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Previewing Marist

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It’s been nearly 25 years since Providence and Marist faced off, but that changes this afternoon as the Red Foxes will play their first game in the Dunkin Donuts Center since 1988.

Marist (0-3), enters this afternoon’s game winless after falling to Stony Brook, Elon and most recently St. Joe’s. Providence (2-0) will look to contain Marist’s leading scorer, junior Chavaughn Lewis, who is averaging 17.7 points per game. In their loss to St. Joe’s, Lewis posted a game high 26 points on 9-20 shooting from the floor.

Upfront, for the Red Foxes, 6’10 forward Adam Kemp, is averaging 6.5 rebounds per game and will likely draw matchups with Carson Desrosiers and Kadeem Batts. If either Desrosiers or Batts fall victim to foul trouble look for Lee Goldsbrough or Brice Kofane off the bench to guard Kemp.

For Providence, sophomore guard Kris Dunn remains out of the lineup with a shoulder injury that he suffered in the Friars exhibition game against Rhode Island College on November 2nd. Additionally, suspended freshmen, Brandon Austin and Rodney Bullock, continue to sit out following what the school is calling a failure to “uphold the responsibilities of student-athlete.” The date of their return is still uncertain.

Interestingly, despite promising point guard Kris Dunn’s absence through the first three games, the Friars are ranked 67th nationally in team assists per game, 16.0. On Wednesday night, when PC squeaked by Brown, Bryce Cotton finished the night with 9 assists. Regardless though, guard play remains a concern for this team. Ideally, Ed Cooley would like to be playing Cotton and Josh Fortune off the ball, but they will have carry the load until Dunn regains his health.

Perhaps more surprising, the Friars are currently ranked 255th in team field goal percentage. Preseason First Team All Big East member, Bryce Cotton, has been struggling from the field, shooting just 34% through two games. Coming off a season, from a year ago, where he shot 44% from the floor, including 36% from three, it seems as though it is only a matter of time until Cotton finds his stroke.

Look for PC to come out firing against a poor Marist team. The Friars have won each of their first two games by a combined margin of 8 points. This afternoon’s game provides a perfect opportunity for them to score in bunches and gain some early season confidence.

Game Info:
Location: Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
Time: 4 PM
Television: Fox Sports 2
Radio: WEEI 103.7 FM

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