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Shooting Woes Haunting Providence

Cooley BET Creighton

Entering Saturday’s 67-55 loss at DePaul, Providence was shooting under 40% from the field and making 3-pointers at just a 28% clip in conference play. Those numbers took a hit after the Friars connected on just 28% of its shots from the field and 24% from beyond the arc against the Demons.

Providence shot the ball well in non-conference games, but have seen their percentages nosedive in Big East play. In particular, the Friars’ veterans have struggled.

Alpha Diallo’s numbers across the board have been beyond solid in conference games (16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists), but like his fellow upperclassmen, his shooting percentages have fallen off in the past month. He’s shooting 41% from the field and 29% from 3 during that time.

Senior Isaiah Jackson entered conference play shooting 44% from beyond the 3-point arc. He has gone 6-42 (14%) from deep since.

Similarly, junior Maliek White closed non-conference play strong, and was shooting 40% from long range in those games. He has made 4-21 (19%) from three in Big East contests.

White was a 34% shooter from deep last season, while Jackson was 36% a year ago and 40% the year prior.

As competition and opponent familiarity has increased, Providence just can’t seem to score with any consistency.

In past seasons Providence has been lifted by experience at the point guard position, but the Friars have struggled somewhat from beyond the arc since Bryce Cotton’s senior season in 2014.

Providence shot a steady, if unspectacular, .347 from 3-point range in 2013-14, but they haven’t been a consistently good outside shooting team in the Ed Cooley era. Here are the numbers from long range:

  • 2011-12: .353
  • 2012-13: .310
  • 2013-14: .347
  • 2014-15: .313
  • 2015-16: .321
  • 2016-17: .371
  • 2017-18: .332

There have been great individual marksmen during this time. Cooley has coached two of the best 3-point shooters in school history. Bryce Cotton made the second most threes ever at PC, while the 2016-17 Friars benefitted from an outstanding shooting season out of Jalen Lindsey (46%, over 70 made).

The Friars’ inability to create space is part of the reason why Nate Watson took just four shots on Saturday, and why they lost despite creating 21 turnovers and making 16-18 (89%) at the free throw line.

It was a similar story in Wednesday’s loss at Seton Hall. The Pirates turned the ball over 19 times, Providence made 14-17 free throws, and yet the Friars shot 38% from the field and 31% from deep in a two point loss.

Last weekend Providence was able to defeat DePaul at home, while shooting just 4-21 from 3. On that afternoon freshman AJ Reeves returned from a foot injury to knock down three first half 3-pointers.

Getting Reeves back to regular minutes will certainly help. Cooley and his staff targeted scoring when recruiting the four man class of Reeves, David Duke, Jimmy Nichols, and Kris Monroe.

Reeves was shooting 47% from long range prior to his injury, and Duke knocked down three 3-pointers in scoring 17 points on Saturday. Duke’s has made 35% of his threes this season.

Redshirt junior Drew Edwards should also help down the stretch. He had made 9-18 threes in Big East games prior to Saturday, when he shot 0-4 from the field and 0-3 from deep.

There are a number of reasons why Providence has struggled with its outside shooting in conference games — shot selection, youth at point guard, Cooley trying different lineup combinations in a seemingly endless search for consistency, and at times open shots simply haven’t gone down.

Providence scored just two field goals in the final eight minutes of the second half — a Duke three and a Duke layup — both scores came off of DePaul turnovers.

At 13-9 overall and 3-6 in the Big East, there is significant work to be done if the Friars want to reach a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament. Providence is one of just 13 schools to have made the NCAAs the past five years, and one of only three in the Big East (Xavier is also 3-6 in the Big East this year and having shooting issues of their own).

Providence’s defense will keep them in games. Since a double overtime loss to Georgetown on Jan. 12, the Friars have held five of its last six opponent under 70 points, and with the exception of a road loss to Marquette, they have turned opponents over at least 17 times.

Yet, the offensive droughts have been the story of Providence’s season since conference play began and it was the reason why a winnable game at DePaul slipped away late.

@Kevin_Farrahar

12 Comments

  1. Rob

    February 3, 2019 at 3:12 pm

    it is not as if they are not getting good looks outside of the arc.In yesterdays game DePaul played off the shooter and the team just couldn’t knock down wide open shots.Hopefully AJ Reeves will return to the lineup and give us the consistency we have not had since his injury and we get on a run that takes us into the BE tourney. On the bright side our FT shooting has improved greatly and has kept us in the games. Lets Go Friars!

  2. Randy McEnaney

    February 3, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    Didn’t like AJ’s body language during the second half yesterday. He seemed very disengaged during several timeout shots. Also, why has Emmit Holt not been on the bench the last three games? Did his waiver request get denied and has he left the team?

  3. Irish Spectre

    February 3, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    …good analysis.

    Re Lindsey, my opinion is that the overall reason when a senior laden ’17 – ’18 Friars edition arguably didn’t quite reach its potential (not to say that they were a bust) is that JL more or less lost his shooting touch, especially down the stretch.

    As for today, A. Diallo is consistently carrying his weight, and needs help.

    Bill Parcells once famously said “You are what you are,” but it feels like the Friars actually aren’t what they are in terms their record, and in fact are better; but that doesn’t mean much unless the dubs start coming more often.

  4. Wally

    February 3, 2019 at 7:34 pm

    I just don’t see any consistent guard play. We see flashes from Langford but nothing solid game after game. I don’t see Duke as a point guard. White has been so inconsistent. Without that lead guy at the point, nothing good is going to happen. Nichols and Monroe were recruited as shooters and not sure what’s going on with them. Nichols had no minutes yesterday and he was the rave early on. Monroe has a great stroke, like to see him play more. The Friars will beat
    Georgetown Wednesday night! Just hoping one of those guards steps up and become the leader this team needs!! GOFRIARS!!!

  5. KJ

    February 4, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    Ed is playing too many people, hard to get rhythm with your court mates when you are constantly playing with different players. Isaiah and Maliek have been awful. Need much better from upperclassmen.

  6. Derec Lamendola

    February 5, 2019 at 4:09 am

    Providence College Men’s Baaketball Providence College Men’s Baaketball Friar Baaketball Lets Keep Wing Are BIG
    East Conference And Becusee I’m Am Redey For This Wedensday Night Ugenst Georgetown Game This Week, And

    I Won’t The New Eingland Patrtios Come To The Dunk I Won’t Tom Brady Come To The Dunk With That Toffie And I Won’t Tom Brady Gisele Bündchen Coms To Dunk Providence And I Won’t Gisele Bündchen Come To Dunk And I Won’t Meeet Gisele Bündchen And I Won’t To And Becusee I Won’t New Eingland Patrtios Come To Providence AT The Dunk Ask Some One I Won’t The New Eingland Patrtios Come To Ths Dunk And Bscusee I Won’t Them And Derec Lamemdola Has To Get Some Sleep Becusee IS On Live Tommerrrow AT Tv We Are The Super Bowl Championship And We Need New Eingland Patrtios Come To The Dunk This Year And Bscusee I Got Ask A Question When IS The New Eingland Patrtios Come To The Dunk When Are Thery Coming Dus Every One Know When IS IT

    Providence College Men’s Baaketball Friar Baaketball Has To Keep Wing And Becuaee I’m Am Redey For This Wedensday And Becusee I’m Am Redey And Who’s Going TO Boston Masschettusse And Becusee Ask Gisele Bündchen Come To Rohde Island Tell Heer Come All PC Games We Need Gisele Bündchen Come To The Providence College Men’s Baaketball Games And What You Think And Providence College Men’s Baaketball Makai Ashton Langfrod Has To Get Do Something You Know I Meen And We Need To Do Something Providence College Men’s Basketball I Love Gisele Bündchen Becusee I Jus Won’t Date Hear Something Becusee Gisele Bündchen iS SO HOT I Won’t Gisele Bündchen Come All The PC Men’s Basketball Games We Need Gisele Bündchen Coms All The Providence College Men’s Basketball Games And We Need Gisele Bündchen Come And When New Eingland Patrtios Coming The Dunk Dus Every One Know When IS New Eingland Patrtios Coming To The Dunk I Won’t Know When

  7. Walluy Musto

    February 5, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    Very Interesting Derec!!

  8. Tom kaput

    February 6, 2019 at 2:20 am

    Great recruiter? Can he coach?

  9. Tom kaput

    February 6, 2019 at 2:20 am

    Called a great recruiter? A great coach?

  10. Derec Lamendola

    February 6, 2019 at 4:22 am

    That’s Right And You Are Inskely Right And Becusee I Des Greed On That And Becusee I Won’t The All Team New Eingland Patrtios Come To The Providence College Men’s Baaketball Game And Bscusee We Do SO We Can See Gisele Bündchen And About The Providence College Men’s Baaketball,Providence College Men’s Basketball Friar Baaketball Are We Redey For Tommerrrow Becusee I’m Am Redey For Tommerrrow Becusee I’m Am PUMT UP For

    Tommerrrow And Becusee Providence College Men’s Baaketball Has To Win Thery BIG East Games And Becusee Friar Baaketball Providence College Men’s Baskstball Has TO Win Thery BIG East Games You Know I Meen And Like What Happin Ed Cooley Has To Purt His Team Toghter And Win Your BIG East Conference Providenxe College Men’s Basketball Has Know Chats To Win The Final 4 OR NCAA Tournament Becuaee Know Chates And Becusee I Think That Providence College Men’s Baaketball Has To Win Thery BIG East Conference Championship Games And Becusee Thery Are Unbelievable And We Have To Win Providence College Men’s Basketball Were IS Makai Ashton Langfrod Ennething New About Makai Ashton Langfrod And Becusee Makai Ashton Langfrod Has To Do Something You Know I Meen Providence College Men’s Baaketball Makai Ashton Langfrod Has To Has Toghter You Know I Meen

    Makai Ashton Langford Got Do Ferking Something Providence College Men’s Baketball Ed Cooley Has To Get Makai Ashton Langfrod Redey And I Won’t Makaki Ashton Langfrod To Play HARD And TUFF And Becusee Starting This Year Lets GO Win This Year I Won’t Makai Ashton Langfrod Do Something In The BIG East Conference And Do Something And I’m SO Pissed About Makai Ashton Langfrod IS NOT Starting In The Ferking Line UP And Becusee MakI Ashton Langfrod Has To Start Has A Sophomore IS Onley The Same Ferking People In The Starting Line UP We Need Makai Ashton Langfrod The Best Senior TO Has Well And Win Your BIG East Conference Ed Cooley Plerys Do Derec Lamemdola Plays Every Home Games Away Games Conference Games And Do Something Makai Ashton Langfrod Do Something I’m Am Ferking Angery Right Now Becusee I Won’t Makai Ashton Langfrod Start In The Ferking Line UP Bscusee I’m So Tickit OFF I’m Am Mad SO Get Redey For This Conferntis Hear Me

  11. Irish Spectre

    February 7, 2019 at 3:01 am

    Well, the shooting woes continue tonight vs. Georgetown. Through yesterday, Providence was no. 280 out of 351 D1 teams in field goal shooting %, with no Big East team behind them. They’re probably another notch or two even worse after tonight.

    You have to pity Diallo, who once again tonight got no help.

    Hopefully they’ll come around, but at this point, they’ve probably shot themselves out of the Dance, absent the unlikely event of winning the BE tourney.

    Tonight they lost it when they allowed that 0 – 11 run in the last 2 1/2 minutes of the 1st half. …tough losing by 9 in your own barn, esp. when the winner comes in a 5 point dog; wow.

  12. Derec Lamendola

    February 7, 2019 at 4:20 am

    Providence College Men’s Baaketball Providence College Men’s Basketball Friar Baaketball Has TO Do Something Hear You Know I Meen And What’s Going On And IS NOT Next Yewr Yet IS Onley This Year IS A Long Seoasn
    Makai Ashton Langford Has To Do ALOT Beddter And Do Something And I’m Am So Pissed AT Makai Ashton Langfrod Tommerrow IS Makai Ashton Langford Siister Birthday Tommerrrow,February 7 Th I’m Am Celebrating Becusee You Know What I Think I’m Cool And I’m Am Relaxing Makai Ashton Langfrod Relae Pissed Me OFF You Know I Meen And IT NOT All Aways Next Yewr Yet Becuaee IS This Year Bscusee Providence College Men’s Basketball Going To Madison Sqwere Garding Tommerrrow To Get Redey For Saturday BIG Game ST Jon’s

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