BET GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE VS LOUISVILLE

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

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FRIARS LOOK TO MOVE TOWARD NCAA BID VS DEPAUL

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

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PROVIDENCE LOOKS TO FINALIZE RESUME AGAINST 'NOVA

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

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PROVIDENCE SET TO HOST NO. 1 PITTSBURGH

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

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PROVIDENCE MARCHES TOWARD POSTSEASON, HOSTS IRISH

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)

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ LOUISVILLE

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

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FRIARS HOST RUTGERS IN BIG EAST MATCH-UP

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

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

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ WEST VIRGINIA

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ PROVIDENCE

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PC LOOKS FOR MORE AT UCONN

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ PROVIDENCE

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ SETON HALL

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CINCINNATI @ MARQUETTE

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: FRIARS HOPE TO DUNK MARQUETTE

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE AT GEORGETOWN

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ CINCINNATI

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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DEPAUL @ PROVIDENCE

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

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

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

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