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Five Conference Schedule Highlights

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The new-look Big East announced the conference schedule today. Here are some of the highlights for Providence:

1. A week’s worth of new guys: In one week in January Providence fans are going to become very familiar with the three newcomers to the league. In a seven day span the Friars host Creighton (1/18), Butler (1/21), and then Xavier (1/25). Both the Creighton and Xavier games are on Saturdays, with both schools bringing potential 1st Team All Big East performers in Semaj Christon, Xavier’s sophomore point guard, and Creighton’s All American forward Doug McDermott.

The three game streak kicks off a string of five in a row against opponents from the Midwest.

2. New Year’s Eve Marathon: Providence is part of Fox’s exciting New Year’s Eve package that features five consecutive Big East games. Ed Cooley’s bunch hosts Seton Hall in their conference opener that afternoon (2:30).

3. Difficult early stretch: After the opener, the Friars face a difficult stretch, taking to the road to play Villanova, then it’s back to Providence to take on Georgetown three days later which is followed by a trip to St. John’s.

Providence and Villanova have played terrific games in Pennsylvania the past two seasons. The Friars blew a near-20 point second half lead in 2012, while Bryce Cotton kept PC from a similar meltdown with a buzzer beating three pointer that turned Providence’s season around last year.

PC’s last trip to St. John’s Alumni Hall (once again, the Friars are not going to MSG, unfortunately) they were run off of the court in Ed Cooley’s Big East debut, 91-67. If Providence is to get their vengeance it will come against a loaded St. John’s team. Two years ago, then-freshman D’Angelo Harrison broke out for 25 points in the win over PC, and he’s slated to return this year alongside former Friar recruits JaKarr Sampson and Chris Obekpa.

4. Big East on Fox. Fox will air over 120 games across their networks. 14 of Providence’s 18 Big East games will be featured on the mothership, Fox Sports 1, two others will be on the CBS Sports Network, with two more on Fox Sports Net.

5. Closing on the road: If the Friars are on the bubble come late-February they’ll have to win on the road down the stretch. PC plays three of their final four games on the road, while the one home game comes against perhaps the conference’s best team in Marquette.

PC finished 4-8 in road games last season.

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