Providence is ranked #25 in the latest AP poll... plus additional news and notes about the Friars and the Big East
1. After kicking off their season with an 11-2 record and 2-0 mark in the Big East, Providence joined three other Big East schools in this week’s AP top 25. The #25 Friars, #5 Connecticut, #10 Marquette, and #22 Creighton round out the Big East’s representatives in the Dec. 25 poll. PC has played three top 25 teams to date — soundly beating Marquette and #23 Wisconsin at home, and falling to #12 Oklahoma (10-1 on the season) in Norman.
Providence was ranked as high as #12 by one pollster (Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun Times), while 32 voters did not include them in their polls.
This marks the third consecutive season in which PC reached the AP top 25. The Friars re-entered the poll during the 2021-22 season after a five-year absence following the departure of Kris Dunn in 2016. Since the Big East realigned in 2013, Providence has been ranked by the AP in five of 11 seasons.
The last time the Friars were ranked for three consecutive seasons came from 1976-1978 under the legendary Dave Gavitt, during a stretch in which PC was ranked in the top 15 nationally for seven straight years. Providence cracked the top 10 in five of those campaigns.
2. While Friar fans are thrilled with a defensive unit ranked 8th in the country in defensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy, there has been much consternation about an offense that KenPom ranks #111 in the country. Turnovers were a significant issue for PC in the non-conference portion of the schedule, with the Friars averaging over 19 per game, but turnovers are way down through two conference games, and not coincidentally the Friars offense has seen an uptick.
It’s a small sample size, but through two Big East games, PC is leading the Big East in scoring (78.5 points per game), despite shooting just 30-50 at the free throw line. Yes, Providence’s points per game total benefitted by an extra session against Butler in which they scored 16 points, but PC would still be one of just five Big East teams scoring over 70 a game without the overtime.
Providence is second in field goal percentage (.444) and in 3-point percentage (.354) through two games. They are first in assists (17.0), assist to turnover ratio, and 3-point field goals made (11.5). The Friars are turning the ball over 10.5 times per game against conference opponents.
On the season, PC now ranks fourth in effective field goal percentage in the Big East and fifth in overall field goal percentage.
3. No one is off to a better start in Big East play than Devin Carter. The junior guard is:
1st in the league in scoring (23.0)
10th in rebounding (8.5)
7th in field goal percentage (.560)
12th in assists (3.0)
14th in free throw percentage (.818)
5th in 3-point percentage (.500)
2nd in 3-pointers made (9)