The Latest Happenings Around Friartown and the Big East
1. In Gary Parrish’s latest top 25 for the 2022-23 season, the CBS Sports writer has two Big East teams ranked — Creighton at #11 and Villanova at #16. His top five includes North Carolina, Houston, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Gonzaga. TCU, who Providence will play next season, comes in at #18. The Horned Frogs are expected to lose Damion Baugh to the NBA Draft, per Parrish.
2. Parrish’s peer at CBS Sports, Matt Norlander, has an interesting look at some of the top mid-major players in the country who chose to stay with their schools after exploring the transfer portal this spring.
3. Five of CBS’ top 25 transfers are headed to Big East schools next season (updated May 28). No future Friars made the list, but Brandon Murray (#9 from LSU to Georgetown), Tristen Newton (#16 from East Carolina to UConn), Baylor Scheierman (#17 from South Dakota State to Creighton), Andre Curbelo (#18 from Illinois to St. John’s), and Manny Bates (#22 from NC State to Butler) made the cut.
4. The Athletic has a feature on Boston College head coach Earl Grant. BC is opening a new $50 million basketball facility.
5. Devin Carter provided a behind-the-scenes look at a recent workout at the Miami Heat facility.
6. Providence continues to pursue combo guards in the high school ranks. As On3.com reported, four star guard Silas DeMary Jr. is going to visit PC officially this summer. The 6’5 guard out of North Carolina is ranked 96th in the class of 2023 by On3.com and is also hoping to visit VCU, St. John’s, and Loyola-Chicago in June.
The Friars are also in on class of 2023 guard Garwey Dual out of out of Indiana, another four star prospect.
7. 247 Sports notes that Providence is pushing for a top 75 player in the class of 2024 in Bradford Christian Academy’s George Turkson. The 6’7 Turkson said Providence and VCU are pushing for him the hardest.