of Kelan Martin last year. Starting the spring semester of this year, Duke University transfer Jordan Tucker will be eligible to play for the Bulldogs. Tucker was ranked No. 40 in th ESPN 100 before transferring to Butler last December due to lack of playing time. Butler was able to knock off the University of Florida Gators in the Battle 4 Atlantis last week and has a good non-conference game against Indiana and a trip down to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators again.
A team that is well under the radar is the DePaul University Blue Demons. Yes, DePaul has been in the cellar of the Big East and the laughing stock for over the last decade but they are a team that is ready to make some noise. Dave Leitao and company are looking to get back to the tournament for the first time since 2004. The Blue Demons will be led by sharpshooting guard Max Strus, who averaged 16.8 points per game last year. DePaul also will see action from Illinois transfer Jalen Coleman-Lands and grad transfer from North Carolina A&T Femi Olujobi. Although DePaul may not finish high in Big East standings, this is a much-improved team and do not sleep on them when it comes to conference play.
The biggest surprise this year is the Creighton University Bluejays. Creighton was tabbed to finish ninth in the Big East pre-season polls and lost three starters from last year. Their best returning player Martin Krampelj is coming off a torn ACL but averaged 11.9 PPG and 8.1 RPG before the injury last year. This year, Creighton holds a 5-1 record with their only loss to #16 The Ohio State University and are fresh off a victory over previously ranked #16 Clemson Tigers to win the Cayman Islands Classic. A lot of their early season success has had to do with sophomore Ty-Shon Alexander. He only averaged 5.5 PPG as a freshman but has quickly emerged as a force to be reckoned with, averaging 19.2 PPG and shooting the three ball at just under 50 percent. Alexander led the charge with 36 points in the championship game against the Clemson Tigers. Damien Jefferson, a New Mexico transfer who sat out last year is providing a nice boost with 10.8 PPG and 5.5 RPG in the starting lineup. The Blue Jays have set themselves up with a rigorous non-conference that can help the conference if they win these games. Creighton hosts #1 Gonzaga on Dec. 1 and is also scheduled to play University of Nebraska and Gonzaga University.
Conference play should be exciting once again with this year being more of a learning curve, we may see some tight and exciting games. The Big East is always a dogfight and it looks to be the same again this year.
Men’s Basketball Plays in Veterans Classic
by The Cowl Editor on November 15, 2018
Sports
By Karlene Cudak ’19
Guest Staff Writer
Within the last week, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team has taken on Wichita State University and the College of the Holy Cross. Beginning last Friday, November 9, the team fell to the Wichita State Shockers in the Veterans Classic with a score of 80-83.
The Veterans Classic is an event held annually to honor our nation’s veterans and showcase the U.S. Naval Academy. PC was chosen along with three other teams to participate in these games.
During the game against the Shockers, David Duke ’22 scored his first points in the Friars uniform during the first half of the game as he hit two free throws. He continued to score by making another layup where he was fouled. Duke was sent to the free throw line where he scored another point to make it a three-point play.
The Shockers went on a 10-0 run scoring enough points to take the lead back from the Friars leading into the halftime score of 44-39.
After the halftime locker room pep talks, the Friars came back for the second half ready to fight for the win. Isaiah Jackson ’19RS had a steal at 19:23 that was followed by a dunk by AJ Reeves ’22 assisted by Duke.
This brought the team within a three-point deficit, only to be decreased once again after Alpha Diallo ’20 stole the ball and finished the play with a fast-break layup. The Shockers were victorious in the end after a hard-fought game. However, this did not discourage the Friars as they prepared for their next game against Crusaders from the College of the Holy Cross.
The Friars prepared for a home game on Nov. 13 against the Crusaders, taking notes from their last game on how to improve in order to win. The records of the two teams were tied at 1-1 going into this game, and at the half, it looked as though the Crusaders would take the win to make their record 2-1.
The Crusaders came out of the gate with a three-court press, which caused 10 turnovers and contributed 12 of their points in the first half. Holy Cross led by four points at halftime with a score of 37-33.
The second half began with another four points scored by the Crusaders, bringing the score to 41-33, an eight-point lead over the Friars. At minute 12:51, Duke tied the game at 48-48 after the Friars fought hard to regain control of the game. They continued to hold the Crusaders at the same score, while the Friars went on a 9-0 run. Head Coach Ed Cooley credits this second half explosion to their switch to a zone defense. “I thought our defense tonight actually won us the game, which I didn’t think they could, based on the first 26 minutes of the game,” commented Cooley.
The Friars’ willpower and fight, along with Diallo’s team-high of 18 points and rebound to end the game, allowed the team to defeat the Holy Cross Crusaders 70-61. Look for more from our Friars as the play in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun Nov. 17-18 beginning with a matchup versus the University of South Carolina.
Friars Down Siena in Home Opener
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
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
Sports
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
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
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
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
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
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.