Four Takeaways from a Senior Day Loss to Connecticut

Four key takeaways from Providence’s loss to UConn on Saturday afternoon…

Tarris Reed. Jr. on another level

The effort was better than it had been in their most recent outings, but it ultimately wasn’t enough in Providence’s 75-63 loss to visiting Connecticut.

On this day, Providence had no answer for Tarris Reed Jr. The junior center from St. Louis, who spent two seasons at Michigan before transferring to UConn last spring, had his way inside with the Friars — finishing with 24 points, 18 rebounds, and six blocked shots on 10-13 shooting from the floor.

Providence reportedly recruited Reed Jr. out of the transfer portal last spring, and he showed why throughout the day. He changed the game immediately upon coming in for starter Samson Johnson less than a minute in.

Johnson was benched after Oswin Erhunmwunse scored on two possessions a minute into the game, but Reed Jr. grabbed an offensive rebound to keep a UConn possession alive in his first offensive trip, then came up with a block on the next possession.

There were a few defensive lapses in the first half that got Reed Jr. looks at the rim, but his energy was terrific from the jump and he dominated this game. He could be looking at Big East Player of the Week honors after going for 20 points and 10 boards against Georgetown on Wednesday. He shot 18-23 from the field this week.

“To see the force he had going to the backboard was impressive,” Kim English said. “He was relentless tonight.”

The Friars are reeling

Saturday’s loss was Providence’s seventh in eight games, and dropped them to 12-17 on the season and 6-12 in Big East play. PC has won just once since the calendar flipped to February.

The injuries have really taken a toll. Even with players like Wesley Cardet Jr. and Corey Floyd Jr. returning to the lineup, they are showing real signs of rust after being out.

Providence’s defense has fallen apart over the past month. Since Feb. 1, their Defensive Rating of 117.2 ranks 343rd in the country, while on the other end their Turnover Percentage of 17.7% ranks 332nd and their Free Throw Attempt rate of 21.9% is #364.

Against Connecticut, PC saw UConn shoot 54% from the floor and the Huskies enjoyed edges of 14-6 in points off turnovers and 36-22 in paint points. The Friars took eight more free throws than the Huskies (23-15) and made 8-20 from three.

Jayden Pierre was the only Providence player to score in double figures with 10 points, while Rich Barron tweaked his back in pregame warmups and was seen heading to the locker room. He did not play.

Tale of two Senior Days

Even with one home game left, Providence celebrated Senior Day on Saturday afternoon, honoring Bryce Hopkins, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Bensley Joseph, Cardet, and walk-ons Luke Fonts and Kieran O’Haire

Of course, Hopkins and Abdur-Rahim are both sidelined for the season with knee injuries, while Cardet hasn’t been himself after missing a few weeks with a knee injury of his own before returning recently.

The AMP was full on Saturday, but it was muted throughout — a sign of the fatigue seemingly everyone is feeling this season. The relatively quiet cheers for the senior class were due to an odd combination of having three players who spent just one year here, a pair of walk-ons who hadn’t seen much playing time throughout their careers, and the uncertain status of Hopkins going forward.

Both Fonts and O’Haire scored their first career points in the final 30 seconds of the game — much to the delight of the student section.

“When you’re not getting stops and you’re not making shots, it’s really hard to get the arena into it. Our fans try, man. They really, really do — and God bless them for not leaving us and sticking with us,” English said.

Hopkins’ status will be the most fascinating storyline of an offseason that should be filled with intrigue.

“We hope he comes back, we want him back. It’s a huge priority,” English said when asked of Hopkins’ status for next season. “We didn’t get to coach our First Team All Big East player, but for three Big East games in two years. No one has experienced that — no one in our league — and it’s very unfortunate.”

English also shared his disappointment for his one-year transfers, “I really do feel for our senior transfers. Jabri, just when he was starting to buy-in and get it going — the St. John’s game (he had) the eight threes, but the floor dives, the loose balls, the rebounds. Wes was just getting it going. I think he had 18 at UConn when his knee first started bothering him. And obviously Bensley… I wish we could have given those guys a better last game, a better last season, but I’m really thankful for all they did for our program.”

Key sequences cost the Friars

Providence likely wasn’t winning this one regardless, but two important sequences helped seal their fate.

Down 39-33 with 20 seconds to go in the first half, Floyd Jr. grabbed a defensive rebound, but threw the ball away as he was going out of bounds. Alex Karaban converted with a second left to push UConn ahead, 41-33. After the Huskies ran off a little run early in the second half the Friars were fighting uphill the rest of the way.

Providence had one final push in them in the second half. Down 59-52, PC got a stop, found Justyn Fernandez (who had just made a 3-pointer) for a good look at a corner three. Fernandez missed, the Huskies hit Solo Ball for a three on the next possession (62-52), and then Karaban grabbed an offensive rebound for an and-1 (65-52 with 7:22 left) and it was all but over at that point.

“It went from seven to 13 just like that, and it pretty much stayed there the rest of the way, English said.

The Friars close out the home portion of their schedule on Wednesday when they host DePaul before finishing the regular season at Xavier on Saturday.