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Role Players Huge in 1st Half

Tyler Harris Creighton

Let’s get this out of the way first. Kris Dunn was once again outstanding for Providence on Saturday night.

The third year point guard was nearly flawless in PC’s 74-65 victory against Creighton in Omaha, scoring 17 of his team-high 21 points in the second half of a game in which he also finished with eight rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals.

In the second half alone, Dunn made 5-7 from the field and 6-8 at the free throw line. Over his last two road games Dunn has scored a combined 37 second half points.

One of the biggest concerns for the Friars heading into this season was not only who was going to replace Bryce Cotton’s scoring, but where Ed Cooley’s group would turn for offense when looking for a bucket with the shot clock running down.

Dunn has obliterated those concerns, flashing a mid-range jump shot that few expected him to make with such consistency, and the ability to get into the paint at will.

Dunn and LaDontae Henton give this team as dangerous a duo as there is in the Big East, but scoring options three through ten have been anything but reliable.

Fresh off of a loss at St. John’s and a flight that took them halfway across the country to play a desperate Creighton team in from of 18,000 fans, Providence got an enormous first half lift from Tyler Harris, Jalen Lindsey and Ben Bentil. The trio combined to shoot 8-10 from the field for 19 points.

For the freshmen, it wasn’t the points as much as how they were scored.

Bentil, who seems to have played at roughly one million miles per hour with the ball in the paint of late, got an early pass, seemed to take a deep breath, and took his time in making a hook shot in the paint. He then powered his way through a smaller defender for his second bucket.

Foul trouble plagued Bentil throughout, but there was a measure of composure with the ball in his hands that has been lacking at times of late.

Lindsey had a quasi-tip dunk for his first basket, tipping a ball home while grazing the rim on his follow, and when given the opportunity to throw down another offensive rebound he finished with authority.

Then, with 2:27 remaining in the first half and PC’s 10 point lead having been cut to just one, Lindsey knocked down a 3-pointer to spark an 11-2 Friar run before halftime.

PC went nearly six minutes in the first half without a field goal before Harris banked home a jumper that stretched a three point lead to five.

When Creighton got to within three a few minutes later, Harris connected on a 3-pointer to push the lead back to six.

Harris’ third field goal of the first half was another 3-pointer during the aforementioned 11-2 run in the half’s final two minutes.

Cooley is going to need this type of output from Harris on a more consistent basis (he finished with 13), and a more assertive Bentil and Lindsey could be difference makers.

While Dunn provided the second half body blows, the early performance of PC’s role players might be the most encouraging element to come out of a much-needed road victory.

Twitter: Kevin_Farrahar

3 Comments

  1. Derec Lamendola

    January 18, 2015 at 5:25 am

    LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Derec Lamendola Has Gooos I Dear Alll Tem Procidence Colllege Friars This SUMUTSTER We Are GOING IN School And After That Prtkis Pertkias Pkertikits Peketis Evvvery Weeeek Evvery Weekkend Evvery Week Evvery Weeeek Evvery Weekkend I Chage MY MIDND SO Listing Providence Colllege Mens Bassket Ball GO MAKE THE DANCE This Year LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Mersazde IS MY Gril Firend I WON’T Be LATE NEXT THURSDAY I Will Be ON Time Whata IS Team Taking THS SUMMTRESER I WONT KNOW

  2. Ray Miller

    January 18, 2015 at 4:35 pm

    Seeing improvement…….need to prevent slide back of effort that was present in SJU game…..but season going to ebb and flow……team has potential to have 4-5 players who can average double digit points by tournament time…..more playing time and confidence and hitting key shots can help…..but schedule has helped as well….not played the toughest BEAST schedule yet…..believe they need at minimum 9 BEAST wins before tournament and at least 1 tournament win to make NCAA dance……Go Friars.

  3. Norman Lavallee

    January 18, 2015 at 9:32 pm

    Total team win, great rotation by Coach Cooley keeping fresh guys on the floor throughout the game , even with some foul difficulties,he did a great job using that deep talented bench!

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