After falling to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament and losing Ed Cooley to Georgetown, the Providence Friars have a new head coach and talent. The Friars had a bit of an erratic season in 2022-23, but they have a chance to find success this year. Also, how will Kim English fare in season one?
Big East Rankings: #7 Providence Friars
Projected Starting 5 (According to Mike)
PG- Jayden Pierre
SG- Devin Carter
SF- Garway Duel
PF- Bryce Hopkins
C- Josh Oduro
Where the Friars Found Success
Defense and Rebounding
The Friars were good on the rebounding and three-point defense front. On defense, they held opponents to only 33.9% from three-point range. Their ability to get into the air space of shooters and close out effectively helped them do well on perimeter defense. They also were mobile and athletic, making it easier to go from help defense to guarding three-point shooters.
In terms of rebounding, Providence excelled. The Friars were second in the conference in rebounding margin at +5.7. Additionally, they were third in offensive and defensive rebounds per game in Big East play. Hopkins is a good rebounder, and Oduro is another rebounding force to help in this department. Furthermore, Duel is another player who impacts the game from a rebounding standpoint because of his length and athleticism.
Taking Care of the Basketball
Another positive for Providence is their ability to take care of the basketball. In Big East play, the Friars were fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio. They had a lot of veteran guards, so their experience helped them make smart decisions with the ball. This season, this must remain a strength for the Friars to see success. Providence’s guards should learn from last season’s success in this category.
Why do They Rank Seventh?
Their Perimeter Play
Pierre and Corey Floyd Jr. are unproven as starting guards for the Friars. In the Big East, teams need experience to succeed within the conference. Pierre and Corey both averaged around 2.5 points a game. Furthermore, they did not play high minutes at the guard spot either. With Carter being the only reliable scorer at the guard spot, Providence has to depend upon players who haven’t sheltered large responsibilities so far in their collegiate careers.
However, Floyd Jr. and Pierre are excellent shooters and give Providence spacing. Nevertheless, the other teams ranked higher in these rankings possess more perimeter talent than Providence.
Why do They Rank Higher than 8-11?
They rank higher because of their talent and the experience of their players. Oduro, Hopkins, and Carter all produced more than 13 points a game last season. Hopkins and Oduro are also seniors, so they have the experience to know how to succeed in this conference. Furthermore, they have talent. Dual has a chance to be a special player at Providence because of his ability to guard multiple positions and show versatility on the offensive end.
Finally, they have size with Oduro and William McNair Jr. Their size also helps them defend and produce points in the paint. This balance ranks them higher than the 8-11 seeds in the conference.
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