Friar Basketball

Breaking Down PC in the BET

Cooley Smiles BET

Takeaways from the Providence’s showing in the Big East Tournament with seedings for the Big Dance just hours away.

1. Typically, I don’t spend much time focusing on plus/minus numbers, but they were stark on Friday night against Villanova. At one point late in the second half everyone from Providence had a minus next to their name, with the exception of Kris Dunn and Jalen Lindsey. Dunn was lingering around a +3, while Lindsey was a +15. That number warrants an even longer look when considering one of PC’s starters ended the game a -23 and the fact that Lindsey played just 17 minutes.

Each of Lindsey’s 3-point shots led to huge swings in momentum. Nova was on a 10-3 run late in the first half to push their lead to 10 before Lindsey banged home his first 3, which was followed by a Dunn layup as the Friars closed to within five before halftime.

With PC trailing by 13 and teetering on falling out of it with around 14 minutes left in the game, they got a dunk and a foul from Carson Desrosiers, a Dunn jumper and then a Lindsey 3 to pull to within 5 at 47-42.

Equally as significant, Villanova’s offense stalled with Dunn and Lindsey at the top of the zone. They scored at the 14:24 mark, but were held without a field goal until a blown defensive assignment on an inbounds play led to a Daniel Ochefu dunk and foul with 8:33 left.

When Providence subbed out Carson Desrosiers Nova scored four quick points to push their lead to seven, but Lindsey countered with his third 3-pointer at the five minute mark to make it 56-52 to set up the late rally.

2. Would have loved to have heard Ed Cooley’s thoughts on taking out Desrosiers with under seven minutes remaining in the second half. Did concerns over foul trouble play a factor? Desrosiers had three fouls at the time.

Interestingly, just a day earlier against St. John’s Desrosiers picked up his third foul a minute into the second half. Cooley left him in the game and he picked up number four five minutes later.

Cooley leaned more heavily on his veterans against St. John’s than in the regular season (most likely because they were rolling in the first half) and the guess here is that the substitution had less to do with foul trouble and was more likely an attempt to give him a quick breather. It’s hard to imagine he’d trust Desrosiers enough to play with three fouls with 19 minutes left a day earlier, but would pull him with under seven minutes to go the next night.

3. If you’re counting, that’s five double doubles for Ben Bentil since Feb. 1. Bentil had a pair of double doubles in the Big East Tournament, and was a terror on the offensive glass, pulling down 14 offensive rebounds in two games.

A more subtle aspect of Bentil’s game that is starting to flash is his ability to get under opponent’s skin with his aggression. There have been a few occasions this season in which opponents took exception with his physical play, and Bentil is not averse to staring someone down after drawing contact.

At one point on Friday night Desrosiers walked him away from a Nova defender.

4. Hard to believe that Kris Dunn is better than his billing, but I have to admit I wasn’t expecting him to be this great, even though he was a McDonald’s All American. He used his left hand effectively in high school, but now he seems equally comfortable finishing with his left (almost looks to prefer it at times) and his jumper has been automatic over the last month. FriarTv’s highlight package from the BET just about says it all.

5. So how does Providence stay in a game against Villanova with their starting forwards combining for just two field goals? 19 offensive rebounds, a 42-30 advantage on the glass overall, and just 11 turnovers committed.

Nova kills teams in transition and the 63 points they scored was their second lowest output against any Big East team this season. Their fewest came when they scored 58 points against Georgetown on Jan. 19. That was also the last time they lost.

6. Can BC fans get a revote? From their coaching search in 2010, BC Interruption posed this question:

BC Vote

Twitter: Kevin_Farrahar

Email: kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

5 Comments

  1. David Randall

    March 15, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    That pass to ben was sweet… in the st. Johns game!!

  2. Derec Lamendola

    March 15, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Criag LEGHITON DUS THE ALLL TEAM Need Need Need Derec Lamendola ME Thery OR What ON THIS Connntery LETS GOOOOOOOOOO PROVIDENCE COLLLLEGE MENS BASKETBALL DUS TGE Team Need Need Need ME PROVINCE COLLLEGE FRIARS MENS BASKETBALLL IM SO DESPONTIN SO DESPOTIN I AM SO OFFLER PLERYS PEOVINCE COLLLLEGE FRIARS MENS Basketbal, Willl SMTACH THIS CONNNTERY And What ARE WE WATING FOR And Wolrd YOU THINK DO YOU NEED DEREC LAMENDOLA COME SECEHTION And IT BEETER BTEEER NOT BE THURSDAY THURSDAY Dennnflene I DONT WONT SEE VILLNKNVA UGEN And I WONT SEE SEE KINTUCKEY MERDER VILLNOVA BUT NOT NOT NOT US And PROVIDENCE COLLLLEGE FRIARS MENS BASKETBALL MOVED UP THIS Level YOU KNOW CRIAG LEGHTION WHAT SHRD I DO DUS TEAM NEED ME SELECTION TIMD GO Dacing Dus Team Need ME NCCAA

  3. Nancy Noon Cronin

    March 15, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    Lindsey and Bentil will be great, and the other freshmen will get better.

  4. Brian Shortsleeve

    March 15, 2015 at 5:45 pm

    GO GET EM!!!!!

  5. Tim Finnegan

    March 15, 2015 at 7:56 pm

    We are a better team when we get a positive contribution from Tyler. I’m hoping he has a great outing Thursday or Friday!

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