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Cotton’s Top 10 Games: #5 OT vs. BC

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

Game: November 8 at home versus BC.

Why it is #5: You know the story by now. Former Boston College head coach Steve Donahue decided Bryce Cotton wasn’t good enough to play at the Heights. That doesn’t make him any different than 300+ coaches who largely ignored Cotton until Providence came calling the summer after he graduated from high school, but a Donahue assistant wanted Cotton at BC, and Donahue didn’t think he was good enough.

After committing to Providence, the typically reserved Cotton was quoted in a local paper saying he was looking forward playing Boston College specifically because he believed they pulled the rug out from under him.

As a junior, Cotton scored 33 points on seven 3 pointers in a loss to BC, leaving Donahue admitting afterwards that he’d made a mistake in not offering Cotton.

The mistake hurt even more in this season’s opener.

The Eagles suffered through a terrible 2013-14, but entering the season they were considered a very real NCAA Tournament contender. Ryan Anderson had torched PC the season prior, while Olivier Hanlan’s stock took off after a freshman year that saw him break the ACC Tournament single game scoring record.

Hanlan was going to be a problem for the Friars, especially in light of recent events. Kris Dunn went down with a shoulder injury in an exhibition game and was out, and late breaking word of the suspension of freshmen Brandon Austin and Rodney Bullock left PC short-handed.

The loss of Dunn was the killer. He was thought to be the only true point guard on the roster, and was set to be assigned the likes of Hanlan defensively on a nightly basis.

This was also the first game for the new look Big East on Fox Sports 1.

Fortunately for Friar fans, the season opener was the first of many games in which Cotton compensated for any deficiencies this roster faced.

After scoring just six points in the first half, Cotton finished with 28 points (9-20 from the field, 9-10 free throws) to go along with six rebounds and four assists in an 82-78 overtime thriller. Seven of Cotton’s points came in overtime (four with BC up three with under three minutes to play).

PC went on to win their first six games of the season.

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