For the first time since the 2014-15 season, Providence finished the year ranked in the top 50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy. The Friars are ranked 36th in adjusted offense and 44th in defensive efficiency.
Defense has been a constant under Ed Cooley. Last season was an outlier, as PC ranked 74th in the country in defensive efficiency, but they have been a top 50 defense in every other season since 2015.
The significant leap came on the offensive end. Ranking 36th in the country is the best Providence has done since the 2014 team won the Big East Tournament behind a great offense (30th) and a rather average defense (94th). This ranking is a significant leap over any Friar team since 2016:
2014: 30th in the country
2015: 42nd
2016: 92nd
2017: 101st
2018: 100th
2019: 164th
2020: 75th
2021: 96th
2022: 36th
Somewhat ironically, I’d written an article in late October “Can Providence get to the Sweet 16 without a jump offensively?” Admittedly, I didn’t think the Friars were on the verge of doing so this season.
The article documented how many teams over the last five seasons made the Sweet 16 without the benefit of a top 50 offense. Over the previous five seasons, only eight teams had reached the Sweet 16 with an offense outside of the top 50, and six of those eight teams had a defense ranked in the top 21 or better.
In other words, it was going to be extremely difficult for the Friars to make the second weekend without a jump offensively.
So, how did they get there?