A Challenging Big East Slate Awaits the Friars
Friar Family, how is everyone feeling heading into Big East play? Truthfully, I am not sure how I am feeling about our Providence Friars, or the rest of the Big East outside of Uconn and Marquette heading into conference play. But I must say, in recent memory we have unfortunately become accustomed to dropping a non-conference game or two to an opponent below our weight class – and to Kim English’s credit that was not the case in year one.
My question to begin here is: What have we learned about the 2023-24 Providence Friars to this point? Well, we have certainly learned a lot on the defensive side of the ball. Even after an outlier poor defensive effort against Sacred Heart on Saturday (without Devin Carter and Corey Floyd Jr.) the Friars are still #20 in the nation in opposing field goal percentage. They are also #10 in blocks and #32 in points per game against. Is it just me, or have English’s Friars held some serious similarities to Ed Cooley’s Friars? I know it may be hard to hear Friar fans but facts are facts. Winning with defense, shooting poorly from three, and losing by a wide margin to an SEC or ACC team sounds like an Ed Cooley led non-conference schedule to me. But as I mentioned, English didn’t lose to a College of Charleston, Brown or Long Beach State this time around.
If the Friars could bottle, jar, or do anything to replicate the recipe that led to the Wisconsin win back on Nov. 14, a low seed in the NCAA Tournament would be a possible outcome. The Wisconsin game was as complete of a non-conference game against a big-time opponent since the PC versus Texas game back in December of 2019. The pre-injury Jayden Pierre we saw that game was exactly what PC needs as they begin Big East play. Aggressive, efficient, and decisive with the basketball.
I must admit Friartown, it’s a little bit puzzling when you think about a Big 3 of Hopkins (17.2 ppg) Carter (15.5 ppg) and Oduro (14 ppg) leading a team still trying to find itself offensively. At #235th in 3 point percentage, #156th in assists and averaging 14 turnovers a game – I am perplexed at a prediction of where we will be come March. Much of the Friars’ Big East success will rely on the play of Pierre, Ticket Gaines, and Floyd Jr. The fact Providence’s assist leader (Devin Carter, by the way) is at 3 a game, tells me the team hasn’t been able to move the ball around as well as we would have thought in this new system. When the Friars have been forced to create offensively against Quad 1 or Quad 2 level competition this year, things have looked forced or at least uncomfortable for the majority of the team.
Similar to the Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn 2015-2016 Friars, it almost feels like the role players are a step behind the stars on this team. That is, minus Rich Barron! I was only half kidding when I compared Rich to Rip Hamilton, Ray Allen and Steph Curry on Saturday…
So what do the Friars have to do to be competitive in Big East play and make the tournament? To me, it’s creating that inside-out penetration that sets up Oduro to pass out of the post, Hopkins to take shots within the free throw line, and the supporting cast being able to hit threes like we all know they are capable of. Even though we largely don’t know what teams 4-7 in the Big East will end up being this year, I have a feeling Villanova, Butler, and St. John’s are going to come to play in conference play.
My hot take is more balance offensively will be better for the Friars in conference play, rather than relying on Hopkins, Carter or Oduro to lead the stat sheet. PC should be focused on continuing to up their assist numbers and look to get role players going early. CFJ’s physicality, Ticket’s experience and Pierre’s ability to play with pace are absolutely crucial to being able to compete in conference play.
What will Oduro’s experience be like playing against Big East bigs? Will Hopkins right the ship from an offensive efficiency standpoint? Will Pierre return to pre-injury form? I can’t answer any of the following, but what I can answer is this team has at least been able to prove they can play defense at a top 25 level, and they can beat lesser competition pretty handedly. I wish I could say I feel totally confident this team is headed for great things heading into January, but I fear against elite level competition this team won’t be able to shoot at a clip needed to win in shootout scenarios.
We should be thankful the start to the Kim English era has been what it has been, but an unforgiving Big East calendar awaits that can change the scope of the season in just a couple possessions. Buckle up, Friartown!