Big East Report Team Blog: Providence

FRIARS TURNAROUND BEGINS ON DEFENSE; BC UP NEXT

2010-12-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

by JEFF BORZELLO

A season ago, Providence struggled through a 12-19 campaign in which the Friars lost their final 11 games.

Keno Davis’ troops ranked next-to-last in the country in scoring defense, giving up an eye-opening 82.2 points per game. They also ranked No. 321 in field-goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot 47.1 percent.

Expectations weren’t much higher this season, as the Friars lost their two top scorers from last year, Jamine Peterson and Sharaud Curry. Moreover, with an influx of freshmen, the defense did not seem primed to improve.

Surprisingly, though, Providence currently sits at 9-1, a record that includes a double-digit win over Rhode Island.

“It’s going good so far,” sophomore guard Vincent Council told Jeff Borzello for his article at BustingtheBracket.com. “I think [we’re doing better than expected].”

The team defense has been the key so far. Opponents are scoring 65.3 points per game against the Friars, and shooting just 38.8 percent from the field. The Friars also rank No. 50 in effective field-goal percentage.

“[People underrated us because of our] youth,” Council said, “but we’re working hard.”

Marshon Brooks and Council are providing most of the offense, while first-year players Gerard Coleman and Kadeem Batts have made immediate impacts. Brooks is currently second in the conference in scoring at 21.4 points a game and is coming off a career high effort against Brown with 33 points Monday night. Council tied the school record with 16 assists in a game in the same contest and has taken over the league lead in assists, averaging 6.8.

Although the Big East is tough top-to-bottom, Providence could surprise some people if it continues to lock down on the defensive end. A busy week continues for the Friars and their new defensive prowess will be put to the test with a road game against former conference rival Boston College in Chestnut Hill tonight. The Eagles are 6-2 on the season and averaging 77 points a game in their three-game win streak that includes victories versus Cal, Indiana and UMass. On Saturday Alabama will make the trip to the Dunkin' Donuts Center from SEC country to battle the Friars.

Be sure to check out BustingtheBracket.com for more coverage from Jeff Borzello on NCAA College Basketball.

======================================================================

Don't forget the Big East fan on your holiday shopping list with 2011 Big East Tournament Tickets

this March in Madison Square Garden. Also visit our 2011 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for more details.

=============================================================================

*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****

Be the best Santa this holiday season and see the Best Holiday Deals on TV's and Electronics from Tiger Direct!

Check out the hottest deals on Reebok ZigTech sneakers, the official NBE hot holiday gift of 2010, as part of the Foot Locker Merry Kickmas Specials TODAY!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FRIARS RALLY TO BEAT YALE, BIG EAST PLAY UP NEXT

2009-12-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

Keno Davis said prior to the game that he had hoped his team learned their lesson in their loss to Iona in their previous outing. For nearly the first 30 minutes, it looked like Yale was going to teach Davis' young Providence squad another lesson. However, PC Pulls Away for an 87-78 Win Over Yale (Providence Journal) as the Friars closed the game with a 31-13 run over the final 12:28 to earn the win in their final pre-conference tune-up.

Jamine Peterson led PC with 25 points and 13 rebounds while guards Marshon Brooks, Sharaud Curry and Vincent Council each added 13 in the win.

Yale led by as much as 11 in the first half before attention to defense helped turn the game in the favor of the Friars. Now, with Big East play up next, Providence shifts its focus ahead to the start of league play in South Bend on Dec. 30 when they take on Luke Harangody and Notre Dame.

PROVIDENCE LIGHTS UP SCOREBOARD IN WIN OVER GW

2009-12-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Six players in double figures and 16 of 29 from three-point range will result in a lot of points and that is exactly what Providence got Wednesday night as an NBA Game Breaks Out and the Friars Have More Fire Power (Providence Journal) in their 110-97 win at George Washington.

The Friars' Three-Point Show Downs the Colonials (Washington Times) six different PC players made at least two from beyond the arc. The most potent sniper was senior Brian McKenzie who hit on four of five as part of his season-high 17 points. Sharaud Curry nailed three from deep and dished out 13 assists to go with his 16 points. Jamine Peterson also hit three deep balls and finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Marshon Brooks had a team-high 19 points with freshmen Bilal Dixon (18) and Vincent Council (10) rounding out the Friar double-digit scorers.

The Friars shot 52% from the floor and 55% from three-point range. Their high-paced attack also got them to the foul line 35 times where they made 26 attempts.

PC finishes their four games in seven days on Saturday when they host Iona. Providence is then off for nine days before finishing their pre-conference slate by welcoming Yale (12/21) to the Dunkin' Donuts Center and they travel to Notre Dame on 12/30 to open conference play.

PROVIDENCE REBOUNDS TO BEAST BROWN

2009-12-08T07:53:00.001-08:00

After a tight first half, in which they led 37-33, Providence pulled away from Brown for a 78-62 win, getting past the painful memories of Saturday's loss to Rhode Island.

PC Bottled Up Brown (Attleboro Sun) in the second half by extending their defense to defend the three-point threat. The Friars also used their advantages in size and athletic ability to clean up on the glass with a 56-38 reboiunding edge and also make 11 steals and block 11 shots as a team.

Jamine Peterson (22 points, nine rebounds), Kyle Wright (15 points, four rebounds, three assists) and Bilal Dixon (13 points, six rebounds) paced PC as they overcame their own shooting woes (39% from floor and 27% from three) to earn the win.

Providence is right back in action Wednesday night when they travel to DC to take on 6-1 George Washington.

PROVIDENCE LETS 16-POINT LEAD SLIP AWAY IN LOSS TO URI

2009-12-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

In their annual in-state rivalry game, Providence blew a 16-point lead in an 86-82 loss to Rhode Island, dropping the Friars record to 5-3 on the season. The Rams Have a Finishing Kick (Providence Journal) that allowed them to overcome the deficit and hang on to win on their home floor.

PC-URI Lives up to the Hype (Providence Journal), but the loss will sting the Friars and could set their young squad back in the confidence department. PC will have to bounce back quickly with three games with week. The friars host Brown tonight (see below) and Iona on Saturday with a road game against George Washington on Wednesday. Following Saturday's game, PC is not in action again until 12/21.

Redshirt soph Jamine Peterson led the Friars with 20 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday. Sharaud Curry added 17 and freshman Vincent Council scored 16.

FRIARS AVOID LATE COLLAPSE, SNEAK PAST NORTHEASTERN

2009-12-02T08:29:00.001-08:00

Providence burned the nets at a 56% shooting clip from the floor to escape hostile Northeastern with a win, the final PC 76, Northeastern 72 (Providence Journal).

The Friars, behind Sharaud Curry's 13 points in the first half, took a 40-29 lead at the break and extended the lead to 72-59 with 4:47 remaining before a 13-2 run by the hosts cut the PC lead to 74-72 in the final moments. After a Marshon Brooks airball, the Friars called timeout with 15 seconds on the game clock and one second on the shot clock. Running a set play, freshman Vincent Council found Jamie 'Big Shot' Peterson with a lob pass that the high-flying sophomore converted to beat the shot clock and clinch the win for Providence.

The senior Curry led PC with 19 points and Peterson added 18 of his own to go with 9 rebounds. In all, PC placed five players in double figures with Bilal Dixon and Council scoring 11 and Brooks adding 10.

It has come at a key time, with conference play nearing, that Curry Has Rediscovered his Shooting Touch (Providence Journal) as his 19-point performance last night followed a 20-point outing in Saturday's loss to Boston College. Curry hit seven of 10 shots last night and was three of three from beyond the arc in the first half.

The Friars move to 5-2 on the season and have their annual in-state tussle with Rhode Island on Saturday. Last night's trip to Northeastern was used to gain experience for what they will see on the road this weekend. The Huskies fell to 2-3 with the loss.

Providence Opens 2009-10 Campaign with World Vision Invitational Crown

2009-11-19T11:44:00.000-08:00

By John Sessions and Chris Crawford

The Providence College Friars survived a tough Mercer team on Sunday, Nov. 15, hanging on to win 77-75 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in downtown Providence, completing a three-game sweep as they were crowned World Vision Invitational Champions. Junior guard/forward Marshon Brooks paced the Friars with 26 points and was named the tournament MVP. Friar fans also saw the highly anticipated return of sophomore forward Jamine Peterson, who, despite being redshirted all of last year, electrified the crowd with dazzling dunks on his way to recording a career-high 22 rebounds, the most by a Providence player since Michael Smith grabbed 26 boards on Jan. 25, 1994. With the win, Providence moves to 3-0 on the season for the first time since 2005-06.

The Friars kicked off the season Friday, Nov. 13 against intrastate foe Bryant University. Nervousness was not present for this season opener, as PC jumped out to a 15-2 run, and never looked backed. By halftime the score was 50-18 and the Friars clearly looked like the superior team. Freshman forward/center Bilal Dixon led the charge for the Friars, posting a double-double in his first colligate game. Five Friars; Brooks, Sharaud Curry, Dixon, Brian McKenzie, and Peterson, finished in double figures and the press defense was pesky all night, forcing 21 turnovers. The game finished 96-53, and the 43 point victory was the largest for the Friars since 2001 when they defeated Morgan State by 44 points.

The World Vision Invitational continued for the Friars Saturday, Nov. 14 as they took on Bucknell University. The Bison proved to be a more formidable opponent for PC, as Bucknell took a 36-34 lead into halftime. Senior guard Sharaud Curry played the part of the veteran leader, putting the team ahead for the first time with a three pointer in the second half and going 8-8 at the free throw line down the stretch. The Friars were too strong for Bucknell in the paint, holding a 46-31 rebounding advantage and led 19-6 in second chance points. Ultimately, buckling down on defense and making their free throws allowed the Friars to pull away for good, winning by a final score of 76-65.

Aside from the fantastic start, Friar fans also witnessed the speed, size, and quickness of second-year coach Keno Davis’ highly touted first recruiting class. Redshirt freshman Bilal Dixon looks to be a force to be reckoned with, as he brings tremendous size and energy when he steps onto the court, while true freshmen Johnnie Lacy, Vincent Council, James Still, and Duke Mondy all contributed significant minutes this weekend. Veteran seniors Sharaud Curry and Brian McKenzie, along with junior forward transfer Russ Permenter supplied PC with the leadership they needed throughout the long weekend, especially in the closing seconds of Sunday’s game.

Providence was a perfect 3-0 in the Tournament as Curry and Peterson both earned All-Tournament accolades while Brooks was named the 2009 World Vision Invitational MVP. PC now travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Friday, Nov. 20 for an 8:00 p.m. contest against SEC opponent Alabama, beginning a string of non-conference contests in which they will look to continue their early success.
-----------------

John and Chris help cover the Friars for The Cowl, the Providence College newspaper.

YOUNG FRIARS PREPPING FOR BIG OPENING WEEKEND

2009-11-12T10:08:00.001-08:00

Its almost a completely new look team for Keno davis at Providence. Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal has a quick preview of the team in his PC Basketball at a Glance as fans have Lots to Learn about Friar Squad (Pawtucket Times). There is the potential to learn alot about the Friars this weekend as they will be playing Friday, Saturday and Sunday as part of the World Vision Classic at the Dunk. Davis is Hoping Patience and Hard Work Pays Off (Providence Journal) for his young and inexperienced Friars when the season gets under way.

JAMINE PETERSON LEADS PC IN EXHIBITION WIN

2009-11-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of NBE Basketball Report

Providence head coach Keno Davis has continually sang the praises of redshirt sophomore Jamine Peterson for the work he put in while sitting out last season to improve his game. Fans got a glimpse of that improvement on Saturday as Peterson Gets a Lot Done (Providence Journal) on the court in the Friars' 91-55 exhibition win before 6532 fans at the Dunkin' Donuts Center over Stonehill.

Peterson scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked four shots and had two steals in a very productive 23 minutes. Junior Marshon Brooks had a game-high 21 points for the Friars who open their season this weekend at the Dunk in the World Vision Invitational with games against Bryant, Bucknell and Mercer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In an effort to draw more fans on Saturday, PC Cuts Some Ticket Prices to $5 (Providence Journal) for the game with Bucknell, as well as six other games this season.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2009-09-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

September 8, 2009

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Joseph Young, 6-foot-2 shooting guard from Houston (TX) Yates

Providence picks up their third commitment for the class of 2010 as Keno Davis the Friars Snag Texan Joseph Young (Providence Journal).

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson* (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Kyle Wright (G/F), Russ Permenter (PF)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon** (F)
Freshmen: Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C), Johhnie Lacy (PG), Vincent Council (PG)
2010 Commitments: Gerard Coleman (SG), Ron Giplaye (PF), Joseph Young (SG)

Notes:
* Expected to redshirt the 2008-2009 season which would place him as a sophomore on the 2009-2010 roster

** possible 2008-2009 redshirt which would place his as a freshman on the 2009-2010 roster

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Over the last few months, it certainly looked like the Providence staff had made Tilton (NH) School and BABC standout Gerard Coleman their highest perimeter priority in the class of 2010. That fact was also not lost on Coleman as he made a verbal commitment to the Friars earlier this spring.

With the July Open Evaluation period underway, the Friars added their second verbal commitment for the class of 2010 as Coleman's BABC teammate Ron Giplaye made a verbal pledge to Keno Davis and his hard-working staff.

Now, as the summer has ended and fall begins, the Friars have added a third member to their 2010 recruiting class when they received a verbal commitment from Joseph Young, a 6-foot-two shooting guard out of Houston (TX). Many college basketball fans might be familiar with Young's father, Michael, who was a member of Houston's fabled Phi Slamma Jamma clubs that played for Guy Lewis alongside Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwan.

Joseph Young caught the attention of PC staff members early in July with his play at the Reebok All-American camp and Keno Davis was spotted watching Young again later in the month at the Reebok Summer Championships and he finished third among the top scorers at Reebok with 23.8 ppg and had 29 in the game NBE saw Davis watching.

Young is a long-distance sniper that fills a role in Davis' style of play of having multiple shooters on the floor at one time and take advantage of spreading the court. While Young is quite under the radar, he is definitely a quality recruit.

Giplaye is a physically strong and tough 6-foot-7 power forward that will do the dirty work in the paint and on the boards. Giplaye is a native of Lowell (MA) and moved to Delaware, but has returned to the region, attending Notre Dame Prep and playing with the BABC AAU program. Giplaye is accurately compared to another former Massachusetts native that starred in the Big East.

"I had Jeff Adrien and Ron's that type of player. He makes people's lives miserable," said Ryan Hurd, Giplaye's coach at Notre Dame Prep, to the Providence Journal. "He's strong; he's like a man playing with boys. Guys back down from him."

While next season might have some growing pains in store for the Friars, Keno Davis certainly seems to have them pointed in the right direction with his efforts on the recruiting trail. The 2009 class looks to have replenished the roster and the talent is starting to assemble with the 2010 class and Coleman might have been the spark needed to get things started.

“I was all set with Providence and didn’t want to risk losing my spot with them,” Coleman told the Providence Journal last month. “I like the way they play. There’s a lot of good times to come at Providence.”

The 6-foot-3 guard is a native of Mattapan (MA), near Boston, and chose to commit PC while also considering UConn and Clemson in the recruiting process.

With the PC backcourt scheduled to graduate Brian McKenzie and Sharaud Curry after the 2009-2010 season, Coleman's ability to score the basketball will be a needed trait. Coleman, right now, is a better athlete than pure basketball shooter and gets his points attacking off the dribble and in transition. He should find a very good fit in the PC system under Keno Davis as the Friars will surround him with quality shooters that will spread the floor and allow him to attack off the dribble.

The commitment from Young, on paper, fills PC's available scholarships to the NCAA maximum of 13 for the 2010-2011 season. While they will certainly continue monitoring 2010 players in case an opening arises, the Friars have been very active in getting some of the top underclassmen in New England on their campus already this fall.

Another big man from New England with an outside touch the Friars are monitoring is Tyler Olander. The 6-foot-9 lefty earned an invite to the Reebok All-American camp and has seen his stock rise this spring, with UConn reportedly offering as well.

Andre Drummond, a 6-foot-10 sophomore from Connecticut who will attend St. Thomas More this year, who is regarded as one of the top two players in the class of 2012 made a visit to the PC campus late in August.

According to the Providence Journal, another big sophomore, 6-foot-11 Kaleb Tarczewski of New Hampshire and the St. Mark’s School in Framingham (MA), visited in the same week. So did Naadir Tharpe, a junior point guard from Boston who preps at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire.

Two St. Andrew’s School stars are on the PC radar as well. Ricky Ledo and his father visited with Davis and staff last week and Mike Carter-Williams was also expected to visit before the month ended.

Other 2011 prospects mentioning the Friars earlier this summer included Penn Wood forward Aaron Brown and St. Raymond's big man Joey De La Rosa also have mentioned the Friars as early possibilities in the class of 2011 and 2012 prospect Alex Murphy did so as well. Others in 2011 listing the Friars recently include NYC guards Davontay Grace and Mike Taylor.

It certainly sounds like Keno Davis and his staff are moving in the right direction quickly on the recruiting front.

BIG EAST RECRUITING REPORT: PROVIDENCE

2009-07-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

July 10, 2009

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Ron Giplaye, 6-foot-7 power forward from Notre Dame Prep

Providence picks up their second big commitment for the class of 2010 by landing under-appreciated, but very good Ron Giplaye out of Notre Dame Prep. In Giplaye Friars Land Another Prized Recruit from Mass. (Providence Journal), joining AAU teammate Gerard Coleman, who committed last month.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson* (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Kyle Wright (G/F), Russ Permenter (PF)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon** (F)
Freshmen: Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C), Johhnie Lacy (PG), Vincent Council (PG)
2010 Commitments: Gerard Coleman (SG), Ron Giplaye (PF)

Notes:
* Expected to redshirt the 2008-2009 season which would place him as a sophomore on the 2009-2010 roster

** possible 2008-2009 redshirt which would place his as a freshman on the 2009-2010 roster

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Over the last few months, it certainly looked like the Providence staff had made Tilton (NH) School and BABC standout Gerard Coleman their highest perimeter priority in the class of 2010. That fact was also not lost on Coleman as he made a verbal commitment to the Friars in the middle of last month.

Now, with the July Open Evaluation period underway, the Friars have added their second verbal commitment for the class of 2010 as Coleman's BABC teammate Ron Giplaye has made a verbal pledge to Keno Davis and his hard-working staff.

Giplaye is a physically strong and tough 6-foot-7 power forward that will do the dirty work in the paint and on the boards. Giplaye is a native of Lowell (MA) and moved to Delaware, but has returned to the region, attending Notre Dame Prep and playing with the BABC AAU program. Giplaye is accurately compared to another former Massachusetts native that starred in the Big East.

"I had Jeff Adrien and Ron's that type of player. He makes people's lives miserable," said Ryan Hurd, Giplaye's coach at Notre Dame Prep, to the Providence Journal. "He's strong; he's like a man playing with boys. Guys back down from him."

While next season might have some growing pains in store for the Friars, Keno Davis certainly seems to have them pointed in the right direction with his efforts on the recruiting trail. The 2009 class looks to have replenished the roster and the talent is starting to assemble with the 2010 class and Coleman might have been the spark needed to get things started.

“I was all set with Providence and didn’t want to risk losing my spot with them,” Coleman told the Providence Journal last month. “I like the way they play. There’s a lot of good times to come at Providence.”

The 6-foot-3 guard is a native of Mattapan (MA), near Boston, and chose to commit PC while also considering UConn and Clemson in the recruiting process.

With the PC backcourt scheduled to graduate Brian McKenzie and Sharaud Curry after the 2009-2010 season, Coleman's ability to score the basketball will be a needed trait. Coleman, right now, is a better athlete than pure basketball shooter and gets his points attacking off the dribble and in transition. He should find a very good fit in the PC system under Keno Davis as the Friars will surround him with quality shooters that will spread the floor and allow him to attack off the dribble.

With commitments from Coleman and Giplaye, the Friars got a nice start for the class of 2010. With assistant Pat Skerry combing the New England prep and high school ranks for talent, the Friars are in very good shape to land the cherry to top off the class the right way with their last open scholarship. The current top target has been Carson Desrosiers, a 6-foot-10 big man from Lawrence (MA) Central Catholic. With his ability to handle, pass and shoot from the perimeter, as well as finish inside, Desrosiers looks to be ideal for the PC system under Davis. The competition will not be asy as Syracuse, Marquette, Purdue, Arizona State and others have offered and recruited him heavily and now Florida looks to be getting involved as well.

Another big man from New England with an outside touch the Friars are monitoring is Tyler Olander. The 6-foot-9 lefty has earned an invite to the Reebok All-American camp and has seen his stock rise this spring, with UConn reportedly offering as well.

Brentwood High School on Long Island is the home of J.J. Moore and the class of 2010 small forward is one of the fastest risers in the class while playing with the NY Panthers this spring. With many in the Big East interested, Moore expressed a desire to visit PC in the near future while playing at the Rumble in the Bronx.

Another talented small forward with a variety of skills is NY Gaucho and Rice HS small forward Shane Southwell. The Friars have offered him a scholarship and many in the Big East are very intrigued by the long and athletic 6-foot-5 Southwell. Shaq Thomas has also been on the PC radar for 2010 as a small forward, however, the nephew of former Villanova star Tim Thomas indicated to NBE at the Rumble in the Bronx he will reclass into the class of 2011 this fall.

More of a power forward than a small forward, Ashton Pankey also claimed a PC offer at the recent Rumble in the Bronx. Ryan Rhoomes of Cardoza is also on the radar.

With the signings of Johnny Lacy and Vincent Council in the class of 2009, point guard is not a priority for the Friars in 2010, however, Tyreek Duren and Russ Smith have both seen PC bring some attention on the trail their way as well as Denzel Brito. However, with their last scholarship likely going to a frontcourt player, it seems they are no longer top targets of the PC staff

The interest from players in the class of 2010 in the Friars seemed strong at the Rumble in the Bronx, but also 2011 prospect Majok Majok mentioned PC and at the recent Hoop Group Elite team camp, Penn Wood forward Aaron Brown and St. Raymond's big man Joey De La Rosa also have mentioned the Friars as early possibilities in the class of 2011 and 2012 prospect Alex Murphy did so as well. Others in 2011 listing the Friars recently include NYC guards Davontay Grace and Mike Taylor, Sidiki Johnson, a teammate of De La Rosa's at St. Ray's, Myles Davis of St. Peter's Prep and NJ forward Jerelle Reischel.

It certainly sounds like Keno Davis and his staff are moving in the right direction quickly on the recruiting front.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2009-06-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2009

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Gerard Coleman, 6-foot-4 SG from Tilton (NH) School

Providence picks up a big commitment for the class of 2010 by landing one of their top targets and Keno Davis continues to plow ahead in putting his stamp on the PC program. PC, Davis Score Major Recruiting Victory by Landing Tilton's Gerard Coleman this weekend.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson* (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Kyle Wright (G/F), Russ Permenter (PF)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon** (F)
Freshmen: Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C), Johhnie Lacy (PG), Vincent Council (PG)
2010 Commitments: Gerard Coleman (SG)

Notes:
* Expected to redshirt the 2008-2009 season which would place him as a sophomore on the 2009-2010 roster

** possible 2008-2009 redshirt which would place his as a freshman on the 2009-2010 roster

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Over the last few months, it certainly looked like the Providence staff had made Tilton (NH) School and BABC standout Gerard Coleman their highest perimeter priority in the class of 2010. That fact was also not lost on Coleman as he made a verbal commitment to the Friars over the weekend.

“I was all set with Providence and didn’t want to risk losing my spot with them,” Coleman told the Providence Journal Sunday night. “I like the way they play. There’s a lot of good times to come at Providence.”

The 6-foot-3 guard is a native of Mattapan (MA), near Boston, and chose to commit PC while also considering UConn and Clemson in the recruiting process.

With the PC backcourt scheduled to graduate Brian McKenzie and Sharaud Curry after the 2009-2010 season, Coleman's ability to score the basketball will be a needed trait. Coleman, right now, is a better athlete than pure basketball shooter and gets his points attacking off the dribble and in transition. He should find a very good fit in the PC system under Keno Davis as the Friars will surround him with quality shooters that will spread the floor and allow him to attack off the dribble.

With Coleman's commitment, the Friars get a nice start for the class of 2010. With assistant Pat Skerry combing the New England prep and high school ranks for talent, the Friars are in very good shape to land a couple more players with their remaining two open scholarships. Along with Coleman, the other top target has been Carson Desrosiers, a 6-foot-10 big man from Lawrence (MA) Central Catholic. With his ability to handle, pass and shoot from the perimeter, as well as finish inside, Desrosiers looks to be ideal for the PC system under Davis. The competition will not be asy as Syracuse, Marquette, Purdue, Arizona State and others have offered and recruited him heavily and now Florida looks to be getting involved as well.

Another big man from New England with an outside touch the Friars are monitoring is Tyler Olander. The 6-foot-9 lefty has earned an invite to the Reebok All-American camp next month and has seen his stock rise this spring. Will Regan of the City Rocks AAU program and Buffalo-Nichols is a big man PC is in the mix with as well.

At the small forward position, Fuquan Edwin is a player the Friars have been following often. Edwin is a standout with Paterson (NJ) Catholic and the NJ Playaz. Reportedly, Edwin will likely decide between Seton Hall and PC and could do so by July as he plans to visit both schools before the end of June. The Friars have a great need for a player of his position in the class of 2010.

Brentwood High School on Long Island is the home of J.J. Moore and the class of 2010 small forward is one of the fastest risers in the class while playing with the NY Panthers this spring. With many in the Big East interested, Moore expressed a desire to visit PC in the near future while playing at the Rumble in the Bronx.

Another talented small forward with a variety of skills is NY Gaucho and Rice HS small forward Shane Southwell. The Friars have offered him a scholarship and many in the Big East are very intrigued by the long and athletic 6-foot-5 Southwell. Shaq Thomas has also been on the PC radar for 2010 as a small forward, however, the nephew of former Villanova star Tim Thomas indicated to NBE at the Rumble in the Bronx he will reclass into the class of 2011 this fall.

More of a power forward than a small forward, Ashton Pankey also claimed a PC offer at the recent Rumble in the Bronx.

With the signings of Johnny Lacy and Vincent Council in the class of 2009, point guard is not a priority for the Friars in 2010, however, Tyreek Duren and Russ Smith have both seen PC bring some attention on the trail their way as well as Denzel Brito.

The interest from players in the class of 2010 in the Friars seemed strong at the Rumble in the Bronx, but also 2011 prospect Majok Majok mentioned PC and 2012 prospect Alex Murphy did so as well. It certainly sounds like Keno Davis and his staff are moving in the right direction quickly on the recruiting front.

McDermott Weighing Future Options

2009-05-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

May 1, 2009

By Zach Smart

Tim Welsh recalls hounding down Geoff McDermott when the 6-foot-7 forward mounted his Divison-I stock at New Rochelle High School. McDermott was evolving into a highly sought after product on the recruiting market, and everyone from Fred Hill to Mike Krzyzewski was checking out the versatile kid from Westchester County, N.Y.

The Section I/Westchester County hoops culture was buzzing. College coaches had one on eye on McDermott, one eye on the game. They kept tabs on his well-rounded numbers and watched him make his teammates better.

McDermott's cat-quick evolution, one that pan out and receive plenty of major D-I love his senior year, was intriguing.

McDermott's game took off mid-way through his junior year at New Rochelle. He ran the show and played off the ball for the Huguenots, garnering respect from cats like Keith Benjamin (Pitt), Dexter Gray (St. John's/Iona), Jonathon Mitchell (Florida/Rutgers), Mike Coburn (Rutgers), and Chris Lowe (UMass) at Mount Vernon.

One of the most storied rivalries in Section I was heated back then, and McDermott had officially evolved into the new block during the 2003-04 season.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

He played sparingly as a rail-skinny sophomore.

After getting into a fight with the weight room, filling out, and smoothing over gaps in his game that summer (he developed into a presence in the running and passing game), McDermott began to flower.

He led the New Rochelle Huguenots to multiple marquee victories and made it an interesting game against Mount Vernon.

His fundamentally sound approach, coupled with rarified versatility garnered the attention of then-Providence coach Tim Welsh.

Welsh felt that McDermott's balanced game would be a glove-fit at Providence, a burgeoning Big East school that raised eyebrows during the Donnie McGrath/Ryan Gomes phenomenon.

For Welsh, however, there was one problem which surfaced.

Providence was lacking a considerable recruiting tool. Other potential major Division-I suitors such as Syracuse, Arizona State, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and Wisconsin (where he took an official visit) were utilizing this tool to lure the 6-foot-6 235-pound forward into an early commitment.

The Badgers had another Westchester County player in former Edgemont HS fullback Matt Bernstein, who could have lured the kid to take the snaps in football-crazed Madison, Wisc.

Providence, of course, didn't have a football team.

McDermott, an all-state quarterback who led New Rochelle to the 2004 Class AA championship, wanted to pursue both sports.

McDermott was the highly-touted signal caller for a memorable team (arguably the best in school history) that featured former Rutgers running back Ray Rice, who now plays in the NFL.

Rice and McDermott are tight, they've known each other since they were elementary schoolers, and it was McDermott who convinced the blink-quick 5-foot-9, muscle-bound Rice to play basketball for New Rochelle his senior year. But the tandem wouldn't continue their success on the gridiron in college.

Then, McDermott made a gut decision. He decided his athletic future would center around basketball, and narrowed his choices down to Duke, Providence, and Boston College.

McDermott's uncle, Keith, said that academics played a role in his nephew's decision. All three schools were known as prestigious academic institutions.

Keith McDermott, who says his missed maybe three of Goeff's games in his four-year career at Providence, said he knew his nephew would be able to master the transition to point-forward.

It was after his freshman year--when McDermott averaged 8.9 points and 9.0 boards--that McDermott was asked to shoulder the role of playmaker. He morphed into Mr. Versatility, averaging five dimes his junior and senior year.

"From my standpoint, I think hes always been a good rebounder and a good passer. I know everyone harps on his quarterback days." said Keith McDermott, who lives in nearby Milton, Mass. and was raised in Money Earnin' Mount Vernon.

"He's an unselfish person, he's always looking to get everyone involved. That, more than anyhing else. Being an unselfish person, being a quarterback, he was sort of forced to play the point. That kind of reinforced his passing more than anything else."

Donnie McGrath was there to mentor him his freshman season. McGrath, another Section I kid who re-wrote the record book at Kennedy HS (Somers, N.Y.) passed the pigment out of the basketball before passing the baton to Geoff Mac. McGrath had tryouts with the Knicks in 2006. His current whereabouts are unknown.

McDermott's collegiate career ended in March. Unfortunately, the Friars' folded under an avalanche of Jack McClinton 3-pointers. The Friars fell to Miami, 78-66, in the NIT. McClinton was the catalyst, dialing in for seven treys. McClinton broke his own school record for most three-pointers in a season.

If there were changes other than McDermott's enhanced leadership role and increased presence in the passing lanes, they were subtle.

"G-MAC" averaged 9 points, 9 boards, and five assists his sophomore year. As a junior, he posted a similar line with 10 points, eight boards, and five dimes. As a senior, McDermott averaged 8 points, 8 caroms, and three dimes.

No question, McDermott will be sorely missed in Providence next year.

Not to worry.

One player who will likely cushion the rangy playmaker's loss is Providence-bound point guard Johnnie Lacy, who operates the high-tempo offense at Notre Dame Prep.

While McDermott's career in the Big East may be finished, I'll bet dollars to donuts he's not hanging the kicks up.

A peacock-proud uncle says his nephew is most focused on graduating with a
degree in business. He only has about a month left, so I won't give a "congrats Geoff" shoutout just yet.

After a solid four-year stay with the Friars, G-MAC will most likely take his game over the pond, for a career in Europe or elsewhere.

PC INTERESTED IN LEGACY RECRUIT

2009-04-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Corey Wright Jr. displays all the 'wright' moves on the court

by Zach Smart

Corey Wright Jr. dribbled through traffic and broke down the defense, his head up and eyes burning.

When the CBC 17U unit tried to put the clamps on the small, but cat-quick guard, they were too late.

Wright Jr., widely regarded as one of the top 2010 guards across the New England basketball landscape, whipped a precision pass to an open teammate.

He provided his teammates with buckets easier than Sunday morning and sliced his way to the cup.

Simply put, Wright Jr.'s court vision, ability to alter his speed, propensity to fend off defensive pressure, better his teammates and fuel a number of momentum-swinging runs turned heads at the Freeman Athletic Center.

Short in stature, Wright Jr.'s heart seems to pump lion's blood at a frantic pace. Hellbent on winning, Wright Jr. is the prototypical true point guard.

The Providence-bred youngster has run the show at Marianapolis Prep.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

It's helped him launch a stock that a bevy of high-end Division-I programs are now reaching into their pockets and buying into.

"He's received a couple offers so far," said Corey Wright Sr., referencing Fordham and Delaware.

"But he's starting to get looks from the bigger schools like Vanderbilt, Rutgers and Providence. We're not even feeding into it yet. When it's time, in the summer, then we'll take it more seriously. (Recruiting) is a process."

Pops knows from experience. The Harlem, N.Y. product was recruited by Bobby Gonzalez when he was an assistant on Pete Gillen's staff to Providence College.

Wright Sr. was also a point guard and was part of a tornado of talent recruiting class which featured God Shammgod.

That squad put the Friars back on the college basketball map, advancing all the way to the elite eight in one of the most prosperous seasons in PC history.

Providence has shown heavy interest of the legacy, albeit they have yet to offer.

If I was a betting man, I'd say it's because they already secured Notre Dame Prep PG Johnnie Lacy in the 2009 recruiting class, as well as Vincent Council.

Wright Jr. handled Lacy, significantly, the last time the two guards with a similar make-up encountered each other.

Based on the way Wright Jr. thoroughly scraped the competition at the Hoophall Classic at Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.) this past weekend, his stock certainly won't plummet.

The kid has the necessary tools to evolve into a considerable Big East prospect.

With maturity and poise, mastering the intangibles should be no problem for the neophyte.

His father has noticed his son's progression as a playmaker.

As time progresses, a flock of coaches will too.

I can bet my bottom dollar on that one.

FRIARS CLASS INKS TWO, UP TO SEVEN SIGNED

2009-04-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

April 17, 2009

Providence has been busy recruiting under Keno Davis and this week PC Signs Two Recruits (Providence Journal) as Vincent Council of the Patterson (NC) School and JUCO forward Russ Permenter of Temple (TX) College have signed with the Friars in the spring period as the PC staff hopes that the latest additions will help the Friars return to America's newest favorite past time in the near future, the college basketball betting pools of March Madness!

Council and Permenter join Kadeem Batts, Johnnie Lacy, Duke Mondy, James Still and Kyle Wright (JUCO) as newcomers for the Friars next season.

Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal also adds some Transfer Talk, speculating that the Friars could be in the mix to add a high-profile transfer. With Alex Kellogg leaving the program, PC still ahs a scholarship open and a couple transfer candidates could be Allen Chaney, a CT native, who is leaving Florida and Quintrell Thomas, who is moving on from Kansas.

Thomas could look to the Big East or A-10 schools, while Chaney indicated that he would consider PC, URI and Georgetown, among other schools.

BET GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE VS LOUISVILLE

2009-03-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

March 12, 2009

Providence kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alove as a Late Friars Surge Holds Off DePaul and PC ends the Blue Demons' season with an 83-74 win.

Sharaud Curry led PC with 25 points and Weyinmi Efejuku added 23 in the win in a game that Keno Davis' squad could not afford to lose.

Their reward is a date with the 2009 Big East Tournament's No. 1 seed, Louisville, at high noon today at Madison Square. At stake for PC could be a bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

Providence Friars Eye NCAA Tournament Bid (Hartford Courant)
Friars Survive Big Day for Two Blue Demons (Courier-Journal)
Pitno Denied the Honors He Deserves (Courier-Journal)
Cards: New York Not Neutral (Courier-Journal)
Friars Used Bye to their Advantage Against DePaul (Providence Journal)
After Win over DePaul, Providence Season Comes Down to Louisville Game (Providence-Journal)
Friars Hung in With Louisville in February - For Awhile (Providence Journal)

Despite a 10-8 Big East regular season, earning a bye as the 8th place team in a conference once thought of as a 10-bid league, it is likely that Providence will need a win over Louisville in the Big East Tournamant quarterfinals to secure a spot in the 'Big Dance' when the selections are announced on Sunday. That is an awfully tall order for the Friars, who lost at Louisville back on February 18th, 94-76.

While the 18-point difference seems daunting, there are a few facts to keep in mind about the previous meeting. The Friars shot 50% from the floor in enemy territory and out-rebounded the Cards. However, the difference in the game was turnovers. PC turned the ball over 22 times (while just forcing UL to turn it over 9 times) as the UL press took its toll.

The Friars need to do a better job against the pressure, and there is no reason to believe they will not. They have the experience of going through it once and the game tape to improve on their mistakes. They have a veteran back court with redshirt junior Sharaud Curry along with four senior starters in Weyinmi Efejuku, Jeff Xavier, Geoff McDermott and Jonathan Kale. This group has pulled together before, in a stirring upset of Pittsburgh, and they can definitely do it once again.

In order to do so, they will have to prevent Terrence Williams and Earl Clark from turning their defensive pressure into quick strike points the other way. The Friars have to defend the perimeter in earnest, not allowing Edgar Sosa, Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles to find comfort shooting from the perimeter. PC showed they could rebound and score against UL, now they need to show they can handle the ball.

Louisville will be the test case for the double-bye as they will be playing their first game in the Big East Tournament. All the favorites won on Wednesday, as expected, but there definitely seems to be a severe drop from the top 7 (or eight if PC can prove themselves worthy) and the rest of the league. These next three days should be awfully fun!! With their defensive pressure, the Cards should be able to wear down PC and that is likely to make the difference.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisville 75
Providence 68

FRIARS LATE SURGE HOLDS OFF DEPAUL

2009-03-12T05:57:00.001-07:00

By Zach Smart

NEW YORK--The callow, sophomore-anchored ballclub looked as if they
could stage another Big East upset. We're talking a titanic, monumental
upset that would bury Providence's desire to dance this season.

DePaul--yes, that DePaul, the team that worked through the meat and
maximum of their conference slate and didn't come out with anything
other than an 0-18 quagmire--was giving the senior-led Providence
Friars the business before a lunch-time crowd at Madison Square
Garden.

Yes, that Providence. The team who outlasted Syracuse and
blood-lettered Pittsburgh and talked all pre-season about their desire
for a first-ever NCAA tournament berth during their time as Friars.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

So, Jerry Wainwright's nucleus of neophytes--led by an aggressive,
swift scorer in Dar Tucker--gave the black-and-white clad fans some
early jitter bugs.

DePaul instigated a torrent of turnovers (the Friars committed seven
first-half turnovers before DePaul had committed one) and sealed off
7-foot Randall Hanke down low. They put the clamps on the Friars,
forcing Sharaud Curry into some errant passes and poor decisions.

DePaul buried the Friars with a barrage of three-pointers. Will Walker,
Tucker, and seldom-used forward Mario Stula (the Croatian had just
seven three-pointers leading up to the game but canned three pivotal
treys in 13 minutes).

They also featured Tucker, who finished with 30 points on 10-for-22
shooting. The low NBA prospect has the potential to be one of the top
players in the conference next season and showed it on the biggest
stage Wednesday.

DePaul had held a thin margin for much of the second half and another
upset appeared to be on its way.

Then, suddenly, the elder statesman on the court thwarted young
DePaul's momentum surge.

Jeff Xavier, Providence's 23-year-old senior, canned an open trey from
the corner, providing the Friars with a 64-62 lead with under five
minutes remaining.

Xavier's three was timely. It injected the life that Providence (7-6 in
their last 13 games) has been sorely lacking during such a high-stakes,
fate-determinant game. Early on, however, Providence was sleepwalking,
playing without passion, as if it was their game to lose.

The three-pointer triggered a vital 8-0 run capped by Geoff McDermott's
coast-to-coast layup. Wedged in between was a strong take to the rack
by Weyinmi Efejuku and a jumper from Curry.

Curry and Efejuku paced the Friars with 25 and 23, respectively. Will
Walker, who went 6-for-13 from downtown, led all scorers with 31
points.

DePaul suffered a late-game drought, surrendering a head-spinning 15-1
spurt they were never able to recover from.

The last thing this team of young guns can do is put their heads down.
They came into this tournament with nothing to lose and scored a solid
upset, sending Cincinnati home packing.

Jerry Wainwright chose the path this young team is on. He opted not to
recruit any players on the junior college circuit and instead build for
the future.

The momentum-pendulum was swinging their way at full force when Keno
Davis picked up a technical with 8:32 remaining.

In a topsy-turvey game that was accompanied by a great March
atmosphere, the seniors staved off a good show by the sophomores.

FRIARS LOOK TO MOVE TOWARD NCAA BID VS DEPAUL

2009-03-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

March 11, 2009

Day two of the 2009 Big East Tournament (see link for tickets) tips off at high noon with DePaul facing Providence in Madison Square Garden.

The Blue Demons snapped an 18-game losing streak with a 67-57 tournament opening win over Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Blue Demons got 17 points a piece from Will Walker and Dar Tucker and they shocked slumping Cincinnati.

The Friars come to New York City as the tourney's 9th seed following a 10-8 Big East conference season. Many thought that 10 wins in this year's Big East would make a team a lock for the 2009 NCAA Tournament, but the Friars definitely look to have more work to do, especially with Cleveland State knocking off Butler last night, likely taking away an at-large bid for the bubble teams.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on today's contest:

Kale Gives Hopeful Friars a Spark (Sun Chronicle)
Friars Defensive About NCAA Tourney Chance (Sun Chronicle)
Frars Aim: Change That New York State of Mind (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview: PC vs DePaul (Providence Journal)
A Year After PC Fired Him, Tim Welsh Still Roots for Friars (Providence Journal)
With Senior Laden Group, Providence Smiling on Keno Davis (Chicago Tribune)
No So Blue, DePaul Advances (Beacon News)
DePaul Upsets Cincinnati in Big East Tournament Opener (Chicago Tribune)

This is a good news-bad news scenario for Providence College. The good news, they are heavily favored according to the latest college basketball betting odds (-9 1/2) to win and advance to the Big East quarterfinals with a victory against DePaul. However, for a team in need of a win (or two) that means something, beating the Blue Demons, a team that is 9-23 on the season, is not going to grab anyone's attention.

These two teams met back in early January with the Friars victorious at home, 62-54. The Friars had four players in double figures in the win, led by Weyinmi Efejuku's game-high 18 points. The held the Blue Demons to 35% shooting and leading scorer Dar Tucker was just 4-17 from the field.

The Friars have a deep backcourt, led by senior Efejuku and redshirt junior Sharaud Curry, and they have some size with Geoff McDermott and Jonathan Kale inside and Randall Hanke can be a productive player off the bench against a team like DePaul.

While the Blue Demons are playign with house money as a 16-seed advancing to round two of the Big East Tournament, they will be facing a tough uphill battle in this game. Having the experience of one game in Madison Square Garden under their belt should help and the Friars have all the pressure on them, look for DePaul to possibly get out of the gates quicker than the Friars.

But, in the end, PC will take control of the game near the end of the 1st half and begin to set the cruise. If they win, their date with Louisville in the quarterfinals will be their biggest game in some time.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 72
DePaul 61

PROVIDENCE HEADS TO BIG EAST TOURNAMENT STILL BUILDING NCAA RESUME

2009-03-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

March 6, 2009

The was plenty at stake last night at the Pavilion on the Villanova campus when the Wildcats hosted Providence in the Big East regular season finale for both clubs. A win for 'Nova would clinch a cherished top-four finish in the Big East standings. For the Friars, a win would go a long way in putting them on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble.

With the emotion and energy of their fans honoring seniors Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark, Dante Cunningham and Frank Tchuisi, all playing their final home game, Villanova Cruises to Win and Byes (Philadelphia Inquirer) in rounds one and two of the Big East Tournament by locking up fourth place in the conference with a 97-80 win over PC.

Junior Scottie Reynolds led the Wildcats with 23 points and Cunningham and Anderson made their final appearance in the Pavillion, where Villanova has won 28 straight, memorable by scoring 19 points a piece as Villanova Earns Byes and Nearly a Week Off With Win over Providence (Philly Daily News). 'Nova's next action will come Thursday in the 2009 Big East Tournament with a 2 PM game at Madison Square Garden.

Sophomores Corey Fisher (13 points) and Corey Stokes (11 points) also reached double figures and junior Reggie Redding led the unselfish Wildcats with 11 assists and zero turnovers. As a team, Jay Wright's squad had an impressive 26:7 assist to turnover ratio in the contest with assists on 74% of their made field goals.

By contrast, Providence turned the ball over 22 times and helped lead to VU getting 17 more field goal attempts in the game as the Friars Miss Chance Make their Case for an NCAA Bid (Providence Journal) and will likely have work to do in next week's Big East Tournament to keep from falling off the bubble and into the NIT. For now, the Friars take Aim at Winning the Big East Tournament (Providence Journal) in which they will be seeded anywhere between 6th and 8th depending on Saturday's outcomes for Syracuse and West Virginia.

Weyinmi Efejuku continued to have a hot hand for the Friars, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Sharaud Curry and Jonathan Kale each scored 14, with Kale also adding 11 rebounds for PC.

PROVIDENCE LOOKS TO FINALIZE RESUME AGAINST 'NOVA

2009-03-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

March 5, 2009

The stakes are always high in college basketball in March. The regular season finales in the Big East begin tonight and there is a lot riding on the match-up in Philadelphia between Villanova and Providence.

The Wildcats enter the contest with a 12-5 Big East record and 24-6 overall mark. While selection Sunday will not be a sweat for 'Nova, a win tonight in the regular season finale would clinch a top four finish in the Big East, meaning a double bye in the 2009 Big East Tournament which begins next week in Madison Square Garden.

The stakes for Providence are much higer. With a 10-7 Big East conference record, PC has put themselves in good position to be invited to the Big Dance. However, their overall mark of 18-11 keeps them squarely on the bubble and very vulnerable to falling on the wrong side. A road win over the Wildcats, couples with resume building wins over Syracuse and Pitt at home should be plenty for the Friars to take their place in the Field of 65.

Here are some game previews and stories on tonight's game:

Villanova Needs Win Tonight Against Providence to Improve Big EastTournament Seeding (Philadelphia Daily News)
Capsule Preview: PC at Villanova (Providence Journal)
PC Can Help Itself Off NCAA Tournament Bubble with Win at Villanova (Providence Journal)

The Friars and Wildcats met in Rhode Island back on February 4th and 'Nova held off a furious late came rally by PC to hold on for a 94-91 win. Scottie Reynolds led Jay Wright's squad with 31 points in that contest.

Villanova led 49-34 at the half and built there lead to as much as 20 points in the earlier meeting before a slwe of three's and driving buckets by Sharaud Curry and Wyinmi Efejuku ignited the comeback. A three by Efejuku with four seconds remaining closed the gap to 92-91, but it was too little too late.

According to the latest college basketball lines, Villanova is a 10 1/2-point favorite tonight in a game at their on-campus home, the Pavillion, where 'Nova has won 27-straight. Their home loss last weekend occurred at the Wachovia Center. The rebounded from the 56-54 setback against Georgetown to blow past Notre Dame on the road after halftime Monday night.

It is also senior night for the Wildcats and a chance for their fans to send-off leading scorer and rebounder Dante Cunningham as well as Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark and Frank Tchiusi.

The keys for 'Nova will be their perimeter defense, something that is usually a great strength of their club, led by Corey Fisher, Reynolds and Reggie Redding. They will be matched up against Currey, Efejuku and Jeff Xaiver predominately on the PC side. Villanova is certainly aware they can put up points in a hurry, but so can they, especially on their comfy and cozy home floor.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 88
Providence 75

PROVIDENCE BUILDS RESUME FOR NCAA'S

2009-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

March 2, 2009

Providence showed little sign of a letdown from their monumental upset of No. 1 Pittsburgh earlier in the week as they led host Rutgers 62-43 with 8:35 remaining in their Big East conference match-up on Sunday afternoon.

However, the Scarlet Knights did not go away without a fight as they embarked on a 16-0 run in the next five and a half minutes to cut the lead to 62-59 with three-minutes left. After a PC timeout, Jeff Xavier's Three-Pointer Thwarts Rutgers' Rally (Providence Journal) as PC wins 73-66. Xavier's 25-footer was the lone field goal made by the Friars in the last 8:35 of the game.

Weyinmi Efejuku led PC with 28 points and Xaiver added 13. PC's Reward is a Bye in the Big East Tournament (Providence Journal) as their two-game sweep over UC guarantees them a finish no-worse than 8th in the Big East.

Will a bigger reward such as an invite to the NCAA Tournament be forthcoming as well? The Friars close out their regular season Thursday night with a game at Villanova. With a 10-7 record in the Big East, which includes a win over No. 1 Pitt, a road win against a ranked 'Nova could punch their ticket. Otherwise, they might have some work to do next week at the 2009 Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden, which could be a virtual play-in game against Cincinnati or Notre Dame, the two most-likely candidates to be the #9 seed.

MONSTER RESUME BUILDER: PROVIDENCE UPSEND NO. 1 PITT

2009-02-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

February 25, 2009

It was a big night in Providence Tuesday as the Friars Shock No. 1 Pittsburgh (Pawtucket Times), 81-73, and but themselves in serious position to claim an NCAA Tournament bid.

Things looked bleak for the Friars and their chances for an invite to the Big Dance following a Saturday afternoon 103-84 home loss to Notre Dame. However, in front of 11,887 fans who turned out for 'Senior Night' to honor the Friar seniors Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale, Weyinmi Efejuku, Jeff Xavier and Randall Hanke, Pittsburgh never seemed to be into it mentally as the Dismal Panthers Were Held Down by Turnovers (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) and mental lapses defensively right from the beginning, falling behind 15-4 early on. After battling back to within 29-25 on a DeJuan Blair jump-hoop, Providence finished the first half on a 15-1 run to take a 44-26 halftime lead and stretched it to 20, 46-26, in the opening minute of the second half.

With all the pregame talk centered around Pitt sophomore center Blair, PC seniors Kale and Hanke Turn the Tables on the Powerhouse Blair (Providence Journal), especially during the dominant first half. Kale (13 points) and Hanke (10) combined for 23 points and 7 rebounds in 42 minutes of action between the two of them. Blair led Pitt with 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, but committed five turnovers and fouled out in the final moments of the game.

Pitt closed the gap to 75-70 in the late stages of the game, but it was too little too late as Some One-upmanship of the Friars (Providence Journal) turned the tables on the Panthers. Pitt game into the game with the nation's second-best assist to turnover ratio, but PC forced 18 Panther turnovers to just 12 team assists while PC was credited with 18 assists against just 9 turnovers. The Friars also chewed up the Pitt defense for 43 points in the paint, a stat usually reversed when Pittsburgh meets Providence.

Senior Weyinmi Efejuku had a team-high 16 points for PC while junior Sharaud Curry added 15. Another senior, Geoff McDermott, added 11 points and 6 assists in the game.

The win moved the Friars to 9-7 in the Big East and they finish up with road games against Rutgers and Villanova prior to the 2009 Big East Tournament in New York City.

PROVIDENCE SET TO HOST NO. 1 PITTSBURGH

2009-02-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

February 24, 2009

Pittsburgh has reclaimed the No. 1 ranking atop both the AP and Coaches Polls and will but that ranking on the line with a couple of road games this week, beginning with a trip to Providence to take on the Friars.

Pitt's wins at Connecticut and at home against DePaul, along with Saturday losses by North Carolina and Oklahoma pushed Pitt back to the top spot, for the second time this season. Pitt got a pair of monster performances from sophomore DeJuan Blair who tortured UConn for 22 points and 23 rebounds and then produced a double-double just 8 minutes into the game against DePaul before finishing with 20 points and 18 rebounds in just 23 minutes.

Providence suffered a devastating home loss, 103-84, this weekend against Notre Dame at home. The loss followed a 94-76 defeat at Louisville, a game where the Friars led by a point at the half.

PC is now 8-7 in the big East and is still missing a marquee win, something they were hoping for in this three-game stretch, now their backs are against the wall, but opportunity knocks, as a marquee win does not get any bigger when facing the No. 1 team in the country.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Pitt No. 1 Again in Both Polls (Post-Gazette)
Biggs a Key Component to Pitt's Run to No. 1 (Tribune-Review)
PC vs. Pitt: Friars Set to Face New No. 1 (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview - Pittsburgh @ Providence (Providence Journal)
Wild Ones for Pitt (Beaver County Times)
Panthers Young can't Stay out of Gym (Tribune-Review)

Pittsburgh's style of physical defense and hard-nosed rebounding has always made life very difficult for Providence when the two two have met in recent seasons. Even with a new coach, the Friars are still playing catch-up to the rest of the Big East when it comes to the physical play of the conference.

With DeJuan Blair, Sam Young and co., the Friars will see more of the same from Pitt. The Panthers, led by Blair, are nearly impossible to keep off the boards and they lead the nation, easily, in offensive rebounding percentage. PC will have their hands full limiting second-chance opportunities and will likely lead to many open shots for the Panthers.

One way to hopefully have a chance against Pitt is to get Blair in foul trouble. At times he can pick up a ticky-tack foul away from the basket reaching on the high-ball screen. It looks like Pitt has relaxed some of his hedge responsibilities to eliminate this possibility, but sometimes the nimble Blar thinks he is quicker than he really is and he can pick up a foul against a guard.

The Friars other method of attack will be to launch from the three-point arc early and often. You will likely see Jeff Xavier, Sharaud Curry, Weyinmi Efejuku, Brian McKenzie and Marshon Brooks all launching from the perimeter, hoping to catch lightning in the bottle by the way of the three-point shot and getting their crowd into it.

Of course, that philosophy is also a dangerous one against a strong defensive team like the Panthers. If your not on, Pitt will rebound and, as the country's most efficient offensive team, make you pay by scoring points on the other end.

While the Friars are a dangerous team and the target of a No. 1 team usually steps up one's play, this Pitt team is really looking like they are clicking. Now that they have some previous experience as the No. 1 team, they will look to take care of business on the road. Pitt is an 8 1/2-point favorite, which seems a tad low (almost makes you wonder if there is an expectation of foul trouble by someone). Pitt's rebounding and efficient offense will make life tough on PC, as it has time and time again before.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Pittsburgh 81
Providence 71

PROVIDENCE MARCHES TOWARD POSTSEASON, HOSTS IRISH

2009-02-21T06:42:00.001-08:00

February 21, 2009

It is crunch time for Big East teams as we have just three weekends left of regular season action. Saturday is a day full of NCAA Tournament bubble implications and the Big East starts it off with Notre Dame and Providence meeting in Rhode Island.

The Irish are 5-8 in the Big East and 14-11 overall. They are coming off a disappointing road loss to West Virginia where they wasted a quick start that saw them get out to an early 10-point lead and eventually lose 79-68. Once again, their defense let them down as it was too easy for the Mountaineers to erase the deficit and pull away in the second half.

Almost any way you look at it, Notre Dame MUST have this game. A lose would make them 5-9 and they still have to play at UConn and host Villanova, meaning they would have to sweep their final four games to reach .500 in Big East play, the number Rick Pitino thinks a team MUST have to be considered for the NCAA Tournament.

“If you don’t have a winning record in your conference, you’re not getting an NCAA berth,” said the Louisville coach in this week’s Big East coaches conference call.

Providence is 8-6 in the Big East, but just 16-10 overall as they failed to win any of their meaningful out of conference games, aside from in-state rival Rhode Island. They have a road game with Rutgers left, but Pittsburgh and Villanova also are on the schedule. Winning a marquee game is probably a must, but dropping this one is likely fatal to their NCAA chances.

Providence failed to earn such a marquee win in their last outing, a 94-76 loss at Louisville. The Friars led the game 46-45 at the half, but the Cards went on an early run in the second half to gain full control of the contest.

Both teams prefer a similar style of game, wide open with plenty of shooting opportunities. A free flowing game is not very common in the Big East, but it should be here. However, whoever will dedicate themselves on the defensive end of the floor could come up with the advantage. Mike Brey believes his team is ready to finish strong.

“Every league game now, there’s a lot riding on it [especially] when you’re in the position we’re in,” Brey said this week. “There’s no question about it. It’s not lost on us.”

While there is no magic mark for a conference record in order to make the NCAA Tournament, the Irish coach knows that, at a minimum, a .500 record will put you in the conversation on selection Sunday.

“I don’t think anybody would argue that a .500 record in the Big East this year is a very respectable record,” said Brey. “I think 9-9 is pretty good in our league this year.”

With Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney on the side of the Irish, they are likely to have the two best players in the game. However, finding complimentary players to step up and play with toughness, both mentally and physically, is the key to the Irish. Too often this season, that has not been the case and Harangody and McAlarney are seemingly on their own to decide the Irish fate. In the Big East, that is not going to win many games.

The Friars have a deeper team of contributors and are a very experienced group. Seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and Jeff Xavier all start, along with redshirt junior Sharaud Curry, and senior Randall Hanke is first off the bench. That experience has helped PC to a record of 8-6 in the conference to this point.

The Friars can usually count on contributions from all their veterans. Sophomore Marshon Brooks has been a big contributor off the bench. That consistent production from multiple positions and players is something the Irish do not receive. While Harangody will get his points and rebounds, that has not been enough to carry the Irish. Ryan Ayers seems to disappear too often and Tory Jackson is not enough of a scorer to add to an attack that seems to have to score more to be effective.

At this point in time, it just seems that Providence is the better team. While the Irish showed in their win over Louisville, they can still look pretty good, this is coming on the road and they have only managed to beat DePaul away from home in conference play. They have lost at St. John’s and Cincinnati among others.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 81
Notre Dame 76

Notre Dame Knows Stakes vs. Providence (Chicago Tribune)
Expect a Shootout at the Dunk: Neither PC nor Notre Dame Can Defend (Providence Journal)

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2009-02-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

February 19, 2009

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Russ Permenter, 6-foot-9 PF from Temple (TX) College

Keno Davis continues to re-shape the future Providence basketball roster as Russ Permenter Commits to Providence (Providence Journal) following a weekend visit to the school for their game with Rutgers.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson* (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F), Kyle Wright (G/F), Russ Permenter (PF)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon** (F)
Freshmen: Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C), Johhnie Lacy (PG), Vincent Council (PG)

Notes:
* Expected to redshirt the 2008-2009 season which would place him as a sophomore on the 2009-2010 roster

** possible 2008-2009 redshirt which would place his as a freshman on the 2009-2010 roster

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

The Providence Friar recruiting class is now seven deep with the latest addition of 6'9, 235-pound forward Russ Permenter of Temple (TX) College. Permenter is a product of Temple (TX) High School and spent his freshman season at the University of Texas-San Antonio before coming back home for his sophomore season. At Temple College, Permenter was leading the Leopards with 18.9 points a game and also 8.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game.

A preseason hand injury limited Permenter's freshman season at UTSA to just 14 games, averaging just over 3 points a contest. At one time, Permenter was committed to TCU, but reopened his recruitment and chose UTSA.

Back Home in Temple, Permenter Hoped a Big Season Created a Second Division 1-A Shot (Temple Daily Telegraph) and it worked well as he is headed to the Big East. Permenter also had interest from Pepperdine, Santa Clara, South Alabama, Idaho, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Gardner-Webb while Penn State had begun to call as well.

So while Davis Adds yet Another Recruit in the 6'9 Permenter (Providence Journal), making seven in the class, things look to be finally completed in the PC class of 2009 with five incoming frosh and two JUCO transfers.

One of the quickest ways a new coach can resurrect the program he inherits and increase the of success is finding the perfect point guard to run his system. Keno Davis believes he has succeeded in such a quest by adding two candidates now in the 2009 class to fill that role. Back in early January, the first year PC head coach received a verbal commitment from Brooklyn native Vincent Council and, along with the last minute signing of Johnnie Lacy in the early signing period, the Friars should have their backcourt of the future.

Council has been gaining more and more recruiting interest as a prep student at the Patterson School in North Carolina. Playing for coach Chris Chaney at the high profile school, Council picked up serious recruiting interest from Rutgers, UCF and Arkansas.

Council is a tough point guard with good size for the Big East in the typical NYC point guard mold. Council previously attended Lincoln HS in NYC where he was a tammate of Lance Stephenson, among others, on a very highly successful team.

The addition of Lacy and Council had made it pretty clear that Antoine Allen, who was verbally committed to the Friars through the summer, is not part of the Future plans for PC. As the signing period passed, it was noted by Allen's prep coach at Notre Dame Prep that he had academic work to accomplish before he could think about signing a commitment with a school. Allen then left Notre Dame Prep and in recent weeks, he has de-committed (publicly) and is now committed to Miami.

Lacy, a native of Milwaukee (WI) is a jet-quick point guard that is finishing up his prep career at, incidentally, Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg (MA). In the uptempo attack that Davis hopes to install with the Friars, having a point guard with the jets that Lacy possesses is a must. Lacy will be asked to push the ball and find the shooters on the wing that Davis will hope to have lined up for him, similar to the attack he used at Drake last season. Over the summer, Lacy played very well for the Playground Elite AAU team and had been hearing from schools such as Tennessee, Marquette, Minnesota, Purdue and Cincinnati during the recruiting process.

Council and Lacy offer a different skill set and compliment each other in their style, so they could play together in the future backcourt.

The recruiting action around the Providence Friar program happened fast and furious this past fall as Keno Davis locked up four other commitments for the class of 2009. Prior to Lacy and Council, Detroit big man James Still was the latest addition to the program. Still is a 6-foot-10 center from Community High School in Detroit and averaged over 14 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. Still visited PC back in September and chose the Friars over Duquesne and Detroit. Still is an athletic big man that is very comfortable running the floor and stepping away from the basket.

Still needs to get stronger to battle in the paint in Big East match-ups. He has a lot of potential because of a high skill level and the ability to move well at 6'10. His best days are certainly ahead of him on the basketball court.

Just prior to Still, Monroe College wing Kyle Wright, who originally began his career at Stony Brook and spent last year as a redshirt with Colorado, committed to PC. Wright previously prepped at Brewster Academy where he played for coach Jason Smith at the New England prep power.

After Brewster, Wright spent one season at Stony Brook where he averaged just under three points a game, appearing in 23 contests and averaging nearly 11 minutes a game. Wright is a skilled backcourt player that has versatility and can shoot it from long range, a skill that fits well in Keno Davis' preferred system. for more on Wright, see the story on the Newest Friar: Kyle Wright.

Earlier this fall PC got a little bigger by receiving a verbal commitment from Kadeem Batts out of Powder Springs (GA) while he was on an official visit to the school. In the July evaluation period, Batts turned heads playing for the Smyrna Stars and had several high-major schools checking him out. The NBE Basketball Report was impressed with Batts' play this summer on Wednesday at the Reebok All-American Camp where he showed the tools necessary to compete in the Big East. Batts is athletic and with a strong body can mix it up inside on the boards and defensively he can block and alter shots. He also showed his offensive game is coming around as well, too.

The commitment from Batts came just a week after another commitment from a campus visit came from Michigan native Duke Mondy. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central and his Coach Had Nothing but Praise for Mondy on and off the court.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Evan Smotrycz of the New Hampton School, Tilton School guard Gerard Coleman and small forward Shaquille Thomas, now at Mountain State Academy.

The current PC staff, led by hard-working assistant Pat Skerry, have been working the New England prep schools really hard and recently welcomed Coleman, Smotrycz, class of 2011 guard Naadir Tharpe of Brewster Academy and highly regarded 2012 recruit Nerlins Noel of Everett (MA) High School who already stands 6'8, to campus when PC played DePaul in a Big East conference match-up.

Desrosiers and Coleman seem to be getting the most attention from PC in the class of 2010, according to a recent Providence Journal article. Desrosiers was expected to visit recently as well, but was ill.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ LOUISVILLE

2009-02-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

February 18, 2009

One had to feel for DePaul over the weekend. Possibly the worst Big East team in recent memory was on the road facing a very angry Rick Pitino coached team and it was no contest as Louisville got well against the Blue Demons in a 99-54 drubbing in Freedom Hall. Louisville looks to remain in the 4-way deadlock of teams with two Big East losses when the Providence Friars come to Freedom Hall.

The Friars are an interesting dilemma for the NCAA Tournament committee. As of today, PC has an 8-5 Big East record. PC has two wins over Cincinnati and a victory over Syracuse, other than that, their best victory is over Rhode Island and they dropped every non-conference game of significance as well as their opener with Northeastern. In their last five games, PC has the Cards, as well as Notre Dame, Pitt and Villanova on the schedule. Assuming a win against Rutgers, PC would definitely have to win at least one of the four games against quality teams on the schedule for a chance at a tournament bid.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

Pitino: Cards are Showing Purpose (Courier-Journal)
Crunch Time in Big East Has Arrived for Friars (Providence Journal)
PC at Louisville (Providence Journal)
Delk Out, Williams In When Cards Meet Providence (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Providence is a pretty good match-up for the Cards. PC is not a strong defensive team and they prefer a higher pace of a game. This should allow Louisville to score points and when they score, they can set-up their fullcourt pressure. Also, pressure is something that PC is susceptible to as they do tend to turn the ball over in bunches.

The Friars will rely on the three-point shooting ability of point guard Sharaud Curry and guards Jeff Xaiver and Brian McKenzie as well as the slashing skills of Weyinmi Efejuku and Marshon Brooks for much of their offensive output. Louisville's defense is designed to stop this kind of attack and matches up well.

On offense, the Cards should look to go inside to Samardo Samuels and use the inside/out abilities of Earl Clark. If Terrence Williams' wrist is close to 100% and he is an offensive threat, Louisville should cruise to victory as a 13 1/2-point favorite in this contest.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisville 82
Providence 67

FRIARS HOST RUTGERS IN BIG EAST MATCH-UP

2009-02-14T06:10:00.001-08:00

February 14, 2009

On Saturday evening, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights head to Providence to take on Keno Davis’ Friars. Rutgers has been off since last Sunday’s home loss to rival Seton Hall. RU is now just 1-10 in Big East play this season. Providence snapped a three-game losing streak with a 77-62 win at South Florida, pushing their Big East record to 7-5.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the game:

PC Can’t Afford to Slip Against Downtrodden Rutgers (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview: Rutgers @ PC (Providence Journal)
PC’s Postseason Hopes May Hinge on Strong Regular Season Finish (Providence Journal)

Well, it is year #3 of the Fred Hill era and, despite the addition of McDonald’s All-American Mike Rosario and highly touted 6-foot-9 Greg Echenique, things are not looking much different than year’s #1 and #2. In fact, this season has a real chance at being the worst yet, a very disappointing, but very real, possibility.

In Big East play under Hill, the Scarlet Knights are a pathetic 6-41, good for a .128 winning percentage. Once again, it is an anemic offense that is the root of their struggles. In Big East play, Rutgers manages just 0.948 points per possession. That would be an offense that ranked 266th in the NCAA and be the worst among all major conference teams. While Providence is certainly not going to win any defensive awards, the RU offense is more of a tonic for the PC defense than the PC defense for the RU offense.

On their home floor, PC can definitely score some points and they have plenty of scoring options, while Saturday’s opponent seems to rely solely on Mike Rosario to shoot them into games. On the road, this is probably not a good game plan to follow.

As for the Friars, like the South Florida game, PC needs to avoid any possibility of slipping up in this game to remain in the top half of the conference and to keep their slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. With their best non-conference win coming against the A-10’s Rhode Island, the importance of finishing up strong in the Big East is not lost on Keno Davis.

“I think finishing in the top half is very important because if you don’t finish in the top half, you have to have a very good RPI or a very good non-conference coming in,” Davis said in the Big East coaches conference call this week. “Not many people have picked Providence to be one of the top division teams and right now we are. That’s a nice spot to be in and we control our own destiny if we’re going to be in the top half of this league.”

Winning on Saturday is another step in securing that possibility and give them 8 league wins. With Louisville, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, before finishing with a rematch against Rutgers and then a conference finale with Villanova ahead on the schedule, this is a most-win game for the Friars.

While Rutgers will likely scrap and try to get physical, the Friars will have too much offense and the offensive struggles of the Scarlet Knights are likely to prevent them from keeping up in this one.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 78
Rutgers 63

ANTOINE ALLEN DE-COMMITS FROM FRIARS

2009-02-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

February 11, 2009

The first player to commit to Keno Davis in his 2009 class at Providence is no longer committed to the Friars. It was not a very well-kept secret that Antoine Allen and PC had parted ways, but it is official now as the Recruit from Jack McClinton's AAU Team Picks Miami (Miami Herald).

Allen, a product of Baltimore's Cecil Kirk AAU program, had committed to PC late this summer as he was preparing for a prep season at Notre Dame Prep. However, due to some academic concerns, Allen never signed a letter of intent with the Friars and then he left ND Prep. Apparently he is now attending Mississippi Elite Christian Academy and will be part of the Miami Hurricanes' recruiting class.

PC filled his spot already when they received a verbal commitment from Patterson (NC) School guard Vincent Council.

FRIARS WARM UP IN SOUTH FLORIDA, SNAP SKID

2009-02-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

February 11, 2009

South Florida had hoped to build some momentum after their stunning 57-56 upset over Marquette last Friday night when they welcomed Providence into the Sun Dome Tuesday night for a Big East conference match-up. Instead, USF Crashes to Earn, Falls to Providence (Tampa Tribune) 77-62.

The Bulls Momentum Disappears Quickly Yet Again (Tampa Tribune) as USF fails to win back-to-back Big East games for the first time in their 61-game history of Big East play. The Bulls' lack of depth, PC's bench outscored USF's 35-6, lack of inside muscle, guard Dominique Jones was the USF leading rebounder with 8 and lack of overall shot-making ability, the Bulls were 5-16 from the foul-line and 3-19 from three-point range, all came front and center as USF Deflates in Home Loss to Providence (St. Pete Times).

The Friars snap a three-game losing streak as Providence Romps at South Florida (Providence Journal) behind the strength of their 51% shooting from the field. After USF cut the lead to 62-57 with 4:15 to go, a 13-2 run by PC put the game out of reach.

Jonathan Kale had a team-high 15 points along with 9 rebounds for PC and Randall Hanke and Marshon Brooks each scored 14 off the bench. Sharaud Curry added 11 points and in doing so, Curry Becomes the Fifth Current Friar to Join 1,000-Point Club (Providence Journal) and 42nd in the program's history.

Providence, 7-5 in the Big East, hosts Rutgers this weekend looking to make it two straight wins before a trip to Louisville next Wednsesday.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: FRIARS LOOK TO RUN WITH THE BULLS

2009-02-10T08:12:00.001-08:00

February 10, 2009

After knocking off Marquette on Friday night, South Florida will look to make it two in a row and win a school-best fourth Big East conference game in a season when they host Providence in the Sun Dome on Tuesday night. The Bulls are 3-7 in the Big East, besides the upset of the Golden Eagles, USF has two wins over hapless DePaul in league play.

Providence has lost three straight games, falling to 6-5 in the Big East. The three consecutive losses followed a streak of three wins that had Friar fans thinking NCAA Tournament just a bit. Now, they need to right the ship quickly as a tough stretch of games will close out their Big East schedule. PC is coming off an 86-59 drubbing at West Virginia.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Bulls Eager to Take Next Step (Tampa Tribune)
Providence Probably Biggest Game of the Season (Tampa Tribune)
Friars have No Time for Sun at South Florida (Providence Journal)
PC Needs to Shake Slump (Providence-Journal)
Capsule Preview: PC at South Florida (Providence Journal)

This is a tough one to predict. The Friars looked absolutely horrendous at West Virginia this past weekend and in their last five games they have allowed over 92 points a game. While their offense continues to score at an impressive clip, winning on the road requires defense and rebounding, they will need to have that tonight if they are to run with the Bulls and escape alive.

The Bulls got a great lift from their win over Marquette on Friday, surviving a 57-56 slugfest as both teams had trouble scoring points. While they will find scoring a little easier against PC, the Bulls still have trouble as a team scoring the basketball. USF is led by Dominique Jones and Jesus Verdejo on the wings and they will put pressure on their Providence counterparts to work on defense. Keno Davis has the personnel to match-up with the Bulls’ strengths, they just need to dedicate themselves to getting it done on defense in order to win on the road in the Big East.

I like how the Friars match-up with the Bulls. They have some height inside, which might be knocked at times for playing soft (Randall Hanke), but USF is not going to overpower anyone in the Big East in the paint. Frosh Gus Gilchrist likes to take his game away from the basket and PC’s Geoff McDermott is more than comfortable in following him out there and strong and athletic enough to still battle inside.

The oddsmakers list this one as a pick-em, while PC certainly has their share of flaws, they will get the job done with a more intense defensive effort and the ability to score will serve them well in getting past USF on the road tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 74
South Florida 66

PROVIDENCE DROPS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME

2009-02-07T20:53:00.001-08:00

February 7, 2009

It looks like the Alex Ruoff shooting slump might be over as the West Virginia senior guard scored a game-high 24 points as the Mountaineers rout Providence, 86-59, in Big East action on Saturday afternoon.

Ruoff connected on six of seven three's and Da'Sean Butler Did it for Mountaineers and WVU Does in PC (Providence Journal) in thwarting a Friars' rally midway through the second half. Butler finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds, but his key moments in the second half made PC clear that it was not going to be their day.

The Friars were just 3-18 from three-point range, all three makes by Jeff Xavier who had a team high 15 points. PC senior Randall Hane Joins 1,000-point Club (Providence Journal) with a bucket to tie the game at 4-4 early on. It was Hanke's only two points of the day. He had two on the day and now has 1,001 in his career.

WVU evened their record at 5-5 in the Big East while PC is now 6-5, losing three straight and giving up over 91 points a game in the losing streak.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ WEST VIRGINIA

2009-02-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2009

The Providence Friars, losers of two straight, travel to Morgantown to take on West Virginia, losers of three of their last four, in a Big East conference showdown on Saturday afternoon.

The Friars, despite a 6-4 record in Big East play, are off the NCAA Tournament picture right now, so finding quality wins is a must. Finding one on the road would be a huge lift in their chances.

West Virginia, at 4-5 in the conference, is very much in the NCAA Tournament picture, but they need to be careful not to slip up down the stretch. Besides a game at Pitt on Monday night, WVU’s biggest challenges closing the regular season schedule are at home and the schedule eases significantly, but that means nothing if you do not get the job done in games you are supposed to win.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on today’s game:

Mountaineers Hope to Avert Third Straight Defeat (Register-Herald)
Getting in Big East’s Top Eight is WVU’s Goal (Daily Mail)
Huggins Spread Defense Ineffective (Daily Mail)
WVU Settles in Behind Big East Elite (Charleston Gazette)
Experience Comes to Town (wvmetronews.com)
For PC, Staying Fresh is a Challenge During Season’s Dog Days (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview: PC @ West Virginia (Providence Journal)

The Mountaineers will look for a much better effort in this contest than what they showed against Syracuse on Wednesday night. With an energized home crowd and Bob Huggins expecting more from his team, look for WVU to have a full effort, especially defensively and on the boards.

Providence really needs to add some quality wins and any wins on the road against solid teams are a must as well. This will be a tough match-up for PC, however, as the athletic ability and toughness of the Mountaineers are likely to come to the forefront this afternoon.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 78
Providence 65

FRIARS OUTSCORED AT HOME IN LOSS TO 'NOVA

2009-02-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

February 5, 2009

This one was not looking like it was going to come down to the wire, but Villanova Escapes Providence With a Win (Philadelphia Daily News) after PC's Furious Rally Falls Just Short Against Villanova (Providence Journal), 94-91.

Villanova seemed in control of this one throughout, leading 49-34 at the half and stretched it to as much as 20 in the second half before Providence began to rally. The Friars cut the lead to just a point, 92-91, on a Weyinmi Efejuku three-pointer with two second left. However, the Wildcats were able to get the ball into the hands of Scottie Reynolds who sunk two free throws and PC did not get off a final shot before the buzzer.

The Cats Hang on to Post a Victory Over Providence (Philadelphia Inquirer) with the junior Reynolds scoring 31, making 13 of 15 from the foul line. Senior Dwayne Anderson added 19 points and 10 rebounds and Dante Cunningham and Reggie Redding each provided 12 points and 11 rebounds as 'Nova won the battle of the boards, 50-38.

This is one that will hurt PC, a team in need of resume building wins if they are going to make a case for the NCAA Tournament. Home Wasn't Sweet for the Friars on this Night (Providence Journal) and protecting your home court is rule #1 in building your NCAA resume.

Sharaud Curry and Weyinmi Efejuku spear-headed the late rally with three's and attacking the basket. Curry finished with 25 and Efejuku scored 21 of his 23 in the second half. Jeff Xavier scored 22.

The Friars have allowed 94 points defensively in each of their last three games, losing two. In the game before that, SHU scored 93 in the PC overtime victory (98-93).

PC now hits the road for dates at West Virginia and South Florida in hopes of improving their 6-4 conference record.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ PROVIDENCE

2009-02-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

February 4, 2009

Providence College will host the Villanova Wildcats in a Big East conference match-up tonight at the Dunkin Donuts Center. This game will be a moment of truth of sorts for the Friars, who stand at 6-3 in conference play, but are coming off a 94-61 pummelling at the hands of UConn over the weekend.

The Wildcats have won three in a row, including a victory over Pitt last Wednesday in the finale of the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Villanova is now 5-3 in the Big East and looking to put some seperation between themselves and the crowded middle of the pack, and this pushing the Friars closer to conference mediocrity.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet:

'V' is for a Villanova Team that is Very Tough to Beat (Philadelphia Daily News)
Villanova is PC's Next Big East Challenge (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview: Villanova at Providence College (Providence Journal)

Before their home win over a crippled Syracuse squad last week, the best win registered by the Friars game against in-state rival Rhode Island from the Atlantic 10. Their best Big East win was their road victory over Cincinnati, a team that 'Nova decimated themselves this past Sunday.

The Friars desperately want to be included in the NCAA Tournament talk and their 6-3 Big East record might have some talking in that manner. However, their lack of out of conference quality wins will force games like this one to be a must-win.

The Wildcats are playing well, especially on the defensive end, and Corey Fisher is becoming a more consistent weapon on both ends of the court. The 'Nova defense will pressure the PC guards, who can be shaky with the ball and their decision making is not always the best. This strategy is usully used for Villanova to cover their lack of strength in the paint, but led by Dante Cunningham and Antonio Pena, Villanvoa matches up favorable with the Friar frontcourt.

The college basketball betting odds have 'Nova listed as a 3 1/2-point favorite on the road. They are the better team and their match-up should allow them to get the job done in this contest.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 75
Providence 68

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PC LOOKS FOR MORE AT UCONN

2009-01-31T06:24:00.001-08:00

January 31, 2009

Providence will look to earn their fifth straight win at UConn on Saturday afternoon, but the Huskies will look to treat their guests a little differently this time.

Providence improved to 6-2 in the Big East with their 100-94 win over Syracuse on Wednesday night. They will not be facing an team limping in like they did against the Orange, instead, they will be facing a UConn machine that has been humming along since opening conference play with a loss to Georgetown. The Huskies have run off eight consecutive wins and a ninth will likely propel them into the #1 spot in the polls come Monday.

Here are some pregame stories and previews:

Looking for a Big Basketball Game? Try Friars vs. UConn (Providence Journal)
Another Friar Roast (New Haven Register)
Providence Has Had UConn’s Number Past Several Years (Bristol Press)
Friars Visit UConn Today (Pawtucket Times)
Huskies-Friars Rivalry Always Intense (Norwich Bulletin)
First, There’s Providence (TheDay.com)

Things have fallen into place well for the Friars in the first half of conference play, but now is the time we will really see what they are made of. Not so much with a road trip to UConn, which is a tall order for any club, but this stretch of games ahead.

The win over Syracuse looks good on paper, but a deeper look shows that it was an Orange club not nearly at full strength, that is not the case with the Husky team they are seeing today.

“We’re looking forward to going on the road and trying to hang with them,” Keno Davis said this week during the conference call of coaches. “With UConn you’ve got a lot of guys that are going to be playing at the next level.”

The defensive ability and attention of a Jim Calhoun team will likely be much greater than what they saw against SU in their 100-94 win this week. While PC will have some confidence after their recent success against UConn, that will also provide plenty of incentive and motivation for the Huskies.

Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien will be very strong inside and the defense and quickness of the UConn guards should limit the PC backcourt. The Friars will look for the three-ball, but if it is not going in at a high rate, UConn will take this one going away and move into the No.1 spot in the polls on Monday.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 82
Providence 68

PROVIDENCE MAKES THEIR STATEMENT

2009-01-29T07:34:00.000-08:00

January 29, 2009

This is the one Providence needed and unlike others that came before, the Friars got the job done in a 100-94 win over Syracuse, a Friars Win that Can Not be Overlooked (Providence Journal) as Keno Davis puts together his program.

The win moves the Friars to 6-2 in the Big East while SU has now lost four of five and sit at 5-4 at the halfway point in conference play.

With a short-handed opponent, the Friars Run-and-Gun Game Shoots Down Syracuse (Providence Journal) as six Friars score in double figures, led by Sharaud Curry's 22 points. Syracuse got 35 points from Jonny Flynn and 27 from Eric Devendorf, but the Orange Comes Up Short in it's 'Must-Win' Game (Post-Standard) as Andy Rautins did not make the trip because of an ankle injury and Arinze Onuaku was limited to just 15 minutes of action where he did not score and grabbed one rebound. Onuaku Gave it a Go, But Knee Wouldn't Cooperate (Post-Standard) and the week off before their next game should help the tendonitis improve.

But, this night belonged to the Friars and their fired up crowd who supported their team and made sure Devendorf Heard it from the Crowd (Providence Journal).

Besides the 22 from Curry, Marshon Brooks (17), Geoff McDermott (15), Jonathan Kale (14), Weyinmi Efejuku (12) and Randall Hanke (12) also reached double figures. PC forced 21 turnovers by the Orange, nine charged to Devendorf, as the Orange is Fried (Post-Standard), seemingly mentally and physically.

A week off could not come soon enough for SU.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ PROVIDENCE

2009-01-28T08:15:00.000-08:00

January 28, 2009

Syracuse will limp into Providence banged up mentally, after losing three of their last four, and physically. It is unlikely Andy Rautins will play because of a sprained ankle and Arinze Onuaku will be a game time decision in regards to his availability.

The Friars have won five of their first seven conference games, but they still need to beat someone of significance. Their best win(s) this season have come against Cincinnati, whose RPI is 58. Their best non-league win is over Rhode Island (RPI of 62), so the Friars are desperate for a win to place on their resume. They have some opportunities in front of them as the date with the Orange kicks off a stretch of four games that has a road trip to UConn, home date with ‘Nova and a trip to West Virginia in succession.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet today:

Capsule Summary: Syracuse @ Providence (Providence Journal)
Rautins, Jones Out for SU (Observer-Dispatch)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. PC (Post-Standard)
Weakened SU Offers PC Opportunity (Providence Journal)
PC Hosts Syracuse Tonight (Pawtucket Times)
PC Hopes to Get Healthy Against Ailing Syracuse (Pro-Jo)

This could be a very telling game for the Keno Davis era at Providence. It seemed every so often the Tim Welsh-led Friars had an opportunity to get over a hump, but each time they were turned back by the powers of the conference. While the Orange are a little bit battered and bruised, the perception of a victory tonight can go a long way for the Friars as they try to carve out an identity in the Big East.

As noted earlier, PC needs a ‘quality’ win and the circumstances in earning such a victory probably could not be set up better. However, Syracuse will not make the snowy commute looking to hand over the game to the Friars. Led by Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris, the Orange backcourt has strength and firepower that will certainly test the PC group of Sharaud Curry, Weyinmi Efejuku and Jeff Xavier. Brian McKenzie and Marshon Brooks provide backcourt depth, which the Orange are without because of the Rautins injury and Mookie Jones and Antonio Jardine being out for the season.

The frontcourt match-up could be where tonight’s game is decided. Arinze Onuaku has experienced pain and swelling in his knee since the loss to Louisville on Sunday and has not practiced. They hope the 6-foot-9, 260-lb big man is able to give it a go. His size is a match-up that PC will have great trouble with. Jonathan Kale and Randall Hanke will be tasked with match-up up with him, but neither has the size and strength to out-muscle Onuaku when he gets position. The Orange also have long and athletic Rick Jackson at the power forward spot and he can also play in the middle to relieve (or replace) Onuaku. Jackson is not nearly as burly as Onuaku, but paired together they make the SU zone extremely tough. Geoff McDermott is the power forward for the Friars, not the tallest, but a rugged player that can handle and pass extremely well.

This game will likely come down to Onuaku’s effectiveness. If he can go and play 75-80% of his normal minutes, the Orange should find themselves in pretty good shape. However, losing Rautins saps their depth and their perimeter game, which you will see PC lining up three’s early and often. The combination of a missing Onuaku, or even a limited Arinze, and Rautins might be too much for SU to overcome against a very hyped PC club. Keno Davis will have to keep his players grounded, but he seems to have the laid back personality to prevent his team from getting too tight. With the latest college basketball odds listing PC as a 1 ½-point favorite, this could be the game they can add to their resume.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 75
Syracuse 68

FRIARS IMPROVE TO 5-2 IN BIG EAST, KEEP SHU WINLESS

2009-01-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

January 23, 2009

The losses continue to pile up for Seton Hall as they let a very winnable game against Providence virtually slip through their fingers in the last possession of regulation as the Friars escape Newark (NJ) with a 98-93 overtime victory.

In what seemed like a game of Survivor, the Friars Outlast and Outwit SHU by attacking the basket and causing three Pirates to be DQ'd because of fouls (Paul Gause, Robert Mitchell and John Garcia), eliminating nearly any chance SHU had in the extra session.

With both teams settling for perimter jumpers in the first half, PC went to the foul line six times compared to five for SHU. Late in the game and in overtime, PC went to attacking the basket and finished 31-42 from the foul line, including 14 (all their points) of 16 in overtime. The Pirates were just 12-22 from the line, including several misses in the final minutes of regulation as Seton Hall Losses to Providence (Star Ledger).

PC have been stung by many close losses in the Big East the last few years, maybe now the Friars are Learning to Assert Themselves in the Big East (Providence Journal. At 5-2 in Big East play, So Far, So Good, but Schedule Gets Tough for PC (Providence Journal) with Syracuse, Connecticut, Villanova and West Virginia representing an upcoming gauntlet.

Jeff Xaiver led PC with 20 points, including five of seven three's. Weyinmi Efejuku added 19 points, Marshon Brooks added 14, Jonathan Kale had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Sharaud Curry added 13 points in PC's balanced attack. Geoff McDermott (9 points) connected on the final of two free throws with 10 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 84.

Seton Hall had a chance to win in regulation after McDermott's free throw, but Eugene Harvey (11 points, 7 assists) was stripped of the ball and SHU did not get a shot, or a pass, off in the final posession. It was a strange play, as Harvey casually brough the ball up the court as the other Pirates watched. SHU looked totally unprepared for a game-end situation, and they had a timeout remaining...

Jeremy Hazell scored 30 for the Pirates and hit three's in bunches to help SHU rally from deficits of 14 (ist half) and 8 (second half) quickly. Robert Mitchell had 20, but was just 10-24 from the floor before fouling out. Paul Gause was excellent with 19 points (6-7 from field and 5-6 from '3') as well as 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Notes:

-Seton Hall is 0-6 in the Big East. Worst start in conference play since 0-7 in 1985-1986. They hope to avoid that fate with a home date against ranked Georgetown on Saturday.

-NJIT has more wins in 2009 than SHU and Rutgers, the state of New Jersey reps of the Big East, combined. The Pirates and Knights are both 0-6 in league play.

-PC held a 41-30 rebounding edge and connected on 11-20 three's.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ SETON HALL

2009-01-22T10:43:00.000-08:00

January 22, 2009

The Prudential Center in Newark (NJ) is the site to an interesting Big East contest tipping off at 7 PM. The Providence Friars, who were victorious on their home court over Cincinnati on Monday, return to action to meet the Seton Hall Pirates, who are getting desperate for a win.

The Friars completed a two-game sweep of Cincinnati this season as the rebounded from a disappointing loss at home Saturday night against Marquette, where they squandered a 13-point lead.

The Friars bounced back on an extremely short turn-around to get a win over Cincinnati to keep their conference record above .500. A road win tonight would give PC a little cushion ahead of a demanding three game stretch with games against Syracuse, Connecticut and their first of two with Villanova.

For the Pirates, they have lost seven of eight games after a surprising 8-1 start to their season. The losses were not limited to the Big East either as IUPUI came into the Prudential Center and won and they dropped a road game to James Madison. With a winnable stretch of games ahead, finding confidence in being able to win in the Big East will be a must.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight’s game:

Xavier’s Toughness no Lost on SHU’s Gonzalez (Providence Journal)
PC at Seton Hall Preview (Providence Journal)

Here are two teams that are probably a little bit glad to see each other. Neither team tends to match-up very well with the brute force of many of the Big East’s top teams and both would rather get out and push the pedal to the medal a bit offensively and score some points.

With that, defense and rebounding will likely decide the winner and which team accepts the call to dictate the game in those areas will likely come out on top.

I actually believe that Providence does put their effort in on the defensive side of the ball. It will be challenged as Seton Hall will look to outscore them, but players like Geoff McDermott, Weyinmi Efejuku and Sharaud Curry have the potential to make life tough for Robert Mitchell, Jeremy Hazell and Eugene Harvey to get their points. No doubt they will get their points, but making them work a little harder for it will make Providence find it easier to get their own points.

PC will also find a little more consistency with their inside game as Randall Hanke and Jonathan Kale, while nothing exciting or special, will play consistent roles in this game. Mike Davis, John Garcia and Brandon Walters certainly could produce and play key roles, but nobody has an idea from game to game what the SHU plan is with the trio.

The linesmakers have the Friars as a slight 1 ½ point favorite. They have more depth and have shown the ability to rise defensively and on the boards to win this year in Big East play. Seton Hall, although they have played tougher teams, have yet to do so. So, until they show it…we will go with the Friars.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 80
Seton Hall 74

PROVIDENCE IMPROVES TO 4-2 IN BIG EAST

2009-01-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

The Big East snuck another game onto Monday night's schedule as Cincinnati and Providence completed their home and home series. The result was very familiar to the first meeting on January 7th as the Friars Bear Down and come out on top, this time by a 72-63 score.

Senior Randall Hanke Fuels Friars' Second-Half Charge past UC (Providence Journal), scoring 11 of his 15 points after intermission. With the score kntted at 38-all with 14:38 left, the Bearcats Fade in Second Half (Cincinnati Enquirer) as Deonta Vaughn can't get on track offensively while the Friars finally do.

PC made Vaughn the focal point of their defensive scheme and Deonta Can't Have Way (Enquirer) and was held to just six points on 3-9 shooting and he committed five turnovers.

Also supporting Hanke was Jonathan Kale with 14 points and 7 rebounds and Geoff McDermott stuffed the stat sheet full with 7 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 5 blocks.

Mike Williams led UC with 21 points, but with Vaughn and freshman Yancy Gates (6-17 from the floor) struggling, the Bearcats did not have enough offense and fell to a disappointing 2-4 in the conference.

The win pushed the Friars to a 4-2 mark in the Big East.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CINCINNATI @ MARQUETTE

2009-01-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

January 19, 2009

While the the match-up between Cincinnati and Providence might not have Big East title implications like the other Monday night match-up in the league (see Pitt-SU), this is a game that could define the race of one team emerging from the bottom-half of the league to poke it's head into the upper half.

After a 3-0 conference start, which included an 87-79 win at Cincinnati, the Friars have dropped two straight, at Georgetown and a home loss Saturday night against Marquette. The Bearcats, on the other hand, have won two straight after starting 0-3 in the conference, getting a win over Rutgers and a road win against DePaul in the last week.

Here are the pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Bearcats Eager for Another Shot (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Gates Solid off Bench (Enquirer)
PC vs Cincinnati Scouting Report (Providence Journal)
PC Looking to Move On (Providence Journal)
PC Still Reeling from Incident Involving Jeff Xavier's Brother (Providence Journal).

The key to Cincinnati's recent two-game winning streak has been achieved on the defensive end. After allowing an average of 84 points a game, including 87 to PC on the Bearcats' home court, in their three conference losses, UC has yielded just 57 a game in their two wins. However, nobody will confuse the offenses at DePaul or Rutgers with UConn, Notre Dame, SU or even PC. So, their defensive improvement will be tested tonight.

The Friars looked for a first statement win on Saturday when they hosted Marquette and looked to be on their way by leading much of the game. However, a late run by the Golden Eagles flipped the game around and PC found themselves on the short-end of a 91-82 decision in a contest between the two first-year Big East coaches in the league.

However, PC might be without one of their biggest weapons tonight as Jeff Xavier was injured by an inadvertant elbow to the eye by Marquette's Joseph Fulce. There was no foul called on the play and it set off a wild scene as a fans came out onto the court in an attempt to confront a referee before being removed by security. The fan was later identified as Jonathan Xavier, the older brother of PC's senior guard. Jeff Xavier did not return to the game after the elbow and is unlikely to play tonight and the incident from Saturday could still be on his mind as well. Jonathan Xavier was arrested and will have to appear back in court in the near future.

So, PC must now move on and face the Bearcats. UC was surprised by the Friars on their home floor as PC hit 12 of 24 three's and shot 54% overall. Xavier was three of five from the arc and scored 12. Deonta Vaughn and Mike Williams each scored 20 in the game for UC and Williams' emergence as a consistent scoring option to supplement Vaughn is a large reason to look for Cincinnati to continue to improve in the season. There defense is still a concern as it has not come together like it did last season yet, so PC should be able to get enough offense to get past Mick Crinin's club tonight. The Friars are listed as 6 1/2-point favorites.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 76
Cincinnati 68

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: FRIARS HOPE TO DUNK MARQUETTE

2009-01-16T22:13:00.000-08:00

January 17, 2009

Marquette will put their undefeated 4-0 conference record on the line when they travel to Providence for a 9 PM game with the Friars at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The Friars are off to a 3-1 start in the Big East and look to capture their most impressive win of the season.

Marquette Guard Troika a Force for Friars to Reckon With (Providence Journal)
PC Hosts Marquette Tonight (Pawtucket Times)
Marquette Travels to Providence on Saturday (Cracked Sidewalks)
Williams Off-Beat Approach Working for Marquette (Chicago Tribune)
James Thrives in Shutdown Mode (Journal-Sentinel)

Two of the more experienced teams in the Big East will be featured in this contest. Marquette has the three senior guard line-up and PC has five seniors, a redshirt junior and another junior at the top of their rotation.

The Golden Eagles will look to use their guard trio of Dominic James, Wesley Mathews and Jerel McNeal to get up into Sharaud Curry and the PC perimeter snipers of Jeff Xavier and Brian McKenzie to throw the Friars out of their offensive rhythm. The Friars have some size, but they do not always effectively use it and the Marquette perimeter pressure is aimed at making it difficult for opponents to exploit a weakness of MU.

Every year, PC surprises at least one team on their home floor. It is usually done so with accurate three-point shooting, but in this match-up, look for the Golden Eagle guards to defend the perimeter in shutdown mode and see if the guards of PC can create for the big men inside.

Without a strong post defender, I expect the Marquette guards to be able to get into the lane and score often. A sagging zone is the best defense against MU, but they have been shooting very well of late, too. Look for the Golden Eagles to continue their strong start in conference play with a solid road win in Rhode Island.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 74
Providence 69

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE AT GEORGETOWN

2009-01-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2009

Georgetown returns home on Saturday afternoon as they welcome the Providence Friars to the Verizon Center for a 1 PM tip-off. The Friars have started out of the Big East gate very strong at 3-0, highlighted by their win at Cincinnati this week. The schedule gets tougher today in DC, but overall, PC has a ‘favorable’ conference schedule to make things interesting.

The Hoyas look to get back on track after consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and at Notre Dame. Georgetown made everyone take notice when they opened Big East play with a win at Connecticut, but that memory has quickly faded after consecutive losses pushing them to 1-2 in the unforgiving conference.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet this morning:

Capsule Summary: PC at Georgetown (Providence Journal)
Sharaud Curry Has Been a Big Contributor in Big East for PC (Providence Journal)

The Friars have been adjusting to the new three-point distance and used a 12-24 shooting effort from the arc against the Bearcats for an important road win. The Friars have established themselves as the clear sleeper from the bottom half of the conference that will be in contention to steal an NCAA bid with a strong showing this winter and a favorable schedule.

The Friars are also a veteran-heavy club under new coach Keno Davis. Seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Jeff Xavier, Geoff McDermott, Randall Hanke and Jonathan Kale team with redshirt junior Sharaud Curry to form a very good nucleus.

Georgetown is not deep nor experienced and that has shown in losses to Pitt and Notre Dame in their last two games. The decision making from the lead guard position and the attention to detail in their defense and on the boards have been lacking, which is typical for a young team. The lack of depth, especially in the frontcourt, has greatly hampered the Hoyas as well.

There is talent at Georgetown, high-end talent, with Chris Wright, DaJuan Summers, Austin Freeman, Jesse Sapp and super Frosh Greg Monroe. The public really believes in that talent as the latest college basketball odds have the Hoyas as 11 ½ point favorites, which seems a bit high against a confident and experienced PC club.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 69
Providence 61

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2009-01-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

January 7, 2009

COMMITMENT ALERT: Vincent Council, 6-foot-1 PG from Brooklyn, current attending Patterson (NC) School

Keno Davis continues to re-shape the future Providence basketball roster as the Friars Strike Again with Vincent Council (Providence Journal) on the recruiting trail.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson* (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F), Kyle Wright (G/F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon** (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen*** (G), Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C), Johhnie Lacy (PG), Vincent Council (PG)

Notes:
* Expected to redshirt the 2008-2009 season which would place him as a sophomore on the 2009-2010 roster

** possible 2008-2009 redshirt which would place his as a freshman on the 2009-2010 roster

*** is currently a verbal commitment, but did not sign in the fall and is unlikely to end up at PC

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

One of the quickest ways a new coach can resurrect the program he inherits and increase the of success is finding the perfect point guard to run his system. Keno Davis believes he has succeeded in such a quest by adding two candidates now in the 2009 class to fill that roll. Yesterday, the first year PC head coach received a verbal commitment from Brooklyn native Vincent Council and, along with the last minute signing of Johnnie Lacy in the early signing period, the Friars should have their backcourt of the future.

Council has been gaining more and more recruiting interest as a prep student at the Patterson School in North Carolina. Playing for coach Chris Chaney at the high profile school, Council picked up serious recruiting interest from Rutgers, UCF and Arkansas.

Council is a tough point guard with good size for the Big East in the typical NYC point guard mold. Council previously attended Lincoln HS in NYC where he was a tammate of Lance Stephenson, among others, on a very highly successful team.

The addition of Lacy further indicates that Antoine Allen, who was verbally committed to the Friars through the summer, although he did not sign a LOI in November, is not part of the immediate plans for PC. As the signing period passed, it was noted by Allen's prep coach at Notre Dame Prep that he had academic work to accomplish before he could think about signing a commitment with a school. Council, if he signs, would be the sixth member of the incomign class and take up the final open scholarship that is currently availanle, leaving Allen on the outisde.

Lacy, a native of Milwaukee (WI) is a jet-quick point guard that is finishing up his prep career at, incidentally, Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg (MA). In the uptempo attack that Davis hopes to install with the Friars, having a point guard with the jets that Lacy possesses is a must. Lacy will be asked to push the ball and find the shooters on the wing that Davis will hope to have lined up for him, similar to the attack he used at Drake last season. Over the summer, Lacy played very well for the Playground Elite AAU team and had been hearing from schools such as Tennessee, Marquette, Minnesota, Purdue and Cincinnati during the recruiting process.

Council and Lacy offer a different skill set and compliment each other in their style, so they could play together in the future backcourt.

The recruiting action around the Providence Friar program happened fast and furious this past fall as Keno Davis locked up six commitments for the class of 2009. Prior to Lacy and Council capping off the class, Detroit big man James Still was the latest addition to the program. Still is a 6-foot-10 center from Community High School in Detroit and averaged over 14 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. Still visited PC backin September and chose the Friars over Duquesne and Detroit. Still is an athletic big man that is very comfortable running the floor and stepping away from the basket.

Still needs to get stronger to battle in the paint in Big East match-ups. He has a lot of potential because of a high skill level and the ability to move well at 6'10. His best days are certainly ahead of him on the basketball court.

Just prior to Still, Monroe College wing Kyle Wright, who originally began his career at Stony Brook and spent last year as a redshirt with Colorado, committed to PC. Wright previously prepped at Brewster Academy where he played for coach Jason Smith at the New England prep power.

After Brewster, Wright spent one season at Stony Brook where he averaged just under three points a game, appearing in 23 contests and averaging nearly 11 minutes a game. Wright is a skilled backcourt player that has versatility and can shoot it from long range, a skill that fits well in Keno Davis' preferred system. for more on Wright, see the story on the Newest Friar: Kyle Wright.

Earlier this fall PC got a little bigger by receiving a verbal commitment from Kadeem Batts out of Powder Springs (GA) while he was on an official visit to the school. In the July evaluation period, Batts turned heads playing for the Smyrna Stars and had several high-major schools checking him out. The NBE Basketball Report was impressed with Batts' play this summer on Wednesday at the Reebok All-American Camp where he showed the tools necessary to compete in the Big East. Batts is athletic and with a strong body can mix it up inside on the boards and defensively he can block and alter shots. He also showed his offensive game is coming around as well, too.

The commitment from Batts came just a week after another commitment from a campus visit came from Michigan native Duke Mondy. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central and his Coach Had Nothing but Praise for Mondy on and off the court.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Evan Smotrycz of the New Hampton School and NJ products such as guard Isaiah Epps, Tilton School guard Gerard Coleman and small forward Shaquille Thomas.

The current PC staff, led by hard-working assistant Pat Skerry, have been working the New England prep schools really hard and recently welcomed Coleman, Smotrycz, class of 2011 guard Naadir Tharpe of Brewster Academy and highly regarded 2012 recruit Nerlins Noel of Everett (MA) High School who already stands 6'8, to campus when PC played DePaul in a Big East conference match-up.

Desrosiers and Coleman seem to be getting the most attention from PC in the class of 2010, according to a recent Providence Journal article. Desrosiers was expected to visit recently as well, but was ill.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ CINCINNATI

2009-01-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

January 7, 2009

Providence will put their 2-0 Big East record on the line when they travel to Cincinnati for a conference match-up tonight. The Bearcats found Big East play not to their liking as they were blown out, 84-50, in their conference opener on Sunday afternoon.

Here are some preview articles and game stories found on the internet this morning about this match-up:

UC Must Rebound From Back-to-Back Shellackings (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Davis Finds Big East’s a Beast (DesMoinesRegister.com)
Capsule Preview: PC at Cincy (Providence Journal)
Friars Claim No Expectations Means no Pressure (Providence Journal)

Providence has done what they needed in opening conference play with wins over St. John’s (75-54) and DePaul (62-54) at home. Now the Friars hit the road to battle Cincinnati in a very interesting game as each team looks to gain footing in the middle of the conference. PC and UC meet twice in 12 days with the Friars playing Marquette and Georgetown in between while the Bearcats will look to gain some momentum as they have UConn up next, then DePaul and Rutgers before the PC rematch.

Prior to tonight’s game, Providence has played one true road game, an 81-76 loss at Boston College. Defense and rebounding are key components to winning on the road in a conference such as the Big East and those traits have never been very consistent with the Friars. Keno Davis is trying to change that, but he is dealing with the hand that is dealt. The Keno Davis offense is centered around a point guard who can distribute to open shooters spreading the floor. PC has Sharaud Curry back at point guard and rounding back into his past form each and every game. Wing snipers such as Jeff Xavier and Brian McKenzie offer excellent three-point shooting potential, although the long-range shooting of the Friars has been missing often away from home. Weyinmi Efejuku is an athletic guard that loves to attack the rim and is also capable of connecting from deep. Where the Friars success will ultimately be decided will be how hard the frontcourt comes to play against a deeper group of UC bigs.

The Bearcats opened up Big East play by being pasted by Marquette, 84-50, on the road as the Golden Eagles lit them up from the perimeter. In their game prior to that, UC lost 60-45 on the road to Memphis, so their offensive struggles are evident. In the loss to MU, Deonta Vaughn was held scoreless for the first time in his three-year UC career. The Bearcats will not win in this league without Vaughn driving their offensive production.

The Bearcats have improved their frontcourt depth with Yancy Gates, Steven Toyloy and Mike Williams being added to the rotation this season along with returning sophomore Anthony McClain. Still, finding a consistent supplement offensively to Vaughn is what UC needs the most and it continues to be lacking this season once again.

College basketball betting odds show UC is a 3 ½-point home favorite against the Friars. After a couple rough outings, we look for the UC defensive pressure to be picked up a notch and for their bigger frontcourt to control the paint against PC. Both teams are likely to be rather evenly matched, but the added motivation and attention to get back to defense and rebounding for Mick Cronin’s squad in this game should be the difference.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Cincinnati 66
Providence 61

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DEPAUL @ PROVIDENCE

2009-01-03T06:48:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2009

The Providence Friars got out of the Big East gates quickly under new head coach Keno Davis with a 21-point win over the undermanned St. John’s Redstorm. PC will look to go 2-0 in conference play when they host DePaul on Saturday night.

The Blue Demons hope to avoid an 0-2 conference start as they dropped their opener in conference play to Notre Dame on Wednesday at Allstate Arena 92-82. Mac Koshwal had 26 and Dar Tucker 24 in the loss, but DePaul continues to lack help for their two big scorers.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Davis Comfortable Redshirting Two for Rest of Season (Providence Journal)
Jabari Currie Giving DePaul Third Scoring Option (Chicago Tribune)
The Providence X-Factor

Coming into the season, Providence was regarded as a conference darkhorse to be in you March Madness betting pool when all was said and done this season. The pre-conference schedule did not really help PC out a whole lot as they missed their opportunities to collect any wins that would stand out on a NCAA Tournament resume. However, if they can start out 2-0 in the Big East and begin building some confidence and getting more comfortable in what coach Davis and his staff are looking for, PC can still make a run.

They have an experienced point guard in Sharaud Curry who looks to be rounding back into form after missing all but 8 minutes last season. They have some dangerous perimeter shooters in Brian McKenzie and Jeff Xavier and dangerous wings in Marshon Brooks and Weyinmi Efejuku. PC still needs to be tougher inside, although Geoff McDermott will battle anyone, with Randall Hanke and Jonathan Kale playing both ends of the floor in the paint. There are some pieces…we expect some better wins soon from the Friars.

For now, they need to settle for beating the teams they should beat. And the Blue Demons are such a squad. Whiel Mac Koshwal and Dar Tucker are impressive individual talents, Jerry Wainwright still has not found a way to maximize their talents to make the rest of the team better and produce better results on the court, especially in the Big East. Tucker and Koshwal might be able to carry their team to a win on occasion, but in the Big East, that is a tall, tall order.

The Friars are a 10.5–point favorite to go 2-0 in Big East play…they should come out on top in this one.

Prediction:

Providence 76
DePaul 67

THE X-FACTOR

2009-01-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

by Zach Smart

When Bobby Gonzalez exited Manhattan College, a torrent of talent went with him.

Gonzalez, who now coaches at Seton Hall, was at the helm during Manhattan College’s version of Pax Romana. During this prosperous hoops era, Gonzalez elevated a team caught in the trenches of obscurity and got them some national visibility.

He scoured hoop hotbeds for top-flight recruits and the Jaspers went 129-77 under Gonzalez’ reign.

Bobby G’s stay at Riverdale was underscored by two NCAA tournament berths and a thrilling upset over then No.5-ranked Florida in the opening round.

One trio of Gonzalez recruits now playing under different systems are C.J. Anderson (Xavier), C.J. Lee (Michigan), and Providence’s Jeff Xavier.

All three made the decision to fill out transfer waivers after their coach took the Seton Hall job. Now fifth-year seniors, all three players have wood-cut a niche for themselves in their respective programs.

Lee, who plays second fiddle to one of the best players in the nation in Michigan guard Manny Harris. Lee recently told the New York Post that he couldn’t have asked for a better decision his early departure from Riverdale.

Jaspet Living Michigan Dream

Lee, a Pittsford, N.Y. native, is content with being relegated to cheerleader role, though he does get his occasional burn. Still, he’s playing on a team that’s put itself on the map this year and is the embodiment of a “rather look bad and win than look good and lose player” that’s talked of in White Men Can’t Jump.

Anderson and Xavier, however, have been significant cogs on both Xavier and Providence. Anderson, guy the Jaspers looked to in crunch time, is averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 points for the formidable, no.2 Muskateers.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

For Xavier, Gonzalez’ departure essentially presented a detour back to his old stomping grounds. The Pawtucket, R.I. native starred at St. Raphael Academy, where he averaged 28 points as a junior and 26 as a senior.

He stamped his imprint his senior year, being named to the all-tournament team at the prestigious National Prep Showcase and being named 2004 Gatorade State Player of the Year in Rhode Island.

This season, Xavier is an elderstatesman for a team striving for a tournament bid in perhaps the nation’s toughest conference. Xavier has been feast or famine shooting the ball, shooting 38-for-115 from the floor. He’s hit just 18-for-76 from the perimeter.

Xavier erupted during an early-season drubbing of Maine, canning 5-for-10 from three-point land and scoring 23 points. In other games, however, Xavier has disappeared into the fray and become a non-factor.

The streaky shootist broke out of a paltry 4-for-23 funk with 15 and 16 point showings against Jackson State and Boston College, respectively.

In the Friars’ recent win over St. John’s, Xavier played a solid all-around game. He hauled down six boards and handed out six assists, but he shot just 2-for-8 for five points.

After averaging 12.8 points last season, Xavier’s numbers are down. With the emergence of Marshon Brooks, however, the Providence offense has become more well-balanced. Still, Xavier will need to get back into his quick-strike sniping ways if he’s to morph back into the X-factor.

You know, the one that Bobby Gonzalez once actively pursued out of Rhode Island back in 2004?

Friars Blitz Johnnies In Blizzard

2009-01-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

By Zach Smart

Providence— Norm Roberts knows they are no “easy outs” this season.

Those games were taken care of before Big East play kicked off. The Johnnies got off to their best start since the 1994-95 season by scoring victories in guarantee games against a groundbreaking bad NJIT and other smurf-size programs.

So, heading into the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence Friday night, he knew his team would need to be at full force. With point guard Malik Boothe, go-to-guy Anthony Mason Jr. sidelined with injuries, and freakishly athletic forward Justin Burrell fresh off a nagging injury, the Johnnies were nothing short of...well...shorthanded.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

The absence of these three vital cogs, along with an ineffective five minutes from the ever-soft 6-foot-11, 265-pound Center Tomas Jasiulonis (scoreless with one board as he continues to be on a short chain in Roberts' system this season) presented a gap wider than the Sargasso Sea.

Randall Hanke turned in his best performance of the season, and the Friars' mauled the Johnnies to the beat of 75-54.

It was as much as the Friar fans, who braved the snow and arctic, jam-packed highway roads to get the game, could have asked of their senior center. Providence, which improves to 9-4, had been waiting for a breakout game of that type from Hanke.

NBE predicted the Friars would stamp a 73-63 victory. Hanke's performance, however, ran parallel with the Friars' dismantling of the Johnnies, who hope to revive an ailing program this season.

Hanke scored a season-high 17 points in just 18 minutes, hitting his shots at a 7-for-10 clip.

The towering 7-foot Center scored with ease, getting his first two point on a layup off a deft feed from Jeff Xavier.

Hanke added a pair of free throws and then connected on a jumper, followed by a quick lay-in. The back-to-back buckets helped keep the momentum rolling as Providence, which withstood an early 11-0 Red Storm run, held a 33-25 edge at the intermission.

The Friars upped the lead to 40-27 early in the second, reeling off a swift 6-0 run following a Paris Horne bucket. The head-spinning run prompted Roberts to call for a 30-second timeout.

The lead ballooned to 65-47 after a 7-0 run.

The spurt featured five points from Hanke and culminated with a trifecta from Weyinmi Efejuku (thank God I wasn’t announcing this game).

The snowstorm outside the gym, one which left more empty seats than a box office snooze-show (the summer flick “College” was terrible by the way, almost as bad as “Eurotrip”), ran parallel to the perfect storm inside the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

With Marshon Brooks (15 points) scoring nine points and helped facilitate a titanic 29-8 run.

The run left Roberts irate and gave the Friars a 29-19 lead that they wouldn’t squander.

Sheraud Curry, who scored 16 points and had eight dimes, was exceptional. He was a major part of every spurt and gave an efficient account of himself.

Geoff McDermott, who hands out assists like a fraternity house hands out cups of jungle juice, snared nine boards and Jonathan Kale chipped in with 10 points.

The lack of a bench and abysmal life from beyond the arc (2-for-17) hurt St. John’s, which was led by Sean Evans and Paris Horne.

Both players paced the Johnnies with 16 points apiece.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S @ PROVIDENCE

2008-12-30T21:45:00.000-08:00

December 31, 2008

The Keno Davis era enters the Big East schedule in his debut season as the Providence Friar basketball coach on New Year's eve when PC hosts St. John's at the Dunkin Donuts Center in downtown Providence.

While neither team is looking like they are completely out of the running to appear in your March Madness betting pools when the NCAA Tournament roles around, both have not quite doomed their season yet.

Here are the articles on the web previewing the contest:

As Big East Season Opens, Question is, Is PC Ready (Providence Journal)
St. John's at PC Match-ups (Providence Journal)

While St. John's sits at 9-3 on the season, the pre-conference period has not been a real healthy one for Norm Roberts' club. They lost their best player, Anthony Mason Jr., for the season to a knee injury. They have yet to beat anyone of significance, losing to three ACC squads (Va Tech, Miami and BC), two of which were in the Garden, and will play the Big East opener without their starting point guard, Malik Boothe, because of injury and still have Justin Burrell rounding into form after breaking facial bones earlier this month.

Providence enters the game with an 8-4 mark, with losses to Northeastern in Davis' debut, Baylor, St. Mary's (CA) and at Boston College as well. PC has a win over Rhode Island to their credit and has shown, at times, to be capable of scoring some points.

With the injury concerns of SJU, especially playing without their point guard in this one, I like the Friars to get a home win as Keno Davis collects his first Big East win.

Prediction:

Providence 73
St. John's 63

PROVIDENCE TOPPLES JACKSON STATE

2008-12-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

Providence Turns In On Following Lackluster Half

By Zach Smart

Providence, R.I.—Talk about a tale of two halves.

Providence stamped an 85-71 victory over bottom-tier Jacksonville State Wednesday night, resuscitating itself after a nightmarish first half, outscoring the visitors 53-28 after intermission.

Six of the eight Friars that played scored in double-figures, stepping up during an off-night from top scorer Marshon Brooks. Brooks scored just four points on 1-of-5 shooting, but Weyinmi Efejuku gave PC a lights-out performance, dropping 18 points on 6-for-7 shooting.

Geoff McDermott, the Friars' most versatile player, scored 13 points, snared 11 boards, and dished out five dimes in an all-out performance.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

The senior played like a senior, scoring during critical transitions. He got free for a dunk that sliced the deficit to two and then whipped a pass to Brian McKenzie, who knocked down a jumper that tied it up.

McKenzie’s layup with 13:39 to play provided the go-ahead basket for the Friars, who copped a 51-49 lead they wouldn’t squander.

Randall Hanke also turned in one of his best performances of the season, scoring 11 points in 19 minutes of burn. When PC gets quality minutes inside from Hanke their college basketball odds of winning increase greatly.

The Friars trailed, 43-32, at the half. It was an ugly 20 minutes of basketball for PC, one that brought back disturbing memories of opening night.

Grant Maxey pumped life into Jacksonville State’s early upset bid, hitting his first four shots as Jacksonville State took a 30-22 lead.

J-State came out firing, shooting the rock at a scintillating 14-for-19 clip. Providence, which kick-started the season with an embarrassing upset loss to Northeastern (a loss which prompted PC fans to boo Keno Davis) looked lackadaisical as ever.

The Friar faithful showed similar dismay throughout the half, as Jackson State continued to shoot the Friars out of their groove.

Weyinmi Efejuku soared in for a layup that cut it to 32-31, but a jumper from Phillip Williams made it 34-31 with 3:12 remaining in the first half.

JSU ended the first half on momentum-rolling power surge, reeling off an 8-0 run that featured a three from De’Suan Dixon.

The fireworks continued as Jackson State scored five points in the final 40 seconds, and the city’s Big East team looked like more like Division-III Johnson and Wales University.

The Friars’ failed to identify the towering Hanke, a senior who’s showed signs that he could evolve into a scoring threat this season. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound center attempted just two shots and couldn’t keep Jackson State out of the paint. In the second half, he was a different player. He capitalized on his opportunities, hitting three crucial shots and sinking all of his free throws.

The frustration compounded in the first. The fans were paralyzed with bewilderment. The 6-3 Friars were making a 1-8 team look like title contenders with the blazing-hot touch of King Midas. JSU hit 14 of their first 20 shots.

Then, the Friars snapped out of it in the second half. Re-writing the script, they played a cohesive and harmonious brand of ball, spearheaded by McDermott and Efejuki.

Senior Jeff Xavier, the Pawtucket, R.I.-bred perimeter sniper, paced the Friars with 15 points.

Darrion Griffin led Jackson State with 20 points. Jeremy Caldwell chipped in with 15, and Maxey added a dozen.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2008-11-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

November 19, 2008

COMMITMENT ALERT: Johnnie Lacy, 5'10 PG from Notre Dame Prep

On the final day of the early signing period, Providence coach Keno Davis went one for two, but that is just fine with him as the final piece of the recruiting puzzle for his first class PC Signs Top Point Guard Recruit (Providence Journal) Johnnie Lacy of Notre Dame Prep. The Friars were also a finalist for Chris Colvin and he made his choice late this afternoon for Iowa State over PC.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson* (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F), Kyle Wright (G/F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon** (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen*** (G), Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C), Johhnie Lacy (PG)

Notes:
* Expected to redshirt the 2008-2009 season which would place him as a sophomore on the 2009-2010 roster

** possible 2008-2009 redshirt which would place his as a freshman on the 2009-2010 roster

*** is currently a verbal commitment, expected to sign LOI in the spring

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

One of the quickest ways a new coach can resurrect the program he inherits and increase the NCAA Basketball Odds of success is finding the perfect point guard to run his system. Keno Davis believes he has succeeded in such a quest with the last minute signing of Johnnie Lacy to close out the early signing period.

Lacy, a native of Milwaukee (WI) is a jet-quick point guard that is finishing up his prep career at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg (MA). In the uptempo attack that Davis hopes to install with the Friars, having a point guard with the jets that Lacy possesses is a must. Lacy will be asked to push the ball and find the shooters on the wing that Davis will hope to have lined up for him, similar to the attack he used at Drake last season. Over the summer, Lacy played very well for the Playground Elite AAU team and had been hearing from schools such as Tennessee, Marquette, Minnesota, Purdue and Cincinnati during the recruiting process.

The recruiting action around the Providence Friar program to happened fast and furious this fall as Keno Davis locked up six commitments for the class of 2009. Prior to Lay capping off the class, Detroit big man James Still was the latest addition to the program. Still is a 6-foot-10 center from Community High School in Detroit and averaged over 14 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. Still visited PC backin September and chose the Friars over Duquesne and Detroit. Still is an athletic big man that is very comfortable running the floor and stepping away from the basket.

Still needs to get stronger to battle in the paint in Big East match-ups. He has a lot of potential because of a high skill level and the ability to move well at 6'10. His best days are certainly ahead of him on the basketball court.

Just prior to Still, Monroe College wing Kyle Wright, who originally began his career at Stony Brook and spent last year as a redshirt with Colorado, committed to PC. Wright previously prepped at Brewster Academy where he played for coach Jason Smith at the New England prep power.

After Brewster, Wright spent one season at Stony Brook where he averaged just under three points a game, appearing in 23 contests and averaging nearly 11 minutes a game. Wright is a skilled backcourt player that has versatility and can shoot it from long range, a skill that fits well in Keno Davis' preferred system. for more on Wright, see the story on the Newest Friar: Kyle Wright.

Earlier this fall PC got a little bigger by receiving a verbal commitment from Kadeem Batts out of Powder Springs (GA) while he was on an official visit to the school. In the July evaluation period, Batts turned heads playing for the Smyrna Stars and had several high-major schools checking him out. The NBE Basketball Report was impressed with Batts' play this summer on Wednesday at the Reebok All-American Camp where he showed the tools necessary to compete in the Big East. Batts is athletic and with a strong body can mix it up inside on the boards and defensively he can block and alter shots. He also showed his offensive game is coming around as well, too.

The commitment from Batts came just a week after another commitment from a campus visit came from Michigan native Duke Mondy. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central and his Coach Had Nothing but Praise for Mondy on and off the court.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

Previously, the Friars got a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen late in the summer. Allen was also visiting PC the weekend Batts made his official. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The NBE Basketball Report previously caught up with Anthony Lewis, head man of the Cecil Kirk AAU program, for a Closer Look at Antoine Allen.

The Providence Journal has reported that PC received signed letters of intents during the early signing period from Batts, Still, Mondy, Wright and then Lacy to finish off the week. Allen remains a commitment for the Friars, but he is looking to shore up his academic standing at Notre Dame Prep, where he is a teammate of Lacy's, before signing with the Friars this spring.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Evan Smotrycz of the New Hampton School and NJ products such as guard Isaiah Epps and small forward Shaquille Thomas.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

BIG EAST TOP POINT GUARDS 2008-2009: 10) SHARAUD CURRY

2008-11-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

November 5, 2008

A welcomed sight for Providence fans this season will be the return of Sharaud Curry to the line-up. The Tim Welsh tenure ended after last season, but the injury to Curry which caused him to miss all but 8 minutes of the season, effectively ended it much earlier.

After averaging over 15 points and 4.4 assists a game as a sophomore, Currly looked as if he was ready to claim his spot among the top point guards in the conference. However a preseason foot injury turned into a season-ender and those hopes, along with the season of the Friars, went down the drain.

Curry is a confident offensive player that should thrive in the system of new Friar coach Keno Davis. Curry will have the ball in his hands often and be asked to create and score in an uptempo and open offense. The laid back approach of coach Davis is likely to jive quite well with Curry this season.

Another positive to Curry as your point guard, he is one of the best free throw shooters in the history of the conference, with a career percentage near 90% from the stripe. One area that does need to be improved is his assist to turnover ratio as, for his career, he is close to averaging three turnovers a game.

Of course, missing a year due to injury will take some time to get into the swing of things. The Friars are bringing Curry along somewhat slowly this preseason to make sure he is healthy, much like Pittsburgh is doing with Levance Fields. Keno Davis understands well that the college basketball odds of his team being a tournament sleeper candidate increases greatly with a healthy Curry on the court.

2008-2009 BIG EAST PREVIEW: 10) PROVIDENCE

2008-10-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

October 11, 2008

The Keno Davis era kicks off in Providence this season. The new, young and energetic Friar head coach has brought a sense of optimism to the program that had not been able to find a consistent place in the top half of the conference under Tim Welsh. While Welsh’s teams had shown some glimpses of being primed to breakout, they never were able to build a consistent winner in the city where the Big East was founded.

Davis inherits a veteran ball club that many believe could very well be NCAA-caliber if it were not for the menacing Big East line-up that awaits them. With five seniors and three juniors all expected to be in the regular rotation, experience is not an issue for PC. Adjusting to a new system that is heavy on the three-point shot and spreading the floor might take some getting used to, especially for the big men, but there are some pieces on the perimeter that should flourish playing under Keno Davis this season.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Comings:

There was not much work for Keno Davis to do on the recruiting trail after being hired for the position due to a full roster. The only incoming recruit the Friars bring into the fold for this season is power forward Bilal Dixon, a sleeper out of New Jersey. The 6-foot-8, 220 lb Dixon will add depth to the front court. He showed the NBE Basketball Report in the Jordan Brand Regional Game last spring he can be a productive player when on the floor and should develop into a solid contributor.

Although not truly an incoming player, the Friars will get a HUGE boost with Sharaud Curry returning to health. Curry averaged 15 points and 4 assists as a sophomore for the Friars, however, a broken foot limited him to 8 minutes total in the season in ’07-08 and the Friars could not overcome his absence in Big East play.

Goings:

The Friars do not really lose a whole lot either. Charles Burch, who had an injury riddled PC career graduated and Dwain Williams left the college. Williams filled in well for Curry last year as the team’s primary ball handler, averaging 12 points a game and hitting 40% of his three-point shots. His perimeter scoring ability would have been a nice luxury to have as depth this season, but PC has others to play a similar role.

Net Impact:

A straight up Dixon for Williams/Burch trade would not win any more games for the Friars in 2008-2009 compared to last season. However, the return to health of Sharaud Curry should allow everyone to move back into their true positions and roles and make this a better club from the get-go.

2008-2009 Backcourt Outlook:

As mentioned already, Sharaud Curry is the key to the team. The 5-foot-10 redshirt junior out of Georgia is a scoring lead guard that plays very confidently on the offensive end of the floor. As a sophomore Curry hardly ever left the court for coach Welsh and had the green light to shoot the basketball often. In the system that Keno Davis likes to run, Curry will again have the ball in his hands often and spacing of the floor will give him room to penetrate to the rim to score or find open shooters around the floor. Curry is a point guard that should help to ease the transition for the Friars under Davis.

Finding open space on the floor to shoot from three-point range is a key role in Davis’ offense and wing guards Brian McKenzie and Jeff Xavier will look to fill that role very well. McKenzie is a NYC native entering his junior season. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 11 points a game last year, shooting nearly 41% from the arc. Xavier is a transfer from Manhattan and led the Friars with 76 made three’s last season. The 6-foot-1 shooting guard led PC in scoring last year at 12.4 a game and showed he could light it up from the perimeter for PC. Both of these guards will find a comfortable role in the new system.

The wildcard for PC the last couple seasons has always seemed to be Weyinmi Efejuku. The 6-foot-5 senior originally from NYC and Brewster Academy has the physical tools to excel in the Big East, but often times last season found himself on the bench next to the coaches for inconsistent efforts and performances. Efejuku would score 23 points in 30 minutes against SHU in a game and then three days later be shutout at Syracuse, only playing 14 minutes. Or, February 12th in Pittsburgh Efejuku does not get off the bench and then six days later he scores 25 against Georgetown. Finding a reliable and consistent player in Efejuku in his senior season could make PC a very dangerous team. With three backcourt positions in Davis’ system, a healthy Curry, consistent Efejuku and two top shooters in Xavier and McKenzie could be a dangerous group. Sophomore Marshon Brooks also looks to add depth at multiple guard positions and got valuable experience as a freshman, showing skills necessary to contribute in the Big East.

2008-2009 Frontcourt Outlook:

Under Tim Welsh the Friars were often beaten up inside for easy baskets and second chance points, not the way to help you college basketball odds of winning in the Big East. The Friars were usually out-toughed and the label of soft often followed Welsh’s teams. The make-up of this year’s team has the same players that were exposed previously in the Big East, but there are some players that should be able to provide a little more toughness in the Big East, led by senior Geoff McDermott. Unfortunately, fans have not really been able to see a fully healthy McDermott for a couple years as various injuries has slowed the 6-foot-6, 235 pound bruiser who can handle and pass like a guard, but rebound like a power forward. McDermott averaged 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists last year, one year after being among the league leaders in rebounds and assists and had a chance to pull off a rare double, leading the Big East in rebounds and assists, but injuries slowed him down considerably as the season passed the halfway mark. McDermott is a player you love to have on your team as he plays both ends of the floor equally as hard and is an excellent rebounder and passer. If the Friars can find some consistent scoring from the perimeter, McDermott’s passing and rebounding becomes an even more important factor in his team’s success.

Another enigma within the Providence program has been Randall Hanke, who seems to epitomize the soft label of the Friars. In his three year career, Hanke (who also redshirted one season) has scored 800 career points and made an impressive 67% of his field goals. Last season, after starting slowly recovering from injury, Hanke finished the season strong averaging 12 points a game in the last 11, shooting 58% from the floor, however, he only averaged about 4 rebounds a game, way below the necessary levels for a 6-foot-11, 240 pound player in the Big East. Hanke should find the Davis offense to his liking with his ability to score efficiently offensively, but his defense and rebounding will still come into question as teams will go right after him.

Adding bulk to the mix will be junior Ray Hall, who, even at 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds, failed to block a shot last season (huh?) in 124 minutes of action over 18 games. Hall also went 2-14 from the foul line on the season and has yet to add any other contribution to the squad other than his size to this point. Hall might find himself being a tough fit in Davis’ system that requires big men to run the court and look for Bilal Dixon to possibly take his minutes.

Another player that seems to keep missing his opportunity is Jonathan Kale, a well built 6-foot-8 power forward out of the New England prep school ranks. Kale seemed to epitomize the bruising forward when he came to PC, but his lack of basketball skills away from the basket always seemed to handcuff his success and chance to take a bigger role with the Friars. As a senior, it is his last go-round and, again, his preferred style might not be the fit that Davis is looking for, however, he does have the ability to run the floor and could make himself more of a need of Hanke struggles in the physical Big East again.

Rounding out the roster is a pair of sophomores, Alex Kellogg and Jamine ‘Greedy’ Peterson. Kellogg is the son of former college star and current CBS college basketball personality Clark Kellogg. The skilled 6-foot-7 forward has the tools to play in this system, but needs to add strength to compete in the Big East. Peterson has the strength, and then some, in a powerful and athletic 6-foot-5 body. Peterson can attack and punish the rim with the best of them in he conference, but his game is more of an undersized power forward than a perimeter player as his size might suggest. Still, in the past, players like Stevie Thompson (Syracuse) and Perry McDonald (Georgetown) had productive careers playing a similar game, but the talent around them made it possible. It remains to be seen if Peterson can have similar success, but a wide open system could help him be very productive, even if undersized for the position his skill set is suited for.

2008-2009 Team Outlook:

The Friars are a tough team to project. You look at them on paper and you like the pieces they have and the past production their players have achieved on the floor. However, you then look back at their track record and realize that they just have not been able to put it together when it counts the most in Big East league play. Now they need to adjust to a different system and coaching staff. I expect more life out of the Friars playing for Keno Davis, but I do not think they have the front line to play his style of basketball at its best. Their backcourt definitely has potential and pieces to fit the new style, but I can see them going smaller, and in the Big East, such gimmicks are tough to be successful at. Looking around the conference and putting PC’s talent up against the teams rated ahead of them, and they come up just a bit short. Hoping they crack the top half of the standings is a reasonable goal, but there are nine teams ahead of them that will start out the season better, albeit on paper, the onus will be on the Friars to take a spot or two away from the others ahead of them to put themselves in the mix for an NCAA bid.

Having Sharaud Curry back and healthy with shooters like Brian McKenzie and Jeff Xavier flanking him with the versatile Geoff McDermott and athletic Weyinmi Efejuku in the mix does have an exciting sound to it. Finding defense, rebounding and interior scoring will be the key to this team moving higher in the rankings. As much as one might like the make-up and experience of this team, you still have the fact they have not won in the Big East against the big boys to question if they will win this year. Tread cautiously with the Friars, but there is reason to be optimistic if something clicks with their interior players as the season unfolds and they could be in the middle of March Madness Betting when that wonderful time of the year arrives.

2008-2009 Big East Prediction: 8-10

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2008-10-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2008

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: James Still, 6'10 C from Detroit Community High School

Keno Davis and PC Strikes for Fifth Time (Providence Journal) on the recruiting trail with the class of 2009 as James Still of Detroit makes a verbal commitment to the Friars. Still's verbal comes one day after JUCO wing Kyle Wright pledges to Providence as well.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F), Kyle Wright (G/F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen (G), Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF), James Still (C)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

The recruiting action around the Providence Friar program continues to happen fast and furious as Keno Davis locks up his fifth commitment for the class of 2009 as Detroit big man James Still is the latest added to the program. Still is a 6-foot-10 center from Community High School in Detroit and averaged over 14 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. Still visited PC backin September and chose the Friars over Duquesne and Detroit. Still is an athletic big man that is very comfortable running the floor and stepping away from the basket.

Still needs to get stronger to battle in the paint in Big East match-ups. He has a lot of potential because of a high skill level and the ability to move well at 6'10. His best days are certainly ahead of him on the basketball court.

Thus far, Davis has been working quickly on the recruiting trail securing five verbal commitments from the class of 2009 in just over the last month. Just prior to Still, Monroe College wing Kyle Wright, who originally began his career at Stony Brook and spent last year as a redshirt with Colorado, committed to PC. Wright previously prepped at Brewster Academy where he played for coach Jason Smith at the New England prep power.

After Brewster, Wright spent one season at Stony Brook where he averaged just under three points a game, appearing in 23 contests and averaging nearly 11 minutes a game. Wright is a skilled backcourt player that has versatility and can shoot it from long range, a skill that fits well in Keno Davis' preferred system. for more on Wright, see the story on the Newest Friar: Kyle Wright.

Last month, PC got a little bigger by receiving a verbal commitment Kadeem Batts out of Powder Springs (GA) while he was on an official visit to the school. In the July evaluation period, Batts turned heads playing for the Smyrna Stars and had several high-major schools checking him out. The NBE Basketball Report was impressed with Batts' play this summer on Wednesday at the Reebok All-American Camp where he showed the tools necessary to compete in the Big East. Batts is athletic and with a strong body can mix it up inside on the boards and defensively he can block and alter shots. He also showed his offensive game is coming around as well, too.

The commitment from Batts came just a week after another commitment from a campus visit came from Michigan native Duke Mondy. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central and his Coach Had Nothing but Praise for Mondy on and off the court.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

Previously, the Friars got a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen late in the summer. Allen was also visiting PC the weekend Batts made his official. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The NBE Basketball Report previously caught up with Anthony Lewis, head man of the Cecil Kirk AAU program, for a Closer Look at Antoine Allen.

The Keno Davis system, which causes College Basketball Odds of winning to increase by spreading the floor, was on display at Drake last season and showed how effective it could be. Getting up and down the floor and attacking the basket is what Allen does well. At this point, he is definitely in the classification of a scoring guard, but he also shows the ability to drive and dish. Mondy, according to his high school coach, is an excellent passer who can do many things well as PC spreads the floor and can score from the perimeter at every position. They are both quality additions to the Friar program that will have a very useful skill set for PC and their new direction. Batts adds an interior body that is also athletic and can play in the system and hit the boards.

Keno Davis now has one scholarship open for the class of 2009 at this point and some impressive players are listing the Friars on their recruiting lists. Some of the top targets emerging for the Friars include Samford (CT) forward Tevin Baskin, Delaware prospects Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7 forward, and Erique Gumbs, a 6-foot-8 big man, Michigan prospect Ben Simons and Maine big man Thomas Knight.

Looking for an attacking point guard to draw defenders and dish to the spot-up shooters or take it to the rim himself is a key element of the PC system going forward under Davis. One player who seems perfect for such an assignment as point guard is Chicago's Chris Colvin who made a visit to PC the last weekend of September as PC is Still Busy With Prospects. The Friars' staff has also made regular stops at Worcester Academy and have taken a strong interest in 6-foot-9 Blake McLimans, who could be visiting the campus in the near future as well.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Evan Smotrycz of the New Hampton School and NJ products such as guard Isaiah Epps and small forward Shaquille Thomas.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

NEWEST FRIAR: KYLE WRIGHT

2008-10-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2008

As reported earlier today in our Providence Recruiting Update, Keno Davis has added another verbal commitment to his 2009 recruiting class, this time dipping into the JUCO ranks as Hartford (CT) native Kyle Wright made the decision to pledge to the Friars.

"Yes, I believe Kyle committed yesterday," Jason Smith, head coach at Brewster Academy told the NBE Basketball Report this morning. "He took his official visit this past weekend."

At Brewster, Wright averaged about 13 points and 6 rebounds a game at the New Hampshire school.

"Kyle is a very, very skilled guard," coach Smith remarked. "He's 6'5 and has really gotten stronger since he graduated from Brewster in '06. He's a versatile player."

After Brewster, Wright made a stop at Stony Brook where he appeared in 23 games as a true freshman, averaging 2.8 points a game. Last season, Wright transferred to Colorado and sat out the season per NCAA transfer rules. However, now he has come back east and is enrolled at Monroe College in the Bronx, where he will play this season.

After an impressive summer playing in the Hartford Pro-Am, schools began looking closer at Wright. Schools such as Central Florida, Fordham, UMass and George Mason made their interest known, but the Friars sealed the deal.

"Providence was his first visit and he really wanted to go there," Monroe College assistant coach Brock Erickson told NBE. "He really wanted to go somewhere that his dad could go see him play."

With a very large senior class on the roster, the Friars needed some experience to be ready for the big East from the get-go in the class of 2009. It also helped that Wright has a skill set that seems ideal for the type of system that Keno Davis will be utilizing going forward with the Friars.

"They (PC) are going to be very young next year and they wanted someone who was a junior, had some experience at the D-1 level, and can step in to fit what they're trying to do," coach Erickson said.

Look for Wright to be used on the wing at PC. His verstility will be used by Monroe this season as they will use him at all three backcourt positions. PC assistant Pat Skerry had developed a bond with the Monroe staff through his recruitment of 6-foot-8 forward Charles Bunches, a native of Bayonne (NJ) who played last seson at Paris (TX) Junior College and Wright caught his eye as he continued to work on Funches.

"He can really shoot, he's intelligent, versatile, and has a good mid-range game," Erickson said of Wright's strengths that will assimilate into the Friar system.

No matter what happens on the court, the Friars are getting a quality addition to their program that everyone is universal in their praise of as a person. "Wonderful kid and family," coach Smith commented. "He will be a great addition to the PC community."

Keno Davis is working on putting his stamp on the Providence basketball program, and players like Kyle Wright should allow him to do so successfully.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2008-10-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2008

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Kyle Wright, 6'5 G/F Monroe College of the Bronx

The Friars Strike Again (ProJo Hoops Blog) on the recruiting trail as Providence College and keno Davis pick up their fourth commitment for the class of 2009 as Kyle Wright, a 6-foot-5 guard from Monroe College, has made a verbal commitment to the Frars following a recent visit.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F), Kyle Wright (G/F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen (G), Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Keno Davis takes over a situation at Providence that is both good and bad. The good part is he inherits a program with a very experienced line-up. The Friars will open the 2008-2009 season with seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and 5th year seniors Randall Hanke and Jeff Xavier. Also, juniors Ray Hall and Brian McKenzie return and point guard Sharaud Curry will be back in the line-up after missing last season with a foot injury. As for the bad news, coach Davis and his staff must make quick work on the recruiting front to replace the talent and depth of the roster that will not be here much past this season.

Thus far, Davis has been working quickly on the recruiting trail securing four verbal commitments from the class of 2009 in just over the last month. The latest is Monroe College wing Kyle Wright, who originally began his career at Stony Brook and spent last year as a redshirt with Colorado. Wright previously prepped at Brewster Academy where he played for coach Jason Smith at the New England prep power.

After Brewster, Wright spent one season at Stony Brook where he averaged just under three points a game, appearing in 23 contests and averaging nearly 11 minutes a game. Wright is a skilled backcourt player that has versatility and can shoot it from long range, a skill that fits well in Keno Davis' preferred system.

Last month, PC got a little bigger by receiving a verbal commitment Kadeem Batts out of Powder Springs (GA) while he was on an official visit to the school. In the July evaluation period, Batts turned heads playing for the Smyrna Stars and had several high-major schools checking him out. The NBE Basketball Report was impressed with Batts' play this summer on Wednesday at the Reebok All-American Camp where he showed the tools necessary to compete in the Big East. Batts is athletic and with a strong body can mix it up inside on the boards and defensively he can block and alter shots. He also showed his offensive game is coming around as well, too.

The commitment from Batts came just a week after another commitment from a campus visit came from Michigan native Duke Mondy. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central and his Coach Had Nothing but Praise for Mondy on and off the court.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

Previously, the Friars got a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen late in the summer. Allen was also visiting PC the weekend Batts made his official. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The NBE Basketball Report previously caught up with Anthony Lewis, head man of the Cecil Kirk AAU program, for a Closer Look at Antoine Allen.

The Keno Davis system, which causes College Basketball Odds of winning to increase by spreading the floor, was on display at Drake last season and showed how effective it could be. Getting up and down the floor and attacking the basket is what Allen does well. At this point, he is definitely in the classification of a scoring guard, but he also shows the ability to drive and dish. Mondy, according to his high school coach, is an excellent passer who can do many things well as PC spreads the floor and can score from the perimeter at every position. They are both quality additions to the Friar program that will have a very useful skill set for PC and their new direction. Batts adds an interior body that is also athletic and can play in the system and hit the boards.

Keno Davis still has two scholarships open for the class of 2009 at this point and some impressive players are listing the Friars on their recruiting lists. Some of the top targets emerging for the Friars include Samford (CT) forward Tevin Baskin, Delaware prospects Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7 forward, and Erique Gumbs, a 6-foot-8 big man, fellow Michigan prospects James Still, a 6-foot-8 big man from Detroit who visited with Mondy earlier this fall, and 6-foot-7 forward Ben Simons. Maine big man Thomas Knight is also receiving heavy interest from PC.

Looking for an attacking point guard to draw defenders and dish to the spot-up shooters or take it to the rim himself is a key element of the PC system going forward under Davis. One player who seems perfect for such an assignment as point guard is Chicago's Chris Colvin who made a visit to PC the last weekend of September as PC is Still Busy With Prospects. The Friars' staff has also made regular stops at Worcester Academy and have taken a strong interest in 6-foot-9 Blake McLimans, who could be visiting the campus in the near future as well.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Nate Lubick, another NEPSAC product as well as Evan Smotrycz of the New Hampton School and NJ products such as guard Isaiah Epps and small forward Shaquille Thomas.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2008-09-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

September 14, 2008

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Kadeem Batts, 6'8 PF from McEachern HS in Georgia

The visits continued at Providence as over the weekend PC Was Hosting Two Recruits (Providence Journal), including already committed Antoine Allen and Georgia big man Kadeem Batts. As the weekend ends, both players are now committed to the PC as the Friars Nab Third Recruit (Providence Journal).

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen (G), Duke Mondy (G), Kadeem Batts (PF)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Keno Davis takes over a situation at Providence that is both good and bad. The good part is he inherits a program with a very experienced line-up. The Friars will open the 2008-2009 season with seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and 5th year seniors Randall Hanke and Jeff Xavier. Also, juniors Ray Hall and Brian McKenzie return and point guard Sharaud Curry will be back in the line-up after missing last season with a foot injury. As for the bad news, coach Davis and his staff must make quick work on the recruiting front to replace the talent and depth of the roster that will not be here much past this season.

Over the past weekend, Providence took another step toward re-stocking the program by receiving a verbal commitment Kadeem Batts out of Powder Springs (GA) while he was on an official visit to the school. In the July evaluation period, Batts turned heads playing for the Smyrna Stars and had several high-major schools checking him out. The NBE Basketball Report was impressed with Batts' play this summer on Wednesday at the Reebok All-American Camp where he showed the tools necessary to compete in the Big East. Batts is athletic and with a strong body can mix it up inside on the boards and defensively he can block and alter shots. He also showed his offensive game is coming around as well, too.

The commitment from Batts come just one week after another commitment from a campus visit came from Michigan native Duke Mondy. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central and his Coach Had Nothing but Praise for Mondy on and off the court.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

Previously, the Friars got a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen. Allen was also visiting PC this past weekend along with Batts. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The NBE Basketball Report previously caught up with Anthony Lewis, head man of the Cecil Kirk AAU program, for a Closer Look at Antoine Allen.

The Keno Davis system, which causes NCAA Basketball Odds of winning to increase by spreading the floor, was on display at Drake last season and showed how effective it could be. Getting up and down the floor and attacking the basket is what Allen does well. At this point, he is definitely in the classification of a scoring guard, but he also shows the ability to drive and dish. Mondy, according to his high school coach, is an excellent passer who can do many things well as PC spreads the floor and can score from the perimeter at every position. They are both quality additions to the Friar program that will have a very useful skill set for PC and their new direction. Batts adds an interior body that is also athletic and can play in the system and hit the boards.

Keno Davis seemed to get off to a slow start on the recruiting trail, but of late, more and more players are listing the Friars on their recruiting lists. Some of the top targets emerging for the Friars include Samford (CT) forward Tevin Baskin, DC-area big man Talib Zanna, Torrington (CT) BF/C Jordan Williams, James Padgett of NYC, Delaware prospects Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7 forward, and Erique Gumbs, a 6-foot-8 big man, fast rising Maryland guard Devon Saddler and fellow Michigan prospects James Still, a 6-foot-8 big man from Detroit who visited with Mondy earlier this fall, and 6-foot-7 forward Ben Simons. Maine big man Thomas Knight is also receiving heavy interest from PC. With three recruits committed, PC can now fill in the openings and maybe go aggressively after a couple of these higher rated talents.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Nate Lubick, another NEPSAC product as well as Evan Smotrycz of the New Hampton School and NJ products such as guard Isaiah Epps and small forward Shaquille Thomas.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

COACH HAS NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR MONDY

2008-09-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2008

Keno Davis thinks he has another overacheiving diamond in the rough in Duke Mondy. Mondy's high school coach agrees. Grand Rapids Catholic Central coach T.J. Carnegie thinks that Mondy is a perfect fit for Keno Davis' system that puts a premium on good guard play and ability to knock down open shots.

"Duke is just a complete player. He can play both guard spots. He's legitamately 6-3. He can knock down shots and also penetrate and kick to other open shooters. He's the best passer I've ever coached.", says Carnegie who also had nothing but praise for Mondy's character off the court as well as his leadership skills.

Mondy, who also set a school record last year with 70 steals, will team with fellow D-1 recruit Sultan Mohammed to make up one of the more formidable backcourts in the state of Michigan. Mohammed, a 6-3 junior complements Mondy's shooting and playmaking skills with the ability to slash and get to the rim. Catholic Central hopes to build on last year's 18-6 District Championship run with an even further run in 2008-09.

Duke Mondy sounds like a winner, someone that will help Keno Davis and Providence improve their NCAA Basketball Odds at reaching the NCAA Tournament in future seasons.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2008-09-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2008

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Duke Mondy, 6'3 G from Grand Rapids (MI) and Catholic Central High School

Keno Davis has been very busy of late hosting prospects from the local New England corridor, New York City area and also branching out his recruiting efforts to his Midwest roots. The connections to the Midwest paid off over the weekend while Duke Mondy was on an official visit to the campus. Catholic Central's Mondy Commits to Providence (MLive.com) and becomes Davis' second commitment in the class of 2009.

Projected 2009-2010 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen (G), Duke Mondy (G)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Keno Davis takes over a situation at Providence that is both good and bad. The good part is he inherits a program with a very experienced line-up. The Friars will open the 2008-2009 season with seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and 5th year seniors Randall Hanke and Jeff Xavier. Also, juniors Ray Hall and Brian McKenzie return and point guard Sharaud Curry will be back in the line-up after missing last season with a foot injury. As for the bad news, coach Davis and his staff must make quick work on the recruiting front to replace the talent and depth of the roster that will not be here much past this season.

Over the past weekend, Providence took another step toward re-stocking the program by receiving a verbal commitment from Michigan native Duke Mondy after he completed an official visit to the campus. Mondy is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids (MI). As a junior, Mondy averaged about 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for coach TJ Carnegie at Catholic Central.

Mondy had already been familiar with coach Davis prior to him taking the PC head coaching job last April as Davis was recruiting Mondy to Drake, where he was previously the head coach. Mondy decided on Providence over Western Michigan and also had offers from Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan and others.

Previously, the Friard got a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The Keno Davis system, which causes college basketball betting trends to be skewed, that he used at Drake last season should fit players like Allen and Mondy well. Getting up and down the floor and attacking the basket is what Allen does well. At this point, he is definitely in the classification of a scoring guard, but he also shows the ability to drive and dish. Mondy, according to his high school coach, is an excellent passer who can do many things well as PC spreads the floor and can score from the perimeter at every position. They are both quality additions to the Friar program that will have a very useful skill set for PC and their new direction.

Keno Davis seemed to get off to a slow start on the recruiting trail, but of late, more and more players are listing the Friars on their recruiting lists. Some of the top targets emerging for the Friars include Samford (CT) forward Tevin Baskin, Torrington (CT) BF/C Jordan Williams, NYC forward Kevin Parrom, James Padgett of NYC, Delaware prospects Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7 forward, and Erique Gumbs, a 6-foot-8 big man, fast rising Maryland guard Devon Saddler and fellow Michigan prospects James Still, a 6-foot-8 big man from Detroit who visited with Mondy last weekend, and 6-foot-7 forward Ben Simons. Maine big man Thomas Knight is also receiving heavy interest from PC.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA), Nate Lubick, another NEPSAC product and NJ guard Isaiah Epps.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

CLOSER LOOK AT PROVIDENCE COMMIT ANTOINE ALLEN

2008-09-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2008

Keno Davis got on the board for the first time in the recruiting battles of the Big East when the new Friar coach dipped into the city of Baltimore and plucked point guard Antoine Allen from the deep talent pool of the area.

With five seniors on the 2008-2009 PC roster, there is no doubt that Davis' first recruiting class with the Friars will be an important one. With the commitment from Allen, the Scoring Guards Becomes Davis' First Building Block (Providence Journal) with the Friars.

If your Betting on March Madness success, guard play in the NCAA is a must. After talking with Cecil Kirk AAU head man Anthony Lewis, it definitely sounds like the Friars found themselves a gem in Allen.

Anthony Lewis has seen his share of successful Big East players come through his Baltimore recreation program and play for the Cecil Kirk AAU program. Names like Josh Boone, Rudy Gay, Kevin Braswell, Sam Young, David Wingate and DaJuan Summers are just a few that have played under the Cecil Kirk banner. Recent Villanova commit Mouphtau Yarou also ran with the program late this summer. So, when Lewis tells us Allen can ball, we will listen.

"Quality kid, better kid as well as a quality player," Lewis told the NBE Basketball Report in a recent phone interview.

With guards Weyinmi Efejuku and Jeff Xavier part of this year's senior class, getting a versatile guard that can score and defend in Davis' uptempo style was important and Lewis believes Allen will provide just that for the Friars.

"He's a lead guard, like Chris Paul is a lead guard," Lewis said. "(Allen) will score points, run the offense (and) shoot beyond the arc. He (also) creates opportunities (by) pressuring the ball on defense."

After playing at Lake Clifton High School, Allen will attend Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts and play for Ryan Hurd. Late this summer the NBE Basketball Report observed Allen in Las Vegas playing well for Cecil Kirk at the Main Event when he was attacking the basket, using his strength and athletic ability and his 6-foot-2 frame to overpower many opposing guards. He has a game suited for the Big East that should fit well into the style Keno Davis will bring to Providence College.

EVAN SMOTRYCZ TALKS PC VISIT

2008-08-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

August 29, 2008

While Catching Up With Carson Desrosiers and then Catching Up With Evan Sotrycz, the NBE Basketball Report talked to two of the latest players to pay a visit to Keno Davis and Providence College in recent days.

Smotrycz is a 6'9, 205 lb skilled forward who is transferring from Reading (MA) Memorial HS to the New Hampton (NH) School and will also reclassify to the class of 2010. The multi-skilled and versatile player enjoyed his time at PC this week.

“It was an unofficial visit (to Providence),” Smotrycz said. “I went up with Carson Desrosiers and Coach Skerry and Coach Davis gave us a great tour. I also had a chance to sit down and talk to head Coach Keno Davis.”

Overall, the visit to Providence rated quite high for Evan and he thinks the new regime has pumped new life into the program.

“I was very impressed by the overall look of the campus everything seemed brand new and well maintained,” Smotrycz continued. “I also really liked the look of The Dunkin Donuts Center’s new seats. They seam to have a great staff, and campus with all the tools to have an impact in the Big East.”

Currently, schools such as Georgia, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Michigan and Oregon State have thrown their hat into the ring as interested parties in the recruitment of Smotrycz. He recently took the visit to Providence and will head to Michigan this coming weekend (8/29 – 8/31).

SMOTRYCZ, DESROSIERS VISIT PROVIDENCE

2008-08-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

August 27, 2008

While the NBE Basketball Report was Catching Up with Carson Desrosiers it was learned that the 6-foot-10 class of 2010 big man took an unofficial visit to Providence College on Tuesday with Mass Rivals AAU teammate Evan Smotrycz.

“I was impressed with the campus and liked the philosophy of the coaching staff and the direction they want the program to move,” Desrosiers said of Providence. “(We) took a tour with Coach (Pat) Skerry and sat down and talked to Coach Skerry and Coach Keno Davis.”

Along with the Friars, Desrosiers told the NBE Basketball Report that Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Penn State were also coming after him pretty hard. Later this week, Desrosiers plans to take an unofficial visit to Syracuse as well. Jim Boehiem, just back from China with a Gold Medal, will be hosting the Syracuse Elite Camp this weekend.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2008-08-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2008

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Antoine Allen, 6'2 G from Baltimore (MD) and Notre Dame (MA) Prep

Keno Davis is on the board as a recruiter as PC Hoops Nabs Recruit (Providence Journal) Antoine Allen out of Baltimore.

Projected 2008-2009 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen (G)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Keno Davis takes over a situation at Providence that is both good and bad. The good part is he inherits a program with a very experienced line-up. The Friars will open the 2008-2009 season with seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and 5th year seniors Randall Hanke and Jeff Xavier. Also, juniors Ray Hall and Brian McKenzie return and point guard Sharaud Curry will be back in the line-up after missing last season with a foot injury. As for the bad news, coach Davis and his staff must make quick work on the recruiting front to replace the talent and depth of the roster that will not be here much past this season.

Over the weekend, Providence took their first steps toward re-stocking the program by receiving a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The Keno Davis system that was used at Drake last season should fit a player like Allen well. Getting up and down the floor and attacking the basket is what Allen does well. At this point, he is definitely in the classification of a scoring guard, but he also shows the ability to drive and dish. He is a quality addition to the Friar program that will have a very useful skill set for PC and their new direction.

Keno Davis seemed to get off to a slow start on the recruiting trail, but of late, more and more players are listing the Friars on their recruiting lists. Some of the top targets emerging for the Friars include Samford (CT) forward Tevin Baskin, Torrington (CT) BF/C Jordan Williams, NYC forward Kevin Parrom, James Padgett of NYC, Delaware prospects Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7 forward, and Erique Gumbs, a 6-foot-8 big man, fast rising Maryland guard Devon Saddler, Michigan prospects Duke Mondy, a 6-foot-3 guard, and 6-foot-7 forward Ben Simons and Maine big man Thomas Knight.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA) and NJ guard Isaiah Epps.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

PROVIDENCE OFFERS 2010 BIG MAN

2008-08-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

Friars jump on board 2010 fast-rising big man with offer

August 8, 2008

Carson Desrosiers had a tremendous summer playing for the Mass Rivals on the AAU circuit and those summer performances have not gone unnoticed in the eyes of college coaches. Following the productive July evaluation period, Desrosiers Gets First High Major Offers (NERR) as both Syracuse and Providence have made scholarship offers this week.

Desrosiers plays for Central Catholic in Lawrence (MA) and caught the eye of NBE Basketball Report’s Brian Crownover while in Vegas for the Adidas Super 64. The 6-foot-10 post player showed the ability to step away from the hoop and drain the three-ball, a skill college coaches are becoming more and more enamored with in their bigs that helps improve their Odds in College Basketball success greatly.

PROVIDENCE TARGETS AT RBK SUMMER CLASSIC

2008-07-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2008

Jeff Borzello of the NBE Basketball Report reports on some PC prospects that showed well recently at the Reebok Summer Classic East put on by the Hoop Group.

James Padgett was playing without his Juice All-Star partner-in-crime down low in Joel Wright, who was out with an injured ankle. Padgett picked up the slack, leading Juice to the U-17 tournament title.

The 6-foot-8 post player is a very solid scorer inside, and demonstrated a variety of post moves. He turns to the basket well and can finish with both hands around the rim. He is a very good offensive rebounder and is also active defensively. However, he does not dominate as much as he could, and is not as imposing defensively as his height and athleticism would seem to suggest.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Padgett sees a lot of Big East interest with West Virginia, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Providence as well as Maryland (offered) and South Carolina from outside the conference recruiting him.

Chris Cantino, a 6-foot-7, multi-skilled forward, was arguably the most talented player on the court against the NY Panthers, which is saying something considering his opponent. He showed off his inside-outside scoring ability, as he can take defenders off the dribble but also get points on post-ups inside. He is not a great shooter, but he is very active on the glass and also runs the floor extremely well for his Sam Rines team.

Cantino gave CAA Insider a long and varied list of Rhode Island, Kansas State, Providence, Louisville, Baylor, Seton Hall, Temple, Nebraska, Kentucky, Siena and Rider.

New PC coach Keno Davis is also working on the class of 2010 as well, trying to get ahead in the recruiting game. Paterson Catholic and NJ Playaz teammates Fuquan Edwin and Trevor Clemmings are on their early radar.

Edwin looked like a completely different player than he did at the Reebok U All-American camp. The 6-foot-5 forward really is an outstanding all-around player who can do a little bit of everything on the court. Edwin loves to get out in transition and push the ball for fast-break points; he can find people or take it to the basket himself. Offensively, he has a decent mid-range game, but his shooting stroke from three-point range is fairly ugly. Defensively, Edwin has quick hands and routinely picks off errant passes.

Clemmings is an absolute beast on the inside. He has an extremely strong and wide body, and his broad shoulders make it difficult for defenders to keep him off the low block for the Playaz. He consistently gets great position and is very tough to stop once he gets the ball near the basket. Clemmings has a variety of moves and fakes inside, and draws fouls constantly. He can also finish with contact and is a strong rebounder.

Clemmings and Edwin both reported interest in Providence at the RBK Summer Classic and both have been offered by in-state schools Rutgers and Seton Hall. LaSalle and UMass are on both of their lists as well while Edwin is also hearing from Texas and South Carolina already.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the Odds to Win the 2009 NCAA National Championship, Providence is among the longest of long shots, see who is among the favorites!
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave Coley reminds some of a smaller version of Syracuse’s Paul Harris. He is extremely active at both ends of the floor and plays much bigger than his listed height of 6-foot-2.

Coley is very strong when going to the basket and can finish with contact. he runs the floor very well and is very impressive at changing direction while dribbling. He rebounds the ball at both ends and is also a solid passer with vision for the Juice All-Stars.

The class of 2010 prospect has interest from Providence and St. John's, along with an offer from Hofstra already.

PROVIDENCE A MATCH FOR CHICAGO GUARD

2008-06-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

While Doug Ferguson got to see Chicago's Best on Display at Local Team Camps (NBE Basketball Report), he could not help but think that Whitney Young guard Chris Colvin and Keno Davis, new head coach at Providence College, could be a perfect match.

Colvin is a glove-like fit for Keno Davis’ system at Providence (who has made him an offer). If they can get him into their program and put shooters around him, he can be deadly. If Adam Emmenecker can win the MVC Player of the Year, then there is no telling what Colvin can do. Grant it, the Big East is not the Missouri Valley, but this kid has all the potential in the world.

PROVIDENCE 2008-2009 SNAPSHOT

2008-06-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2008

Head Coach: Keno Davis
2007-2008 Record: 15-16 (6-12 Big East)

Returning Players:
Sharaud Curry, Junior (Point Guard)
Weyinmi Efejuku, Senior (Guard)
Geoff McDermott, Senior (Forward)
Jonathan Kale, Senior (Big Forward)
Randall Hanke, Senior (Center)
Jeff Xaiver, Senior (Shooting Guard)
Brian McKenzie, Junior (Guard)
Ray Hall, Junior (Center)
Jamine Peterson, Sophomore (Forward)
Marshon Brooks, Sophomore (Guard)
Alex Kellogg, Sophomore (Forward)

Incoming Players:
Bilal Dixon (Power Forward)

Graduated:
Charles Burch, Senior (Forward)

Transferred Out:
Dwain Williams, Sophomore (Guard)

Open Items/Issues:
Normally spring time is very busy around the Providence College basketball program. In the past, Tim Welsh had been scrambling to fill holes in the roster as the transfer bug would hit several players. Well, this spring it has been rather quiet, other than the fact that Tim Welsh was fired in March.

Keno Davis parlayed the excellent season Drake had last year into a Big East coaching head job. The son of former Boston College and Iowa coach Tom Davis, Keno was honored with several coach of the year honors for leading Drake to the NCAA Tournament in his first year as head coach. Now, he comes into the Big East and will attempt to revive interest in a Providence program that has not had much momentum in several seasons.

Even with the coaching change, only one player has opted out of the program as Dwain Williams headed back to the West Coast. His departure was rumored often, but he turned in a solid season in relief of Sharaud Curry last season and will be missed.

Summary:
A new coach often brings new life and energy to a program and in this case, that is exactly what the Providence Friar program desperately needs. Keno Davis is a young head coach that will try to bring some excietment to a program that people have expected more from the last couple years. Last season, an injury to point guard Sharaud Curry threw the season off course and the Friars never recovered, ending the tenure of Tim Welsh as the PC coach. Welsh had been the third longest tenured coach in the conference, trailing only Hall of Famers Jim Calhoun and Jim Boeheim, before being let go right after a season-ending loss to West Virginia in the Big East Tournament.

Much like at Marquette, Davis inherits a team with a lot of experience. The Friars have a roster consisting of five seniors and three juniors, all of which are likely to be in the eight or nine man rotation. The key will by Sharaud Curry, who missed all of last season with a broken foot. As a sophomore, Curry averaged 15 points per game and 4.4 assists, both second on the squad. The absense of their floor general had PC looking dis-organized often offensively as they tried to plug in combo and shooting guards into Curry's place.

The injuries did not end there as forward Geoff McDermott once again played through multiple knee, leg and foot problems, but he still led the team in rebounding at over 8 a game and assists, with nearly 5 a game. A healthy McDermott and Curry makes this team much better right off the bat.

The rest of the experienced players should be able to fall into place around Curry and the versatile McDermott. Jeff Xavier, who transferred in from Manhattan, was the team's leading scorer last season and is a dangerous perimeter shooter on the wing. He would likely be joined at the wing slots by senior Weyinmi Efejuku, an athletic and enigmatic guard who found his way into Welsh's doghouse often last year, and sweet-shooting junior Brian McKenzie. This is a very solid backcourt that can shoot and create, as long as everyone has their heads on straight.

The frontcourt has been an area of concern. McDermott is a warrior who battles underneath, but is limited offensively. Senior Randall Hanke still gets pushed around a lot in the paint in the Big East and is not much of a factor on the boards or defensively, but he can score some points. Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall offer more of a physical presense, but are limited offensively. Tim Welsh never developed any consistency in his front court and that always held the Friars back.

Jamine Peterson is an exciting athlete that loves to attack the rim. If he develops more skills away from the basket, he could give a lift to PC more consistently. Incoming freshman, the lone newcomer, Bilal Dixon is an intriguing big forward that could develop into a solid performer in the Big East.

If your looking for a good possibility to turn things around this season, the Friars are a good candiate. The return of Curry should be able to give the offense a consistent leader. Curry still needs to expand his playmaking abilities, but his experience and talent surpasses anything PC had at their disposal last year at the position. The rest of the team is experienced and even with the new coach, this team knows each other quite well and there is no divide between the new coach's players and the holdovers. Keno Davis has quite a rebuilding job to do after this senior class graduates, but adding some energy to this current group and the return to health of a couple players, this Friar squad could be an interesting team this season. I expect them to start fast and build some excitement, when they get into the Big East, their 3-pt shooting will make them dangerous, but again, the key will be their ability to rebound and defend the paint.

PROVIDENCE CHECKS OUT DC FORWARD

2008-06-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

June 4, 2008

We are still trying to get a feel for the recruiting areas and players of interest for new Providence coach Keno Davis and his staff. It does appear that the Friars are among the Big East Crews Warming Up to Thomas Robinson.

Thomas Robinson, a 6’8”, 205 pound forward from Washington, DC has seen his interest move into the recruiting fast lane, going 150 miles per hour. He has received offers from Marquette, Georgia, George Washington, Virginia, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. Pittsburgh, North Carolina State, Boston College, Minnesota, UMASS, Drexel, Robert Morris and George Mason have all expressed strong interest, with others like Providence taking a look.

Presently, Robinson is a hard playing forward most comfortable in the interior, where he rebounds, defends, attacks the cup, and displays a much improved jump hook with either hand. Going forward, Thomas will continue improving his perimeter skills, which will as a coach recently suggested allow him to excel at either the high or mid major levels.

His Squash All Beefs AAU coach, Dwight Redd recently noted to Ron Bailey during the spring open period, college coaches have indicated “when they see Thomas, they see a kid who works hard, is aggressive, and has a mean streak”.

---
Remember, check out the NBA Odds on ths year's championship series between the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics! Post your prediction!

PROVIDENCE RECRUITING JORDAN STEVENS

2008-05-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

May 20, 2008

As the City Rocks AAU Program Continues Their Succsss, the Providence Friars has taken an interest in one of their 2008 prospects.

Jordan Stevens, a 6’5” wing from Saratoga Springs High School, is another player looking to create more of a buzz this upcoming summer on the AAU circuit. He has already been offered by Providence, Rhode Island, Western Kentucky, Fairfield, Albany and is getting looks from Saint Joseph’s and other schools.

“He’s getting a lot of mail right now,” according to Carmen Maciariello, the club’s vice president.

New Providence College head coach Keno Davis is still trying to gain his footing in the east coast recruiting battles and his anticipated hiring of Pat Skerry from Rhode Island would be a tremendous move. According to Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com, if Providence Snags Skerry it would be an absolute home run as Skerry was recently tabbed as the #1 mid-major assistant in a poll Goodman conducted.

KENO DAVIS ADJUSTING TO PC SCENE

2008-05-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

May 7, 2008

Keno Davis’ Transition to Providence Has Been a Challenge from the Start (Providence Journal) and Kevin McNamara updates readers the process Davis is undergoing as he changes jobs and prepares to uproot his family.

Davis is also learning that the Big East microscope is much stronger than that at Drake. Less than two weeks on the job, NY Daily News college basketball columnist took Davis to task on his Hoops on Hoops blog about not being visible at the Providence Jam Fest on the PC campus, an event with many of the top basketball players from the east coach and New England.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CONNECTICUT @ PROVIDENCE

2008-03-06T06:23:00.001-08:00

March 6, 2008

An January 17th, Providence College want into Connecticut and stunned the Huskies 77-65 on their home court. The win moved PC ahead of UConn in the Big East standings at 3-2 with their third consecutive Big East victory. Jim Calhoun's squad had lost for the third time in four games, falling to 2-3 in the Big East.

Boy, did things move in the opposite direction for both teams since that game!

Here are the local media previews and game stories on tonight's contest:

After Their Sluggish Start, the Huskies Have Pulled Together (Providence Journal)
Game Preview: UConn @ PC (Providence Journal)
AJ Not One to Forget (Hartford Courant)
UConn Has Score to Settle With Providence (Waterbury Rep-Am)
UConn Men in Mood to Fricassee Friars (Connecticut Post)

Providence has completely tanked since thier win over Connecticut. The Friars followed up their win at UConn by losing nine of their next 10 contests and falling 'below the line' for qualifying for the Big East Tournament, let alone the NCAA Tournament which was their preseason goal. PC showed some signs of life this past weekend with an overtime road victory against Cincinnati, which puts them in a tie with DePaul and St. John's for the last spot in the conference tournament.

Connecticut moved in the complete opposite direction following the loss to PC. The Huskies rattled off 10 straight wins and now sit on 12 wins in their last 13 games. They played nine of those games without Jerome Dyson, who was their leading scorer at the time of his suspension from the team. Dyson is now back, trying to re-assimilate himself in the mix. However, this is now AJ Price's team and the junior point guard has run the show nearly flawlessly for the Huskies during their run. Price has shown 100-times improvement with his feel for the game, knowing when to look for his offense, push or pull out the ball and getting the bigs involved. He also has a knack for hitting tough and important shots down the stretch.

UConn still has the muscle inside with Jeff Adrien and the intimidating Hasheem Thabeet. The Providence front line will definitely struggle scoring and rebounding against the big Huskies. Adrien and Thabeet should have their way inside, drawing fouls, controlling the boards and finishing against Randall Hanke, Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall. In their first meeting, Providence relied on the long-ball, hitting 14 of 24 from beyond the arc, led by Dwain Williams' six of nine. However, Williams, who scored 23 in the win, is lost for the season with an ankle injury and Jeff Xavier, who had 11 in the win, is slowed with a foot injury, making the Friar backcourt much less lethal. Factor in that Sharaud Curry has missed virtually the entire season and you see why PC is having problems winning in the Big East.

In their win over Cincinnati, freshman Marshon Brooks stepped up and was the hero. Tonight, it is a different ballgame and the Huskies have the edge at every position and with depth. Having the game at home would seem to help PC, but in this series, the road team dominates and that should continue tonight as the 4.5-pt road favorite Huskies look to continue their march to the postseason.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Connecticut 75 Providence 65

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ PITTSBURGH

2008-02-12T06:18:00.001-08:00

February 12, 2008

Providence is quickly watching an anticipated season get away from them before their very eyes. The potential of missing the Big East Tournament is very real for a squad that was quietly picked by many to challenge foe a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Their fortunes turned sour when Sharaud Curry broke his foot prior to the season.

Speaking of tough breaks, Pittsburgh lost their floor general to a broken foot six weeks ago. This was two days after Mike Cook was lost for the season with a knee injury. However, the Panthers have remained above water and are 6-4 in the Big East and very well could have Levance Fields back on the court tonigth.

Here are the local media previews and stories on tonight's match-up:

Pitt's Fields Likely to Rejoin Team (Tribune-Review)
Pitt's Fields a Gametime Decision for Tuesday (Beaver County Times)
Panthers Face Rough Road for Stretch Drive (Post-Gazette)
Welsh Enters Center of Fan's Ire as Friars Stumble in Big East (Providence Journal)
PC @ Pitt Preview (Providence Journal)
It's Time for PC to End Welsh Era (Providence Journal)

It might be the night that the Pittsburgh players and fans have been waiting for since December 29th, the return of Levance Fields. The status of Fields and his likely return kind of sums up the direction of the two programs. Although Pitt is 3-3 in their last six since beating Georgetown, the Panthers have some optimism heading down the stretch and they stayed alove while Fields was out injured. Providence, on the other hand, has lost five of their last six since a stunning win at Connecticut. The win over UConn represents their lone road victory in Big East play as they sit at 4-7 with a tough stretch of games to finish out conference play. Making the Big East Tournament looks like a tough task as of this morning.

However, teams can sometimes rally around a cause and right now, that cause could be saving coach Tim Welsh's job. The pressure from fans and media is mounting on the Friar head man whose in his 10th season at PC. In those 10 years, Welsh has yet to win a game in the NCAA Tournament and they have made the Big Dance just two times. In what is widely regarded as the toughest job in the conference, there are legit concerns if Welsh would ever get the Friars to move up in the 'New' Big East. This was the season he pointed to, with an experienced and talented group, however, the injury to Curry has set them back, but injuries have been very common around the Big East and other teams have overcome them.

Looking at the Friars, you still see pieces that should be foing better than they are, but for some reason, the sum of the whole is less than it's parts. The Friars still struggle rebounding and defending, a common shortcoming of recent Friar teams, and spend an awful lot of time depending on the three-point attack. While Dwain Williams, Jeff Xavier and Brian McKenzie are all excellent three-point shootets, that seems to be their attack, pass around the perimeter hoping a three-point opportunity presents itself. When they are falling, like at UConn, they can look pretty good. When they are not falling, it can be disaster, especially with out Curry to create.

Still, the Friars seem to match-up pretty well here, but they will be tested inside by Pitt's DeJaun Blair. The big frosh has the beef and quickness inside that really tests the Friars inside game of Randall Hanke, Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall. The Friars will need to try to get Blair in foul trouble, if they are able to, it evens the match-up considerably. Sam Young and McDermott could be a physical battle at the forward position. PC does not run enough of its offense through McDermott and Young will look to attack him off the dribble. Any foul trouble here for either team is a big blow.

Pitt's senior guards Ron Ramon and Keith Benjamin have played really well in place of Fields, but getting Fields back should energize this group and make this unit deeper and stronger. Brad Wanamaker has gained valuable experience and fellow freshman Gilbert Brown is an exciting wing that seems to be on the verge of taking off.

Pitt has a tough schedule down the stretch and after this game they have back to back road games with Marquette and Notre Dame. Hitting this stretch with a win tonight will be a big lift. If Levance Fields enters the game, the place could go crazy and the energy lift Pitt needs from their emotional leader returning to the court could give them an extra push. The Friars, as 9-point underdogs, will rely on their three's, but if they are not falling, Pittsburgh should handle them well.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 71 Providence 61

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ ST. JOHN's

2008-02-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

February 9, 2008

The Provience Friars travel to New York City to take on the St. John's Redstorm in a Big East conference showdown Saturday afternoon. Just one game seperates the two teams in the conference standings and that one game could be the deciding factor between participation in the Big East Conference Tournament or staying home in March.

St. John's has come back to life a bit with wins over South Florida and Rutgers in the last week. Although those wins do not really mean a whole lot, since they were the two teams below SJU in the standings, they both did come on the road and has put St. John's in position to challenge for a spot in the conference's Garden Party next month.

The most impressive item out of their two wins was that the victory against Rutgers came without the services of their best player, Anthony Mason Jr, who missed the contest with an ankle injury.

Against Rutgers, St. John's was not pretty, winning 52-45, but they hunkered down on defense, hit the boards hard and scrapped their way to a win. They have players who are athletic and strong, just not overly skilled on offense. After being beaten badly in their previous three games, they have turned things around and now have a chance to pick up more steam at home.

Providence needed a 2nd half rally to save, at least momentarily, their season. While dropping four consecutive games to drop to 3-6 in the Big East, pressure was mounting as fans were getting louder and louder with their 'Fire Welsh' chants in reference to PC head coach Tim Welsh. In 10 seasons as the Friars' head coach, Welsh has no wins in the NCAA Tournament. This was the year they hoped would change that, but a preseason injury to Sharaud Curry has limited the point guard to just 8 minutes all season and he is officially out for the year.

Without Curry, PC has been VERY inconsistent offensively. They rely on the perimeter shooting touch of Dwain Williams, Brian McKenzie and Jeff Xavier for most of their offense. Geoff McDermott battles a sore knee to play the forward spot and the effecient Randall Hanke makes good of his opportunities, but he has a tendency to be pushed around the post too often.

With the lack of a true point guard, the Friars are not able to consistently distribute the ball to make scoring easier for their players. They will pressure St. John's with their outside shooting and if Weyinmi Efejuku can give Tim Welsh what he is looking for in terms of consistent effort, the Friars should have too many offensive options for SJU.

The Redstorm was effective packing it in against the poor shooting Scarlet Knights on Wednesday, but that strategy will be hard to execute against a better shooting Providence club. Freshman Justin Burrell is an athletic forward who faces an interesting battle against McDermott. Larry Wright has had a disappointing season as a sophomore for the 'Storm, but he is capable of scoring, if Mason Jr. is out or limited because of his ankle, they will need Wright to provide some scoring punch, otherwise, it will be very tough for SJU to score points, even against a defense that allows a lot of them.

With Mason being an unknown, I have to side with the deeper and better shooting Friars in this one.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 67 St. John's 58

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DEPAUL @ PROVIDENCE

2008-02-05T06:24:00.000-08:00

February 5, 2008

Something has to give tonight as both Providence and DePaul bring losing streaks into their contest at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence. The 'Fire Welsh' chants were out in full force as the Friars dropped their fourth straight Saturday night against West Virginia. The Friars are now just 3-6 in conference play. At DePaul, the Blue Demons have lost three in a row and are finding themselves in a fight for the last Big East Tournament berth after a promising start in the conference, which included a 70-65 win over PC at Allstate Arena on January 5th.

Here are the local media preview stories on tonight's game:

DePaul Not Hot Going into Providence Rematch (Courier News)
Game Preview: DePaul @ PC (Providence Journal)
DePaul Needs Big Hit to Keep its Season Alive (Chicago Tribune)
Lack of Consistency on Offense, Defense Has PC's Welsh in a Bind (Providence Journal)
PC Has Left Welsh to the Boo-Birds (Providence Journal)

Providence looks to snap a four-game losing streak and get revenge for a 70-65 road loss earlier in the season at the hands of DePaul. In the earlier game, PC played without a point guard as sophomore Dwain Williams missed the game with an injured ankle. Williams' return to the line-up helped spark the Friars to a three-game winning streak, which included a road win at UConn, but it has been downhill since for the Friars and their fans have taken their frustrations out towards Tim Welsh in recent games.

The same problems continue to plague the Friars as they remain inconsistent on defense and on the boards. With Williams' injury issues and Sharaud Curry missing all but 8 minutes of the season, the offense has been inconsistent as well. The Friars seem to rely solely on the perimter shooting touch of Williams, Brian McKenzie and Jeff Xavier for their offense. Geoff McDermott is bothered by an injured knee and Randall Hanke tends to get pushed around often in the Big East.

DePaul is a similar team as Providence where they also struggle with consistency. The Blue Demons definitely pass the look test with a line-up of strong and athletic players, but they struggle shooting the ball consistently and getting the ball inside the paint. Draelon Burns is their leading scorer and his role is to score points, sometimes it leads to ill-advised shots, but he is given the offensive freedom to score for the Blue Demons. The very promising freshman duo of Mac Koshwal and Dar Tucker have also stepped up as the season moves on, but after those three, you never know what else you will get from Jerry Wainwright's squad.

The Friars are 7-pt favorites in tonight's contest. I do expect them to come out with a strong effort as they know the opinion of th efans of their recent play. They heard the boo-birds during their loss to Seton Hall and it was only louder at the end of the West Virginia loss.

Shooting the ball will be the key, on their home floor, look for PC to hit their three's at a solid clip and pressure the DePaul guards into tough shots. DePaul will keep it close with their size and they are more than capable of stealing this one on the road, but I am giving the edge to the home team tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 72 DePaul 67

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ PROVIDENCE

2008-02-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2008

There probably is no other team more anxious to get back on the court than the West Virginia Mountaineers. One, it allows them to put the bad taste of Wednesday night's debacle out of their mouths. Two, it gets them out of practice and film sessions with coach Bob Huggins who undoubtedly can not be happy with his team after they were bombed by Cincinnati and his former assistant, Mick Cronin, 62-39.

Providence also needs to get back onto the floor, but this is a very quick turnaround after they literally let one slip away against Notre Dame Thursday night. The Friars were just 6-16 from the foul line in an OT loss to the Irish and a turnover in the last 20 seconds by Geoff McDermott led to two Luke Harangody free throws to force the extra session which was dominated by the Irish.

This is nearly a must-win for each team, as always, it is more important for the home team. Providence entered the season with plans to be, at least, on the NCAA bubble this year. An injury to Sharaud Curry has definitely dampened those hopes, but a loss at home to West Virginia would mean a four-game losing streak and put the Friars on the outside-looking in at the 12 teams in position to make the Big East Tournament at the halfway mark. Not exactly the bubble they were planning to be on...

For West Virginia, a loss would slide them out of the congested Big East middle and into the lower rungs of the conference, with Providence. There is little room for error in the Big East. A two-game win streak can put a team into 2nd place in the Big East, a two game losing streak and your staring at 12th or even 13th place! That is true for 11 teams...UNREAL! The life expectancy of coaches in this league is going down by the minute...

West Virginia has to put Wenesday's 10-50 shooting effort against Cincinnati behind them. Bob Huggins has spent the last couple days telling his club they are not tough enough and they need to rebound, etc, etc. With this club, that could be like trying to get blood from a stone, that is not their personality or comfort zone. However, they are not as good of a shooting team as previous Mountaineer clubs either. They seem to hit their shots in bunches and success is contagious among their players, but if they are not in a comfort zone and being forced to create, it can be an ugly scene. They also seemed to be flat coming off the agonizing loss to Georgetown the weekend prior. What they hoped to be a 2-0 homestand ended up being an 0-2 disaster.

It was supposed to come together this season for Tim Welsh. Instead, the injury to Curry, the slow development of Randall Hanke rounding back into shape and now an issue with Weyinmi Efejuku is not how his highly thought of junior class was suppsoed to respond in a season of hope. Efejuku did not get off the bench for the Friars on Thursday night in the OT loss at Notre Dame. Efejuku was scoreless in the previous game, a loss to Syracuse and Welsh has been frustrated previously with inconsistent efforts from Efejuku. Sophomore guards Dwain Williams and Brian McKenzie can be hot or cold and junior transfer Jeff Xavier the same from the arc. If PC is hitting from 3, they are very dangerous. That type of threat led them to an impressive win at UConn earlier, but its been downhill since. Without Curry, nobody seems to be able to create for others, leaving big men Hanke, Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall alone in the middle. Geoff McDermott puts forth a big effort each time out, but his limited array of offensive skills can force him to be bottled up inside.

This is a game that can really go either way. I flip-flop back and forth often with this one. I like the WVU core group of Darris Nichols, Alex Ruoff, DaSean Butler and Joe Alxander to lead the Mountaineers in a bounce back effort.

NBE Bloggers' Prediction: West Virginia 73 Providence 70

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ NOTRE DAME

2008-01-31T05:14:00.000-08:00

January 31, 2008

Providence College is next up to try and end Notre Dame's long-standing home win streak. The Irish have won 31 straight games overall at the Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center and 12 in a row in Big East play. That streak is on the line tonight when the Irish welcome the Friars, who only have one true road win on the season. That one win was impressive as PC won at UConn earlier this month.

Here are the local media preview stories on the game:

Finding His Inner Ballhog (South Bend Tribune)
Brey, ND Fear Friars (South Bend Tribune)
In the Big East, Hosts Unfriendly
Game Preview: PC @ Notre Dame (Providence Journal)
Back Home, The Irish are Rarin' to Go (P-J)

With the Friars their success is usually determined by how their perimeter shooters connect from long range. Brian McKenzie, Jeff Xavier and Dwain Williams like to set-up shop beyond the three-point line and let them fly. Each is a very dangerous 3-pt marksman thay needs to be forced to put the ball on the floor before launching. Their threat of the 3-pt ball opens up lanes for Weyinmi Efejuku to attack the basket and Geoff McDermott to bang away at the forward position. Providence struggles greatly at the post position with Randall Hanke, Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall splitting the time in the post, but they struggle rebounding and, for th emost part, fail to take advantage of the opportunities to score with the strong perimeter shooters.

Notre Dame is led by the inside/out duo of Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney. The bullish sophomore forward Harangody should find lots of success against the soft middle of the Friars. Harangody is a master at establishing post position and he is much too physical for Hanke inside. Kale will battle back, but the array of post moves and strong hands possessed by Harangody will keep him scoring on anyone the Friars use. The lack of offense run through the post by PC also limits the potential for Harangody to pick up fouls.

On the outside McAlarney has been red-hot for the Irish. As he has been prodded to shoot more by coach Mike Brey, the junior guard has averaged over 18 PPG in six Big East contests including games of 32 against UConn and 30 at Villanova last Saturday. He is complimented in the backcourt by lightning quick point guard Tory Jackson whose skills allow McAlarney to concentrate on being the long range bomber that Mike Brey loves.

Rob Kurz is also the perfect compliment to Harangody inside as he can step away from the basket to shoot the ball. He handles and passes the ball extremely well for a power forward and does the little things that frees up Harangody to do what he does best. The wing position is being split by Ryan Ayers, a strong shooter, and Zach Hillesland, instant energy. Hillesland was inserted in the starting line-up last weekend in place of Ayers and have the Irish a jolt from the beginning.

Notre Dame is an 8-pt home favorite tonight. They will need to keep the Friar 3-pt shooters marked throughout the game and ride the inside/out combination of Harangody and McAlarney. The Notre Dame depth is definitely a question mark, but they have not been tested deep on their bench very often. The Irish home win streak should stay intact tonight...

NBE Blogger Prediction: Notre Dame 82 Providence 73

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL @ PROVIDENCE

2008-01-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

January 24, 2008

An intriguing Big East match-up takes place Thursday night as the Seton Hall Pirates travel to Providence to take on the Friars. The Pirates won back-to-back home games last week over South Florida and Louisville and put their modest two-game win streak on the line. The Friars have not played in over a week, but their last outing was an impressive road win at Connecticut, marking the third straight win for PC.

Here are some local media preview stories on tonight's match-up:

Bobbt Gonzalez' Gang is off to Seton Hall of a Start (Hoops Weiss NY Daily News)
Seton Hall @ PC (Providence Journal)
Seton Hall Looks To Improve Road record at PC (Providence Journal)
Friar News for Wednesday (ProJo Hoops Blog)
Seton Hall's Hazell Finding His Range (Herald News)

Bobby Gonzalez is definitely a very excitable person and he could hardly contain himself Saturday night as Seton Hall rallied from 14-pts down to beat Louisville, 92-82, behind the white-hot shooting of freshman Jeremy Hazell. Hazell keyed a 41-17 run to end the game with an astounding display of deep 3-pt shooting. For the game, the frosh hit 8 three's and finished with 29 points. He scores them in bunches. He was coming off a 22-pt performance in the win over South Florida earlier in the week.

Now that the Pirates have tasted some success at home on conference play, they will need to step it up on the road. The Pirates are 0-10 under Bobby Gonzalez in Big East road contests the last two seasons. Illustrating the highs and lows of playing on the road and at home, in the two previous road games prior to his 51-pt outburt last week, Hazell scored a total of TWO points against Marquette and Pittsburgh the week prior. Last season, SHU lost at Providence 91-68, only to turn around and beat them at home 10 days later.

Now that the Hall has 'shocked' Louisville in Newark, a win Gonzo termed `monumental for our program,' they need to refocus ont he task at hand. In order to move up in the conference, they have to find a way to steal some on the road. Gonzalez is definitely getting a little carried away, but you have to admire his passion. Afterall, Seton Hall was an NCAA Tournament team in 2006 and won on the road against teams such Pittsburgh and Syracuse, so beating an unranked Louisville team on your home court is more on the line of things teams have to do rather than monumental. However, on a personal aspect, the game was HUGE to Gonzo and his excitement is still evident.

To win at Providence the Pirates are going to have to defend the 3-pt shot. The Friars hit 14 of 24 from beyond the arc in their 77-65 win over Connecticut last Thursday, led by Dwain Williams' six of nine and Brian McKenzie hitting all four of his attempts. The sophomore duo have been picking up the slack for injured Sharaud Curry and combined for 43 points in the win. Another player that has been key for the Friars is Jeff Xavier, who played for coach Gonzalez at Manhattan but opted to transfer when Gonzo left for the Seton Hall job. Xavier is leading the team in scoring at nearly 13 a game and has hit 45 three's in 17 games this season.

Each team is pretty thin in the middle and can rotate three big men each in the post. Providence's trio includes Randall Hanke, Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall while the Pirates will counter with an improving group of John Garcia, Mike Davis and Augustine Okosun. One of the better match-ups to watch this season is at the forward spot where Brian Laing and Geoff McDermott will go head to head. McDermott is always among the league leaders in rebounding and assists and Laing is one of the best scorers in the conference.

Eugene Harvey, Jamar Nutter and Larry Davis are the main guards in the Pirate rotation and with Curry out of the line-up for the Friars, they will look to apply lots of pressure on the Friar guards, who lack a true point guard with expereince. They have managed well with Dwain Williams and Brian McKenzie, but the are more of combo guards filling in at the position. If Paul Gause was healthy for the Pirates I could really see them doing some damage with their press.

Providence likes to play a lot of zone defenses (coach Tim Welsh was once an assistant for Jim Boeheim) and if they are in a zone, they MUST key on Hazell. If he gets going, it could be a long night. Weyinmi Efejuku could be the player in charge of defending Hazell and that might be an interesting match-up as the two are familiar with one another from the parks of New York City. Efejuku is a strong and athletic wing that could be a physical defensive answer to Hazell's catch and shoot ability.

With road games on the horizon against Syracuse (Sunday) and Notre Dame (next Thursday), winning at home is vital for the Friars, who are 8.5-pt favorites. I see some areas where Seton Hall can definitely exploit against Providence, but the Pirates are just 1-4 on the road this season. The Big East has developed a pattern this season, win a big game at home, go on the road and be humbled. While I think this will be a pretty good game, it is one that Providence has to have and should have a mental edge going in.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 81 Seton Hall 72

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ CONNECTICUT

2008-01-17T05:54:00.000-08:00

January 17, 2008

The Big East's version of the battle of New England pits two original conference members against one another at the Hatford Civic Center. Each team comes in with identical Big East records of 2-2 and the Huskies will look to end a series streak of the road team winning these match-ups.

Here are the local media previews found on the internet this morning:

UConn Eager to Put Providence Loss in Past (Connecticut Post)
Friars Another Measuring Stick for UConn Men (Waterbury Rep-Am)
Friars, Huskies Expect Usual Barn-Burner (Providence Journal)
Game Preview: PC @ UConn (Providence Journal)
Calhoun Back With Huskies (Hartford Courant)

We are just 22% into the Big East schedule, but this is a very important game for both teams. The Providence Friars always bring one of their better efforts to the table when they play Connecticut, and this trip to hartford should be no different. The Friars are 2-0 at home in conference play (beating RU, USF) and 0-2 on the road (losing to Marquette, DePaul). The Friars hit a rough patch with Sharaud Curry and Dwain Williams out, their lone point guards, and started conference play 0-2. Williams is back and gives the offense some more direction and allows a talented perimeter group including Weyinmi Efejuku, Brian McKenzie and Jeff Xavier freedom to produce points.

Where Providence can struggle is along the front line. Randall Hanke is effecient on offense when he gets the ball in position to score, but he can struggle mightily with bigger, stronger player. That is exactly what he will see tonight when matched up against Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien in the post. Geoff McDermott will battle from tip to horn, but the lack of confidence the Friars have in their post play will likely push them to play smaller and press. Unfortunately, UConn loves to see the tempo revved up and this could play into their hands as well.

The Huskies are 2-2 in Big East play. They have played three of their four games in conference play on the road, winning at Seton Hall and dropping tough games at Notre Dame, where a huge second half rally was thwarted by the Irish, and Georgetown, where Roy Hibbert hit a game-winning three-pointer in the waning seconds. Their lone home contest in league play resulted in an easy win over St. John's.

The Huskies are led offensively by the much improved AJ Price and the strong two-guard Jerome Dyson. Inside, Jeff Adrien can still bull his way to a double-double nearly every night, but improvements on offense by Hasheem Thabeet has complimented his game. They are still waiting for Stanley Robinson to use his tremendous talents to become a consistent threat offensively. Like most Husky squads under Jim Calhoun, this rendition is athletic, tall and loves to push the tempo. They can still hit some rough patches, but this year, led by Price, they do not have droughts for as long of periods of time on offense as the execution has improves. Defensively, the effort is improving each time out and the team keeps improving.

Connecticut still lacks a 'big win' on the season, and a home game against Providence would hardly qualify as such at season's end, but the Huskies need to win all of their games like this. The Friars are in need of a big win and road wins in general for them to make an argument for inclusion in the Field of 65 this March.

This seems like a game that Connecticut will try to make a statement in. After the sting of a disappointing loss at Georgetown and with the return from illness of Jim Calhoun, look for the Huskies, as 9-pt favorites, to put things together tonight and flex some muscles.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Connecticut 82 Providence 69

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SOUTH FLORIDA @ PROVIDENCE

2008-01-12T06:19:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2008

Providence College will welcome the South Florida Bulls to the Dunkin' Donuts Center for a Big East match-up. Both the Bulls and Friars have identical 1-2 conference records. After losing two on the road, the Friars returned home to wax Rutgers. South Florida's lone conference victory was also a blowout against the Scarlet Knights.

Here is the Providence Journal Preview on the game:

Friars Wont Take Bulls Lightly (Providence Journal)

This is a game the Friars must have. it is tough to call such an early conference match-up a 'must-win', but Providence game into the season with high hopes and losing at home to USF would really make a successful conference season much more difficult.

One thing going in PC's favor is they should have Dwain Williams back in the line-up. With Sharaud Curry missing virtually the entire season to date, Williams has been thrust into the point guard role for the Friars. Although not a true point guard, Williams has been solid, but an ankle injury has kept him out of all Big East action and the Friar offense has struggled.

With Williams limited and Curry out, a guard-heavy attack has been hit pretty hard. Brian McKenzie, Jeff Xavier and Weyinmi Efejuku have continued to be productive, but their inexperience as playmakers and floor generals have made it tough on the offense as a whole to get going.

Rugged and versatile forward Geoff McDermott will be a very tough match-up for the Bulls. Pitt's Sam Young had his way with the USF forwards on Wednesday night, scoring 22 points, and McDermott should be able to get his share of points and rebounds.

In the middle, Randal Hanke will have his hands full with the bullish Kentrell Gransberry. The 6'8, 270 lb USF center is averaging a double-double and will look to lean on the much slighter Hanke. The Bulls must get the ball inside to Gransberry on nearly every posession and then work their way outside with Dominique Jones, one of the top freshman scorers in the country.

This promises to be a pretty good game. USF has a very solid set of athletes on the perimeter and they will be tested against PC. Gransberry is a definite match-up issue for the Friars, who tend to play small line-ups often. I think the wildcard is Geoff McDermott and USF has no answer at the forward position for him.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 77 South Florida 73

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ PROVIDENCE

2008-01-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

January 9, 2008

The Big East's version of a cure for your ails is Rutgers and their visit to the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence could not come at a better time for the Friars. After dropping their first two conference match-ups on the road, the offensively challenged Scarlet Knights are a welcome site for PC. Rutgers is also 0-2 in the conference, failing to hit the 50-pt mark in either game.

Here are the local media previes on the game:

PC/RU Preview (Providence Journal)
Rutgers N'Diaye a Formidable Defender (Asbury Park Press)
Providence 'QB' Familiar to Knights (Star-Ledger)
Williams Probable as Friars Chase First League Win (Providence Journal)
Rutgers/PC Scouting Report (Courier News)

The Scarlet Knights sit at the bottom of the Big East in virtually every offensive stat, including points (63.3 per game), field-goal shooting (.396), assists (8.6) and 3-point shooting (.274). Those numbers are actually worse in Big East play as RU is averaging 45.5 PPG, shooting 35% from the floor, 21% from 3-pt range and 29% from the FOUL LINE in two games, losses to Georgetown and at South Florida.

There also has been other factors making things more difficult for Fred Hill's club. First, freshman Corey Chandler has missed several games, and has been limited in Big East play, due to a foot injury. Chandler might be RU's best pure scorer. Also, junior JR Inman, a versatile offensive threat, has been coming off the bench for RU. Reasons for his demotion from the starting line-up have been a bit murky, but there seems to be a little bit of a tug of war going on with the staff and players.

Rutgers still will compete and they will work hard on the defensive end. They hope to keep the game as a low scoring affair and 'ugly' it up by pressuring shots and collecting their share of rebounds.

Scoring is not usually the problem for the Friars, but stopping their opponent has been a missing ingredient for PC the last several years and despite an added concentration to defensive effort this year, it continues. However, the injury bug that has spread through a lot of the conference has also hit PC hard, taking their top two point guards out of the line-up as Sharaud Curry and Dwain Williams have been out of the line-up. Curry is still not even ready to practice, but the news on Williams is better and he is likely to play tonight.

With Williams an adequate point guard, players like Brian McKenzie, Jeff Xavier and Weyinmi Efejuku can concentrate on scoring points, not also playing the role of distributor. The Friars also boast hard-nosed and versatile Geoff McDermott and a true point guard will look to take advantage of his talents and also involve Randall Hanke more in the offense, putting him in position to score.

Inconsistent guard play also leads to defensive breakdowns as the opponent is finding more break and transition opportunities. Defensively and in the post is always going to be an uphill battle for PC, but the defensive effrt is something that most likely will improve as the team gets closer to full strength and cohesive.

The Friars come into the game tonight as a 14-pt favorite and they should take advanatage of the opportunity Rutgers provides to get well.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 75 Rutgers 58

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ DEPAUL

2008-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2008

Both teams coming off very different results will have to put Thursday night's games behind them and re-focus for a Saturday evening tilt that could play a big role in the outcome of their seasons.

Providence wraps up a quick two-game Midwestern road trip with a drive from Milwaukee to Chicago to face the Blue Demons of DePaul. Coming off a complete drubbing at the hands of Marquette, the short-handed Friars will look to rebound against DePaul. After this game, PC has three of their next four at home. The three home games at the Dunkin Donuts Center are very winnable.

DePaul gets to start off conference play with a pair of home games. Entering their conference opener the Blue Demons were on their first two-game winning streak of the season, but were still just a disappointing 4-7 on the year. Facing a ranked opponent at home for the second time this season, DePaul once again saw a double digit late second half lead shrink, but this time, DePaul was able to put away Villanova and earn the win, unlike a previous attempt against Vanderbilt.

With Friars point guard Sharaud Curry still in a protective boot and limited to eight minutes of action all season, and his back-up, Dwain Williams, unlikely to play because of an ankle injury, the Friars were dismantled by Marquette. With shaky guard play and no inside game to speak of, it was a no-win situation for PC and it got real ugly. Now they have to find a way to right the ship in a hurry to avoid a 0-2 conference start.

DePaul also was short-handed in their win over Depaul as Majita Poscic and Jabari Currie did not play because of injury and Dar Tucker was limited to three minutes because of a sore ankle. In the process, Jerry Wainwright might have found a cure to their point guard woes as Cliff Clinkscales played one of th ebetter floor games of a DePaul PG in the last couple seasons, especially when they needed it down the stretch against a good gaurd group from Villanova. If Tucker is ready to go, the Blue Demons match up well with the Friars with their size inside, athletic ability on the wings and a scorer in Draelon Burns to rely on.

With Curry and Williams out, PC will have to rely on the inconsistent Weyinmi Efejuku, but their biggest issue will be trying to find some form of inside game to battle Mac Koshwal and Wesley Green. If they can't, it will be a long night again for PC.

NBE Blogger Prediction: DePaul 69 Providence 65

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ MARQUETTE

2008-01-03T07:17:00.001-08:00

January 3, 2008

For the second year in a row, Marquette and Providence open up Big East play facing each other. Here are the local updates on the game found on the internet:

Friars Counting on Efejuku to Take it to the Limit (Providence Journal)
Marquette Game Preview (Post-Crescent)
Eagles Have Pieces to Fly High in Big East (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
PC at Marquette (Providence Journal)

And, for the second consecutive season, Providence enters the game without Sharaud Curry. Last season the Friars upset Marquette (who was without Jerel McNeal) as Curry sat out for disciplinary reasons, this year PC goes to Milwaukke to open the Big East and Curry remains out with a foot injury suffered in the preseason.

Providence has been using a guard-heavy line-up often in their out of conference schedule, but tonight those guards will be tested by one of the nation's best trio of guards and deepest guard groups. Juniors Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mathews are as good as any guard group and sophomores Maurice Acker and David Cubillan add quality depth behind the first wave.

The player who might be taking Marquette to another level is sophomore Lazar Hayward, a 6'6 forward, who is averaging 13 PPG and gives Tom Crean's club another offensive option who can score in a variety of ways to compliment the guards. They still do not have much of a post scoring threat, where Dwight Burke and Ousmane Barro are mainly used for defense and rebounding. Also coming back from injury and off the bench is Dan Fitzgerald, a 3-pt threat at the forward position.

Burke and Barro will be taking turns guarding Randall Hanke, the redshirt junior who has gone from hardly playing at all the first half of the OOC schedule to starting and playing well, offensively at least, in the last several games. Hanke is shooting 73% from the floor, but the Big East will call for more physical tests so we will see how Hanke fares right away. Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall also split time in the post, but neither have shown any consistency since the real games have begun, Kale was expected to take a big step forward this season, but it has not translated in game action.

The Friars rely on their guards, with Curry out, Dwain Williams has assumed the PG duties and he has been solid. He came to PC last year with the rep of a scorer, but he has improved his distribution skills. Three-point threats Brian McKenzie and Manhattan-transfer Jeff Xavier can really stroke the three-ball and will be watched closely by the Marquette guards. Weyinmi Efejuku has been giving the Friars a spark off the bench and they will need him to play a very good game on offense and defense against the Marquette guards. Geoff McDermott is a forward that is a tough match-up for anyone, but Marquette uses a similar line-up as the Friars and can negate some of his match-up problems he usually creates.

With a crowd of 18,000+, look for MU to be raring to go tonight. The on the ball pressure applied by James and McNeal and the athletic and strong play of Mathews and Hayward should cause the PC offense to struggle. Without Curry to handle the ball and break down the defense, it might be a long night for PC as 12-pt underdogs.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Marquette 85 Providence 70

2007-2008 BIG EAST PREVIEW: 8) PROVIDENCE

2007-10-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

October 13, 2007

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE ESSENTIALS:

Official Website of Providence College Basketball

2007-2008 Official Providence Roster & Bios

Meet Coach Tim Welsh

Dunkin’ Donuts Center

2007-2008 Providence College Basketball Schedule

OVERVIEW:

Tim Welsh enters his 10th season as head coach of the Providence College Friars. As one of the longest tenured coaches in the conference, this is a huge year for Welsh and his program as expectations have risen with an experienced team in place to compete for a bid to the NCAA Tournament and a spot in the upper-echelon of the powerful Big East conference. After a very disappointing season in 2004-2005, the Friars have shown slow, but steady improvement since, reaching the NIT Tournament last year after going 8-8 in the Big East. With a team possible starting line-up of five juniors and some key sophomores and freshman coming off the bench, the next two years should be even better at PC.

Before we start penciling in the Friars for a Big East Tournament bye and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, their first since a 1st round loss to Pacific in 2003-2004, the Friars must overcome the stigma of bad luck that has derailed the program at times recently. Whether it has been sudden departures by promising players or injuries to key personnel, the Friars just have not seemed to be able to put things together consistently for coach Welsh. Even the 2004 season fizzled down the stretch as the Friars lost their last two regular season games, both at home, to fumble any chance of a league title and then bowed out of the Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament in their first games. Even with an impressive showing in the Preseason NIT the following year and returning All-American Ryan Gomes leading the way, the Friars fell apart going 4-12 in the Big East. When expectations rise, it seems like the Friars have missed the mark one too many times previously.

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

This season already seems to have gotten off on the wrong ‘foot’ as leading returning scorer and point guard Sharaud Curry broke his foot in the preseason and might miss several of their early season games this November, including a trip to San Juan for the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic where they open with Temple. However, one bit of good news, the Friars enter the season with a full collection of players and Welsh has his deepest backcourt since taking over at PC to at least temporarily cover for the loss of Curry. This remains an important season as PC needs to prove they can meet higher expectations and Welsh could use that momentum to score on his initial targets on the recruiting trail. The Friars have had good luck with identifying players under the recruiting radar, but that does not always work in this ultra-competitive Big East. This might be the season that defines and determines the Tim Welsh legacy at Providence College.

THE 2006-2007 SEASON:

The Friars will likely remember the 06-07 season as one that met the minimum of expectations, going 8-8 in the Big East and getting an invite to the NIT. However, the Friars never really seemed to do anything unexpected. A home win over Marquette was a nice start to the conference schedule and a win at Connecticut is always cherished by the Friar faithful, but letting winnable games at St. John’s, Seton Hall and Notre Dame as well as a home game with Syracuse slip away, many near the end of the schedule, again kept the Friars out of NCAA consideration.

The season also had its bad luck and subplots as Randall Hanke was injured in the preseason and then left school for the first semester. Freshman Jamal Barney disappeared from the bench in the first half of the season and left school, joining Gerald Brown, DeSean White, Dwight Brewington, Rob Sanders, etc of recent teams to also move on before eligibility expired. Then, just prior to the Big East season, Sharaud Curry was suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Curry would be back after four games, with PC winning three of them, but it was another distraction to overcome.

The Friars started conference play looking very good, beating Marquette and romping back Seton Hall. Of course, in all too typical PC fashion, 11 days after crushing the Pirates 91-69, the Friars fell at SHU 69-68 and were back to 2-2 in the Big East. The rest of the way the Friars were never able to get more than a game over .500 in the league or fall more than a game under .500. Each time they had a chance to make a move or a statement, they came up short. The rest of the way, the only team PC beat in the league that had a winning conference record was WVU (9-7) and that came on their home floor.

In the post-season, nothing too surprising, the Friars lost their opening game in the Big East Tournament (92-79 to WVU) and in the NIT (OT at Bradley). That marked the fourth straight season PC had not one a game in the post-season, a streak that MUST end this year.

Providence only loses one contributor from last year’s squad. However, the graduation of Herbert Hill leaves some very big shoes to fill. Hill was an all-league performer last year, amassing 19.9 PPG and 9.8 rebounds a contest in Big East play. Those numbers represented 28% of PC’s offense and 26% of their scoring. Can Randall Hanke consistently provide the post presence that Hill gave the team last year?

THE BACKCOURT:

Practice just officially began and Providence already has their first bad ‘break’ as Sharaud Curry is out with a broken foot for up to six weeks. Curry averaged 15 PPG and a 3.8 assists a contest for Tim Welsh’s crew last year. Without Hill and Curry, that is nearly 50% of their conference scoring from last year. The good news is that Curry should be back by mid-November with plenty of time to get into shape before the Big East. Curry is a scoring lead guard, but he still needs to show he can make his teammates better and distribute the ball on time. At times last year, it seemed the Frairs had a better offensive flow when the offense ran through Geoff McDermott, who lead PC with over 5 assists a game. However, injuries slowed McDermott down once again and Curry showed how valuable his scoring ability was, especially with his last minute heroics in a stirring last-second win over Cincinnati.

The PC backcourt also features high-flying junior Weyinmi Efejuku, who added 12 PPG and 4 rebounds a contest in conference play last season. One popular saying around PC was as Weyinmi goes, so does PC. In their eight league losses last year, Efejuku managed to score just 6.9 PPG and shoot a weak 29% from the floor. That means, in their eight wins, he averaged 17 PPG. See a pattern?

Also returning are sophomores Dwain Williams and Brian McKenzie. Williams filled in at point guard when Curry was suspended and did a more than adequate job. He battled some personal issues last year that seemed to have him ticketed out of town as the latest PC transfer, but he has stuck it out and shown some newfound dedication to his craft. He gives the backcourt very solid depth as he can both score and create from the lead guard position. McKenzie is an excellent shooter. Like most freshmen, that was not always evident as he learned he had to be able to be ready to capitalize on limited opportunities. Look for him to improve upon his 30% 3-pt shooting this season and be a weapon off the bench.

McKenzie will not be the lone perimeter scoring threat as Manhattan transfer and former Rhode Island High School star Jeff Xaiver is eligible after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. Xaiver averaged over 16 PPG as a sophomore for the Jaspers and scored a career-high 31 at Maryland in a 1st round NIT win. Xavier hit 35% on 219 3-pt attempts and will try and give the Friars a steady hand from beyond the arc. Freshman Marshan Brooks, 6’5, 190 lbs, also gives the Friars depth in the backcourt and will gain valuable experience early on playing for Curry.

THE FRONTCOURT:

This is the area that will likely determine the level of success that Providence achieves this season. Herbert Hill was a surprise all-league performer last season, using his quickness and athleticism to score, rebound and defend in the post. Heading into the season, he was expected to share the post duties with Randal Hanke. However, Hanke broke a bone in his thumb in the preseason and then never returned to school until after the 1st semester and took a redshirt season. Hanke is a very interesting player this season. At times he shows flashes of brilliance, shooting a high percentage from the floor and running the floor for easy buckets. As a sophomore he averaged 13 PPG and shot 67.7% from the field. However, in Big East play that dropped to 10.9 PPG and he grabbed just 4.4 rebounds a contest. In fact, Hanke found himself on the bench often because of his lack of ability (or willingness) to play physical on the boards and defensively in the paint. He shot a high percentage (63%), but against teams that would put a body on him, his opportunities diminished because he was unable to establish or hold his position inside. Hopefully, a year away has allowed Hanke to mature physically and be ready to become a complete player in the paint for the Friars.

One of my favorite players in the Big East remains PC forward Geoff McDermott. The 6’7, 235 lb monster is one of the most versatile players in the conference. McDermott is a candidate to lead the league in both rebounding and assists. The likelihood of that happening would increase if he can stay healthy. The former football quarterback sometimes plays basketball likes he is on the gridiron, throwing his body around. As a frosh, he averaged 8.9 PPG, 9 rebounds and 2.6 assists. His scoring dipped in conference play to just 6.8 and he also lead the team in steals. A similar story as a sophomore as he averaged 9.5 PPG, 9.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists and the season and he led the team in steals once again. McDermott could team inside with junior Jonathan Kale to give the Friars a pair of bruising forwards to make-up for Hanke’s lack of physical performance. Kale averaged 7 PPG and 4.5 rebounds in conference play last year after moving into the starting line-up. Kale is a blue collar big man that knows his strengths and limitations and was the Friars best performer on a summer trip to Italy against top competition. He could be a break-out candidate this season. I have always liked his game and this could be the year he steps up his production and gives the Friars the toughness that they have lacked the last few seasons at times.

Rounding out the depth in the frontcourt is 6’7 small forward Charles Burch, the line scholarship senior on the squad. Burch battled back spasms last season, but he adds some experience to the mix off the bench. 7’0 Ray Hall is a big body to come off the bench and had some good moments as a freshman. He should also be improved and add to their depth as a sophomore. A pair of freshmen forwards are also in the mix: Alex Kellogg and Jamine Peterson. Kellogg is the son of Clark Kellogg, the former star that now works for CBS as a basketball analyst. Peterson could be the freshman most ready to contribute for the Friars. He is a tremendous athlete that will attack the rim any chance he gets. At 6’6, his perimeter skills still need a lot of work, but Peterson has no fear of attacking the basket on anyone. If they can harness some of his raw ability, he has a chance to make an immediate impact for PC this year.

2007-2008 PREDICTION:

There is no doubt in my mind that the Friars could and should finish better than 8th in the conference. However, they have to prove they can beat better competition and be consistent. Their experience and maturation from underclassmen to upperclassmen of their talented junior class should help this cause. However, something always seems to hinder their advancement in recent years. One can not help but think that Curry’s injury is just another stick in the spokes derailing the Friar progress.

There are plenty of positives for the Friars with a deep backcourt and a frontcourt that has the chance to be pretty good. They will need to find an identity this year and stick to it…either utilizing a deep backcourt, going a little smaller with three guards and the rugged forward duo of McDermott and Kale, or go with a bigger line-up with the skilled Hanke flanked by McDermott on the wing and Kale on the block. Finding the right combination will be key for their consistency this season.

I still want Tim Welsh and this crew to prove they are for real first. They definitely have the pieces, but past misses leave me a little leery of predicting a slam dunk for the Friars this year.

BIG EAST PREDICTION: 10-8

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2007-09-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2007

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Bilal Dixon, 6'8 F/C from Queen of Peace High in North Arlington (NJ)

Tim welsh and his staff hope once again to strike gold underneath the recruiting radar as PC Lands 6'8 Forward (Providence Journal) Bilal Dixon out of New Jersey as part of their 2008 recruiting class.

Projected 2008-2009 Roster

Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Weyimi Efejuku (G), Geoff McDermott (G/F), Jonathon Kale (PF), Jeff Xavier (G), Randall Hanke (C)
Juniors: Dwain Williams (G), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Sophomres: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F)
Freshmen: Bilal Dixon (F)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Bilal Dixon verbally committed to the Providence College Friars yesterday, accepting the lone available scholarship the Friars have to offer for the 2008 recruiting class. Dixon, a 6'8, 220-pound forward from Queen of Peace High in North Arlington, N.J., had interest (although no offers yet) from St. John's, UNLV, Siena and others. The Friars were the lone school to make him an aggressive priority in their search for frontcourt help in the class. Dixon has a solid build and good athleticism for a post player. He spent his first two years of high school at St. Anthony's in New Jersey, but never played varsity ball. Last season he transferred to Queen of Peace and averaged 13 pts and 14 rebounds a game.

The PC staff targeted frontcourt players all summer and seemed to focus on Dixon and two other New Jersey products, Ryan Brooks and Dominique Rutledge. Providence saw Dixon this summer competing with the Juice All-Stars and stayed on him until the commitment was received yesterday.

With their lone scholarship for 2008 spoken for, the Friars can aggressively begin courting players for the 2009 class, which is the most important class in the Welsh era to date. Recently, it always seemed that PC was scrambling in the late signing period to fill holes because of roster attrition and early signing period misses on their top targets. Now, the Friars can get out ahead of the curve and begin recruiting for their future.

Sharaud Curry (PG), Weyimi Efejuku (G), Geoff McDermott (G/F), Jonathon Kale (PF), Jeff Xavier (G) and Randall Hanke (C) will all be graduating after the 2008-2009 season leaving the Friars with at least six scholarships available for the 2009 incoming class. The success of the 2007-2008 season may play an important role on the interest the Friars receive from high school prospects to fill those openings. It is a big year on the court for Tim welsh with an experienced and talented squad returning and if he can guide them into the NCAA Tournament the recruiting lift will be well needed to repalce that talent after the following season. The Friars look to be set-up for a strong two-year run, getting off on the right foot this season is imperative for Tim Welsh and his future at Providence.

The only names in the class of 2009 to this date that we have been exposed to in regards to Providence is Northfield Mt. Hermon shooting guard Mike Marra and Stamford (CT) Trinity Catholic's Tevin Baskin, an athletic combo forward. Many more names will certainly come known as the year progresses.

PROVIDENCE 2007-2008 SNAPSHOT

2007-05-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

May 10, 2007

Head Coach: Tim Welsh
2006-2007 Record: 18-13 (8-8 Big East) NIT 1st round

Returning Players:
Charles Burch, Senior (Forward)
Sharaud Curry, Junior (Point Guard)
Weyinmi Efejuku, Junior (Guard)
Geoff McDermott, Junior (Forward)
Jonathan Kale, Junior (Big Forward)
Randall Hanke, Junior (Center)
Dwain Williams, Sophomore (Guard)
Brian McKenzie, Sophomore (Guard)
Ray Hall, Sophomore (Center)

Eligible Transfer:
Jeff Xaiver, Junior (Guard)

Incoming Players:
Jamine Peterson (Forward)
Marshon Brooks (Guard)
Alex Kellogg (Forward)

Graduated:
Herbert Hill

Transferred Out:
Jamal Barney

Open Items/Issues:
Once again it has been a busy spring recruiting period at Providence as three recruits signed letters on intent this spring: Jamine Peterson, Marshon Brooks and Alex Kellogg. The Friars missed on all their initial targets in the early signing period, but addressed a definite need when they landed Peterson last winter. 'Greedy', as he is known around NYC, is a trmendously athletic and strong forward who excels in transition and atatcking the rim. He is not going to impress many with his skills, but he will spice up the Providence attack with his high-flying ways. Brooks and Kellogg were under-the-radar recruits added late to fill out the roster, but both could be diamonds in the rough in the future, like Sharaud Curry and Geoff McDermott definitely were two years ago.

With PC still interested in Vermont transfer Joe Trapani, more roster changes could be forthcoming. Freshman Jamal Braney left the program this spring and rumors have been swirling on Dwain Williams' future status with the program for months. Williams was a late period addition last season and proved his worth providing a solid bench spark at both guard spots.

Summary:
Well, it is now or never for Tim Welsh at Providence. can you believe that after Jim Calhoun and Jim Boeheim that Welsh is the longest tenured coach in the 16-team Big East conference? He completed his 9th season at PC in 2006-2007, but has only led the Friars to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. With a six-player junior class that represents the deepest talen at PC in several seasons, Welsh is tasked with getting this group into the NCAA Tournament and having some NCAA success while also improving their recruiting to take advantage of the six open scholarships that PC will have to give out in the 2009 class. These next two years will decide Welsh's future...any sort of disappointment on 2007-2008 would likely have PC looking in another direction to get a new coach a head start on the 2009 class, but Welsh has the opportunity to end any of that speculation with a good year next season and a returning team that will have up to nine upperclassmen for the 2008-2009 season.

Along with the incomign recruits, Welsh also regains the services of two-year starter Randall Hanke in the post. Hanke took a redshirt last season after some personal issues took him away from PC for nearly the entire 1st semester. Hanke will step into the startign role vacated by all-league performer Herbert Hill. The Friars also welcome Manhattan transfer Jeff Xavier who is eligible after sitting out last season. Xavier gives the Friars a proven perimeter scorer to team with Sharaud Curry and Weyinmi Efejuku in the backcourt, giving the Friars experience and depth, someting that has not been a luxury often recently.

Geoff McDermott is recovering from offseason knee surgery and if he is healthy that will give the Friars a BIG boost next year. The presence of Ray Hall and Jonathan Kale gives the Friars some addition depth in the frontcourt. This is a well-rounded club.

There should be some excitement at Providence heading into next season. They hae all the pieces to at least finish in the top half of the Big East and they have experience and depth to boot. They need to improve away from home, finishing just 2-10 outside the Dunkin Donuts Center last season, but this team should be up for the challenge. The Friars should definitely be an NCAA bubble team at least and a couple breaks should lead them to a double-digit conference win total (maybe even 11 or 12 depending on their 18-game schedule), if they disappoint again, however, I am not sure if Tim Welsh can survive at Providence much longer.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

2007-05-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

May 1, 2007

COMMITMENT ALERT: Alex Kellogg, 6'7 F from Columbus (OH).

After striking out in the early signing period, Tim Welsh and the Providence Friars continued their recent tradition of late period recruiting work when they added a third commit this spring when Alex Kellogg decided to join the Friars. PC Sees Potential in Kellogg (Providence Journal) who chose Providence over offers from Miami (Ohio), Butler and Akron.

Projected 2007-2008 Roster

Seniors: Charlie Burch (F)
Juniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Weyimi Efejuku (G), Geoff McDermott (G/F), Jonathon Kale (PF), Jeff Xavier (G), Randall Hanke (C)
Sophomores: Dwain Williams (G), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Freshmen: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Alex Kellogg, a 6-foot-7 forward from Columbus, Ohio, signed a letter-of-intent with the Friars recently. Kellogg is the son of current CBS-TV analyst Clark Kellogg, a former All-American at Ohio State and a five-year NBA veteran. PC head coach Tim Welsh went to see Kellogg’s St. Francis DeSales High team play in the Ohio state Division II playoffs. Kellogg, who weighs in at a solid 225 lbs, averaged 15.8 points as a junior and upped that total to just over 18 points this season and earned second team all-state honors in Division II.

Kellogg joins Marshon Brooks and Jamine Peterson as late period signees for the Friars. Peterson has been well known in the NYC area for a few years with his high-flying play in the IS8 leagues and in AAU action. 'Greedy', as he is affectionately known as, is known for his rim-attacking style of play. Although just 6'5, he is fearless in attacking the hoop and battling for rebounds, playing much bigger than his listed size. Peterson left NYC for Notre Dame Prep with the hopes of getting noticed by more people, nailing down his academics and earn a scholarship to the Big East: Mission Accomplished. Peterson will have to shore up his ballhandling and extend his range to reach his maximum potential in the Big East, but his athletic ability and relentless style should fit well in a position of need for the Friars. Brooks led Tucker HS to the Class 4A Georgia championship. led the Tigers with 18.9 points a game and shot nearly 60 percent from the floor and 39 percent from the 3-point line. A late growth spurt in height kept Brooks under the recruiting radar as Alabama-Birmingham, College of Charleston, Tennessee Tech and Toledo were the list of schools showing interest prior to PC jumping into the mix earlier this spring.

The Friars are currently out of open scholarships , but at PC, that could change weekly and rumors continue to persist that Dwain Williams might not be long for the Friar program and Welsh is still looking for help as last week Vermont transfer Joe Trapani visited PC. A strong, 6-7 shooter with excellent range, Trapani will visit Michigan this week and then Boston College before making a decision.

PC has just one senior on the projected roster for '07-08 which limits their ability to recruit for the 2008 class and with half their scholarship players being juniors next season, saving the 'ships for '08 would be a wise move, but the Friars do need to do a better job in closing earlier on their top prospects so they are not left scrambling in the late period, which often times leads to plugging a round hole with a square peg, it can lead to some diamonds in the rough, or some rough times with a roster that seems unstable.

BIG EAST RECRUITING REPORT: PROVIDENCE

2007-04-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

April 24, 2007

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Marshon Brooks, 6'5 G from Tucker HS (GA).

After striking out in the early signing period, Tim Welsh and the Providence Friars continued their recent tradition of late period recruiting work when they Marshon Brooks to a letter of intent while Brooks visited the Providence campus over the weekend. The Friars Hope they Landed a Georgia Peach in Brooks (Providence Journal), much like they did with Sharaud Curry two years ago.

Projected 2007-2008 Roster

Seniors: Charlie Burch (F)
Juniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Weyimi Efejuku (G), Geoff McDermott (G/F), Jonathon Kale (PF), Jeff Xavier (G), Randall Hanke (C)
Sophomores: Dwain Williams (G), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Freshmen: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G)

-
Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-

Providence College landed a late-bloomer over the weekend when Marshon Brooks decided to sign a letter of intent with the Friars while on a recruiting visit to Rhode Island. Brooks led Tucker HS to the Class 4A Georgia championship. led the Tigers with 18.9 points a game and shot nearly 60 percent from the floor and 39 percent from the 3-point line. He was a second team All-State pick in 4A after averaging just 9 points and 6 assists as a junior. He was just 5'10 as a sophomore and has hit quite a growth spurt, reaching 6'4+ and has retained the point guard skills making him a versatile combo guard. The late growth spurt in height and scoring skills slowed his recruitment as Alabama-Birmingham, College of Charleston, Tennessee Tech and Toledo were the list of schools showing interest prior to PC jumping into the mix earlier this spring.

Brooks joins Jamine Peterson as late period signees for the Friars. Peterson has been well known in the NYC area for a few years with his high-flying play in the IS8 leagues and in AAU action. 'Greedy', as he is affectionately known as, is known for his rim-attacking style of play. Although just 6'5, he is fearless in attacking the hoop and battling for rebounds, playing much bigger than his listed size. Peterson left NYC for Notre Dame Prep with the hopes of getting noticed by more people, nailing down his academics and earn a scholarship to the Big East: Mission Accomplished. Peterson will have to shore up his ballhandling and extend his range to reach his maximum potential in the Big East, but his athletic ability and relentless style should fit well in a position of need for the Friars.

Brooks wasn’t the lone recruit on campus this past weekend as Alex Kellogg, a 6-8 forward from Columbus, Ohio, visited along with his father, CBS-TV analyst Clark Kellogg. he is also planning to visit a few Ohio MAC schools this coming weekend (Miami of OH and Akron). The Friars currently have one scholarship open, but at PC, that could change weekly and rumors continue to persist that Dwain Williams might not be long for the friar program. The have just one senior on the projected roster for '07-08 which limits their ability to recruit for the 2008 class and with half their scholarship players being juniors next season, saving the 'ships for '08 would be a wise move, but the Friars do need to do a better job in closing earlier on their top prospects so they are not left scrambling in the late period, which often times leads to plugging a round hole with a square peg, it can lead to some diamonds in the rough, or some rough times with a roster that seems unstable.

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Providence @ South Florida

2007-02-28T05:51:00.000-08:00

February 28, 2007

Providence heads south to meet the South Florida Bulls on Wednesday night in a Big East Conference match-up. The Friars need to rebound from a tough home loss to Syracuse on Saturday that has put their NCAA Tournament chances in grave condition. Road wins to finish the conference schedule against South Florida and St. John's will not necessarily put them in any better position, but it will give them some hope as they head to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament next week.

At South Florida, they are winding down their second season in the Big East without hope for the post-season. The Bulls have already been eliminated from qualifying for the Big East Tournament and are wrapping up their season.

Here is the lone pregame article currently found on the internet:

Friars Need to be Driven in Last Two Road Tests (Providence Journal)

Providence is a 3.5-pt road favorite tonight as they look to earn their 8th conference win against the 3-11 (Big East) Bulls. Neither team is very deep, but the Friars have more talent. They are led by their excellent inside-out duo of Sharaud Curry and Herbert Hill. Curry, in Big East games, averaged 15.2 PPG which ranks 8th in the conference. Hill averages a league-best 18.9 PPG in conference action and is 2nd in the league averaging 9.6 rebounds and his 57.8% shooting percentage ranks 3rd in the Big East. Rugged sophomore forward Geoff McDermott is in the top 5 in both rebounding and assists in league play and sophomore guard Weyinmi Efejuku is among the top 30 scorers in league play with just over 12 PPG. So, the Friars definitely have some productive players.

South Florida has a big man in the middle themselves in Kentrell Gransberry who averages 15 PPG and a league-leading 10.6 rebounds in conference action. His girth against Hill's length and athletic ability will be a match-up to watch. The Friars like to push the tempo, so Gransberry will have to avoid picking up fouls trying to prevent Hill from beating him downt he floor for easy baskets. Gransberry is also aided by the presence of Chris Howard who is finally healhty and leading the Big East in assists (5.83/game) since returning from a knee injury that kept him out of action for his first year and a half as a Bull. Seniors Melvin Buckley (14.1 PPG) and McHugh Mattis (13.6 PPG) also ranks among the top 20 in scoring during Big East games and Mattis adds 7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks a contest as well.

Neither team expects to get much from the rest of their line-up, but the Friars are deeper with Brian McKenzie and Jonathan Kale having some good games of late. The Bulls still do not quite seem ready to put things together, but they are deeper than at anytime this season. Unfortunately, they just do not seem to be playing up to their level of talent. That could be because of all the players going in and out of their line-up, but they continue to be out of sync on most nights.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 68 South Florida 62

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: West Virginia @ Providence

2007-02-20T06:47:00.001-08:00

February 20, 2007

The Providence Friars are 6-6 in the Big East and still hold faint NCAA hopes. With four games left, the toughest two at home (WVU and Syracuse), the Friars must win all four to have a chance at an NCAA bid, so tonight is a must win for PC, who is 5-1 at home in the conference.

West Virginia is 8-5 in the Big East and still has a shot at a 1st round bye in the Big East Tournament. The Mountaineers have set themselves up for a return to the NCAA Tournament in a season that was largely expected as a rebuilding year. Tonight is a tough challenge for WVU, who is just 2-4 on the road in conference play, and could be viewed as a post-season test.

Here are the pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Friars Home is a Tough Place to Win (Charleston Gazette)
Mountaineer Men Go To Providence for Tough Test (Register-Herald)
Preview: WVU @ PC (Providence Journal)
A Home Away from Home (Providence Journal)

West Virginia travels to Providence tonight for a Big East match-up. The Mountaineers continue to play for a Big East bye, but have a tough road ahead with the match-up against the Friars and then a trip to Pittsburgh before closing out the conference schedule at home against Cincinnati. The Mountaineers have been a great story this year under John Beilein as they were picked near the bottom of the conference after having to replace graduation losses of Kevin Pittsnogle, Mike Gansey, JD Collins, Joe Herber and Patrick Beilein, five of their top seven players from last year. Frank Young was the lone returning player with significant experience and Darris Nichols was in last year's rotation, and both have stepped up their games. Seldom-used bench players Joe Alexander and Alex Ruoff have fit perfectly into the WVU system and Da'sean Butler has proven to be one of the best freshmen in the conference. The Mountaineers still rely heavily on the 3-pt shot and their 1-3-1 zone defense, so they are always in the game, because they can score quickly from behind the arc.

Providence is a very dangerous team. Their point guard, Sharaud Curry, can score in bunches from deep or off the bounce. Their athletic big man, Herbert Hill, has blossomed as a senior as one of the best scoring big men in the nation. Hill should find plenty of room along the baseline and look for Geoff McDermott and Curry to make sure they find their big man in a position to score. McDermott should have a big night rebounding against WVU as rebounding is still an after-thought to the Mountaineers. When the ball is not in Curry's hands, turnovers could be a probelm for PC. Dwain Williams (missed last game) and Brian McKenzie need to be sure with the ball and knock down open shots that become available against the zone.

Providence is favored by 3.5 points and should get the job done at home. They will hit the boards very hard with McDermott, Hill and Jonathan Kale and are able to go smaller and more athletic if need be to counter WVU line-up and not lose much in what they want do as a team. The Mountaineers are certainly capable of bombing away and that gives them a shot in every game they play, but relying on that trait on the road is risky.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Providence 75 West Virginia 70