Friar Basketball

Friars Travel to DePaul

lindseypassing

With five games left in the regular season Providence couldn’t be positioned better to not only make the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, but earn themselves a very good seeding.

The Friars (18-8, 8-5) carry an RPI of 24 with them to DePaul for Wednesday night’s contest against a Blue Demon team that can be a problem if they are connecting from 3-point range.

DePaul has six players who have made at least 20 3-pointers this season and connect on over eight 3s a game. Amazingly, they have gone over 600 straight games with a made 3-point field goal (according to their athletic department), with the last time they went a game without a 3 coming way back in 1993.

While PC is well positioned to make the Tournament, three of their final five games come on the road, including a trip to Villanova, and they close out their season with a visit from #19 Butler. So, there is work left to be done.

It certainly wouldn’t hurt PC’s cause if they can get anywhere near the production Kris Dunn provided when DePaul came to the Dunk in January. Dunn put up the best individual performance of any player in the Big East this season: a 27 point, 13 rebound 11 assist triple double — the first in the Big East since Hasheem Thabeet of Connecticut had one in 2008. Dunn’s triple double marked the first time any Friar accomplished the feat in conference play, and his 27 points were the highest point total of any triple double in Big East history.

Providence is 6-5 away from home this season (3-0 in neutral site games, 3-5 in true road games), while DePaul is 4-2 at home in Big East play.

Few were expecting the Demons (6-7 in conference play) to hover around .500 in league play, and they were the surprise of the Big East early, but they’ve now lost five of their last six games, albeit against a difficult schedule (at Xavier, at Providence, Villanova, Seton Hall, at Butler, at St. John’s).

The game begins at 9:00pm and will be showed on the CBS Sports Network.

Twitter: Kevin_Farrahar

Email: kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

8 Comments

  1. Neil Primeau

    February 18, 2015 at 2:54 am

    With only 5 conference games left Friars have to beat teams they are better than….like DePaul.

  2. Allan Petteruto

    February 18, 2015 at 2:59 am

    always tough..but definitely a great opportunity for a W

  3. Neil Primeau

    February 18, 2015 at 3:04 am

    Allan….I think if PC goes 3 and 2 last 5 games they’re a lock for an ncaa bid….even 2 and 3 but depends on big east final standings.

  4. Mario Teixeira

    February 18, 2015 at 3:21 am

    wins- @depaul, vs marquette @seton hall. Lose- @nova. Last game vs Butler decides the 2 seed in BE Tournament.

  5. Neil Primeau

    February 18, 2015 at 3:23 am

    Mario Teixeira….if PC beats Butler they sweep both games and is big for rpi points since Butler is ranked in top 20 now.

  6. Brian Shortsleeve

    February 18, 2015 at 5:28 am

    Go get em!

  7. Joshua Michael Corrente

    February 18, 2015 at 10:07 am

    The offense seemed to play out of control against Seton Hall- bad shot selection, poor floor awareness in both timing and teammates, poor decision in making passes, lack of game situation awareness–seemed to lead to lots of turnovers and bad shots. The Friars won the game because they were tough and a little deeper on defense on the block and they rebounded the ball pretty well at both ends, but, they didn’t win because they outsmarted their opponent- and I think that’s a little worrisome if they keep playing like that-

  8. Derec Lamendola

    February 18, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHOS PUMT ANd And THis US YOU KNOW Craldautins LADoante Hneton criag Leghton Derec Lamendola And We Are Hear SMATCH DEPAUL ANd Smatch VILLLNOVA Next Tuesday

You must be logged in to post a comment Login