The Week Ahead: Will the Friars come together with a pair of challenging road games ahead?
Make no mistake, this has become a very important week for Providence. The Friars are 5-2 on the season, but missed out on a pair of opportunities to pick up a quality non-conference win with losses to Miami and St. Louis at Mohegan Sun last weekend.
Prior to the beginning of the season, a road trip to TCU appeared to be the most challenging game on the non-conference schedule. The Horned Frogs looked every bit a top 25 team heading into the season, returning all five starters and the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
After a long trip to Fort Worth, the Friars then have a short turnaround with long-time rival Rhode Island awaiting them on Saturday. It will be fascinating to see how this edition of the Friars responds to what is always a hostile Ryan Center crowd. Do they crack under that environment, or does this game become a unifying experience for a team that is still looking to find cohesion?
Let’s take a look at the week ahead: