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Cotton’s Top 10 Games: #6 Kentucky in Brooklyn

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Friarbasketball.com takes a look back at the top ten games of Bryce Cotton’s senior season. 

Game: December 1 versus Kentucky

In the most anticipated regular season game in almost a decade, the Friars took to Brooklyn on a Sunday night to play what was being labeled the greatest freshman class in history. As we later learned, the young Cats would take nearly the entire season to gel, while Providence was in the midst of an adjustment period of their own.

This was just the second game PC played since learning that starting point guard Kris Dunn was out for the season. Dunn played throughout the Paradise Jam, and was exceptional in an opening round win versus Vanderbilt. He’d injected athleticism and defense upon his return from a preseason injury and his loss looked to be a death blow to the Friars’ NCAA Tournament hopes.

There were also questions about how it would impact Bryce Cotton.

Cotton was coming off of a 1st Team All Big East selection as a junior, and had done so as a shooting guard. More specifically, a shooting guard who made a living off of 3 pointers (nearly 9 of his 13.9 shots per game were from 3 his junior year). And despite playing nearly 38 minutes a game, he’d averaged under three assists, as Vincent Council and Dunn manned the point.

In PC’s first game since the Dunn injury, Cotton made a PC record 18 free throws and dished out seven assists as the Friars won by nine over a rather poor Fairfield group. They’d need a much better effort the next time out versus Kentucky.

Thanks to a monster game from sophomore center Willie Cauley-Stein (15 points on 7-8 shooting, 8 rebounds, 9 blocks), Kentucky pulled away in the second half en route to a 79-65 victory, but Cotton had proven a point in this one by connecting on five 3 pointers and scoring 23 points to keep PC close for 30 minutes.

While the PC frontcourt struggled (the starters shot 8-31), Cotton sparked a big comeback in the first half:

  • Trailing 23-13, Cotton sparked a 7-0 PC run that came in just a minute and a half, as he made 3 pointers on back to back possessions.
  • Kentucky pushed their lead back to eight before Providence surged back and eventually tied in on a Cotton 3 pointer with 2:21 left in the first. He’d scored 13 points in a six minute span and Friar fans were making themselves known at the Barclay’s Center.
  • Cotton’s hot shooting continued in the second half. He hit his fourth 3 pointer 17 seconds in to cut Kentucky’s lead to one, and when the game was getting away, the senior made another 3 minutes later to turn a nine point deficit into a two possession game.

Ultimately, Kentucky’s length and athleticism proved too much for a Providence team still in search of their identity, but that identity started to become even more clear on this Sunday night in December. Despite the opponent or stage, Cotton was prepared to lead this team against anyone.

He finished with 23 points, 5 assists, 3 threes and didn’t turn the ball over once in 40 minutes.

Cotton also provided one of his best highlights of the season, putting Dominique Hawkins on skates.

Cotton Kentucky on Make A Gif

 

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