Friartown, I Love You.
Billy Ricci's latest for Friar Basketball looks at the impact of Bryce Hopkins, Devin Carter, and Alyn Breed, and makes the early case for Ed Croswell as the Big East Most Improved Player
The Holidays, it’s supposed to be a time of cheer and endearment. Before we get to this article, I hope as you are reading this your holidays were everything you hoped them to be, Friartown. Last Tuesday’s game against Marquette displayed, once again, that we are lucky to be a part of one of the best fanbases in all of college basketball.
As Kevin Farrahar wrote prior to the Marquette game, we can just about count on a PC/Marquette thriller in one of the two meetings each year. We are certainly one-for-one this year, but for me the best moment in the double OT thriller might have actually come after the game. “Are you serious, Bill?” you might ask. I’m not even the slightest bit pulling your leg here Friartown…
11:48pm: After the game, Bryce Hopkins tweeted “Friartown I Love You” as the double Friar caused a disruption larger than a 6-10 connector pothole could as you approach downtown Providence. 88K views and over 1,700 likes later, something many would consider meaningless signified a victory in a new era of college basketball for the Friars. With NIL in full effect and the G League as an option (as opposed to a more traditional college basketball route), Friartown has become a beloved home for a blue blood transfer who could play for many of the best college basketball brands in the country.
And the country is in fact starting to take notice. DraftExpress (Now a part of the ESPN family) and Bleacher Report Hoops both highlighted Hopkins’ 29 points and 23 rebounds on 57% shooting against Marquette. I enjoyed Shaka Smart’s comments after the game about Hopkins playing “violent” against his Golden Eagles. But even amongst a bevy of praise from both head coaches, Hopkins continues to present a calm and calculated demeanor. Almost like he is a business executive, about to execute on a deal he has been working on for a while he knows he is going to win.
Amidst all the much-earned praise for Hopkins, there is another Friar big man presenting his case for Big East honors through the first two games of conference play – our guy Cheese. What if I told you in 13 games this year a Friar big man has been our leading scorer in all but one of them? Not typically how scoring has gone for the Friars considering our guard-centric offenses of the past, but Ed Croswell has been a huge part of our uptick in offensive efficiency to start Big East play. With back-to-back 20 point games, all while shooting over 63% from the field, mind you, my question is: is Ed Croswell making his early case for Big East Most Improved Player? Time will tell, but I love the production we are seeing so far from Big Ed and the elevated play against better competition. The real tests against UCONN and Creighton are waiting in the wings.
Devin Carter…is fun. That is all. His dance moves as PC put the finishing touches on the double OT Marquette win, his long walk across what it felt like all of South County after his slam against URI, and his recent tweets including his reference of the famous Doug Gottlieb quote of “The AMP…where ranked teams go to die” or reiterating via tweet that his teammate Bryce Hopkins, is in fact...good at basketball. Carter has possessed the tenacity on defense and personality this team has needed from the first tip against Rider. Thank you, DC.
It’s about time Alyn Breed “gets his flowers.” I had the pleasure of interviewing Breed after the game and his presence couldn’t have been more genuine in wanting what’s best for the team. He was clear he was ready to take and make the big three down the stretch, and that starting versus coming off the bench hasn’t mattered to him, as he’s persevered in finding another key role for himself with a lot of newcomers on the roster. Smart gave a great amount of praise to Breed post game saying he is the type of low maintenance player every successful team needs.
I also got to chat with Jared Bynum and man, it was so great to see JB hyped up making some early shots last week. I think we take for granted how electrifying Bynum really was during stretches of last season. He was a human highlight reel making NBA level threes and step-backs, and finishing in traffic. Through it all though, you can see how through the ups and downs Bynum and Ed Cooley have a special bond.
JB will have another tough matchup with Butler’s Chuck Harris when the Friars resume play on Thursday at 6:30pm on FS1. But for now, let’s enjoy some time off with those important to us and “a few tallboys” as Coach Cooley would expect the students to put back prior to tip at the AMP.