Any Questions? Providence Makes a Statement in the Round of 32 Versus Richmond
Richmond never stood a chance on Saturday night — not with history staring Providence in the face, and not with yet another opportunity to make a statement in a season full of answered questions.
The last time Providence advanced to the Sweet 16 it came at the expense of mighty Duke way back in 1997. After Jamel Thomas flipped a no-look pass to Derrick Brown late in that game, color commentator George Raveling exclaimed, “Providence is at the top of their game on both ends of the floor! I’m not sure if this Providence team can play any better than they’re playing right now.”
Twenty-five years later, that sentiment came rushing back as Providence dismantled Richmond on Saturday night.
The Friars utterly dominated a Richmond team that had just knocked off Big Ten champion Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — and they did so on both the offensive and defensive ends in Saturday’s 79-51 victory.
A Providence team that has been dogged by questions of its legitimacy for the better part of the season (throughout a year in which their record now stands at 27-5) slammed the door shut on Richmond early, and sent yet another statement to their detractors.
“That was as well as we've played all year, and we picked the right time to do it. I think we clicked at every level,” an emotional Ed Cooley said following the victory. “I think we played with a sense of urgency and a sense of purpose. Really proud of the staff and our preparation in the quick turnaround to play against a very talented and determined team.”
This Providence victory illustrated aspects of the many elements that have made the Friars so special this season.
There was Al Durham asserting himself early offensively for the second game in a row. Durham scored eight points as Providence built a 10-2 advantage from the jump. Any jitters that may have come with the pressure of March were eliminated instantly by the hot starts of Durham in each of the two games in Buffalo.
“I thought Al Durham got us off to a great start,” Cooley said. “I thought our energy — I thought the first four minutes set the tone.”
On the other end of the floor, was Justin Minaya hounding Tyler Burton, Richmond’s leading scorer, into 1-8 shooting from the field. What a luxury it is for Cooley to have a wing that can eliminate a critical aspect of a tournament team’s offense.
“When we put him on the assignment, he really takes it to heart,” Jared Bynum said of Minaya’s defensive prowess. “And he knows how much of an impact that has on the game.”
Cooley’s “no threes/tough twos” mantra was on full display on Saturday, with Richmond making just 1-22 from beyond the arc. Jacob Gilyard had been one of the hottest scorers remaining in the tournament, but he was limited to four points on 2-10 shooting from the field and 0-7 from deep.
We saw the best of Noah Horchler, as the stretch four man connected on 4-6 from long range and finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Horchler also provided perhaps the biggest statement of the game when he sent a Gilyard 3-point attempt deep into the stands.
“Coach was calling my number today, and, I mean, some days they go in like that,” Horchler said.
Sounds simple, Noah.
There was the pick-your-poison offense of the Friars. Richmond seemed determined to not let Nate Watson beat them, racing over with immediate double teams whenever he touched the ball in the post. That helped free up PC’s shooters, leading to a 12-22 night from distance.
When Richmond let Watson go to work in the second half, he scored with relative ease.
We saw Ed Croswell carving out space inside, AJ Reeves throwing perfect entry passes, Jared Bynum creating offense, five Friars in double figures — you name it, it went well for Providence in Buffalo on Saturday night.
This PC bunch that has seemingly become comfortable in one-possession games late got to put its feet up for most of the second half. They never trailed in this game, and their lead got as large as 30 against the Spiders.
In the course of three days, Providence went from the high seed most likely to bow out early to a group that Kansas just may have to worry about when the two teams meet on Friday night.
“We’re dangerous when we're hitting from all cylinders inside and out,” said Reeves. “We have a lot of threats on this team both on the offensive end and on the defensive end, and when we play like this, I feel like we're the best team in the country.”
Cooley was nearly brought to tears when reflecting on the journey to get to this point. This was a monumental game not only for this current group of Friars, but for Cooley himself.
While he never alluded to being aware of it, of course Cooley has heard the talk of him not reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament — or about how he only had one tournament win entering this March.
Now it’s another critique gone by the wayside.
“I'm emotionally just trying to get the enormity of it. I grew up a Providence College fan. I grew up in that city hoping and praying one day just to get a chance, get a chance, and Bob Driscoll believed in me. Father Shanley, now Father Sicard, believed in me, and that goes much deeper than you guys in this room can imagine,” Cooley reflected.
“It's hard to get to this point. We're just a little school that everybody says, ‘Oh, it's Providence.’ Well, Providence is in the damn building.”
They’ll head to Chicago later this week as one of 16 teams left in the country with national championship hopes that are still alive. Kansas, the top seed in the Midwest region, awaits on Friday night.
Cooley and his Friars still feel as though they have something to prove: “I'm just kind of speechless. I really am. To be sitting here with these gentlemen and the sacrifice and the road where the doubt just continues to flow through the veins of those who don't trust or believe, we're sitting here. We're still here, and it's a testament to their emotional maturity, and their physical talent that was doubted.”
“The more the narrative on doubt and luck and this and that — yeah, it plays on you. The players will come in the locker room and talk about it, and I tongue-in-cheek it a little bit, but you got some older guys out there just willing to try to compete for respect. I don't have to be liked, but I'll be damned if you're not going to respect me.”
It took 32 games and 27 wins, but the negative narratives surrounding this program have finally dried up. The biggest knock on Cooley is gone.
Now it’s just about the game — and Providence has a heck of an opportunity in front of them when they take on Kansas in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.