Category Archives: Player News

Ben Bentil, Player News

Ben Bentil Named a Finalist for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award

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Ben Bentil’s breakout season has been a surprising and welcome development for Providence. Even more surprising? He’s doing it all at the center position after former classmate Paschal Chukwu opted to transfer to Syracuse in late May of 2015. Chukwu figured to start and get the lion’s share of minutes at the 5, but those duties now fall on Bentil and he has not disappointed. More evidence of that is seeing Bentil’s name on a list of 10 finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to top center in college basketball. This is the second year the award is being given out by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Ben Bentil, Big East News, Player News

Providence vs Villanova Injury Update: Bentil Day-to-Day, Ochefu Likely Out

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Providence dropped their first road game of the season on Tuesday at DePaul and a big factor in that loss was Ben Bentil injuring his right ankle about halfway through the opening half. Bentil would return later in the first half before sitting with foul trouble and started the second half on the floor before being pulled by Ed Cooley. Bentil’s status for Saturday’s game is still up in the air, but Providence announced on Thursday that the native of Ghana is “day-to-day”. Cooley is expected to meet with the media later on Thursday, so more information may be known after that occurs.

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Bryce Cotton, Player News

Former Friar Bryce Cotton Heading to China, Will Reportedly Sign with Xinjiang

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Less than two weeks after re-joining the Austin Spurs of the NBA D-League, Bryce Cotton is reportedly heading overseas to China. The news of Cotton going overseas was first reported by Dennis Silva of the Monitor News. A subsequent report comes via Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor, a D-League blog. Reichert is the one who has indicated a source informed him that Cotton will take his talents to China and will sign with Xinjiang of the Chinese Basketball Association. Another former Friar Marshon Brooks is currently second in scoring (34.6 points/game) playing with Jiangsu and the CBA is where God Shammgod was playing prior to returning to Providence to complete his undergraduate degree. A 2013 article by OneWorldSports.com list Shammgod among the top 5 imports in CBA history.

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Kris Dunn, Player News

Kris Dunn on Midseason Watch List for Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy

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The USBWA has released their midseason watch lists for their three national awards and Kris Dunn finds himself firmly planted on the 20 player watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, given to the National Player of the Year. Dunn is second in the Big East in scoring and leads the league in assists and steals. He also ranks 7th in assists and 2nd in steals nationally. The Oscar Robertson Trophy is voted on by the nearly 1,000 voters that comprise the USBWA and the awards will be presented on April 11, 2016 at the College Basketball Awards gala in Oklahoma City.

Here is the complete watch list:

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Ben Bentil, Big East News, Player News

Ben Bentil Named Big East Player of the Week for Second Time

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Ben Bentil was named Big East Player of the Week for the second time this season following a week in which he averaged 25.5 points/game, 10.0 rebounds/game and led the Friars to a 2-0 record. The first win of the week came at home against Butler — a top 20 team at the time — and win two of last week was Providence’s thrilling overtime upset of the top 5 Villanova Wildcats. Bentil scored a game-high 31 points in that victory and grabbed 13 rebounds. Bentil leads the league in scoring (19.8 points/game) and is 5th in rebounding (8.2 rebounds/game). Continue reading Ben Bentil Named Big East Player of the Week for Second Time →

Big East News, Kris Dunn, Player News

Kris Dunn Named to Big East Weekly Honor Roll

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Kris Dunn was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll after hitting the game-winner at the buzzer at Creighton on Tuesday night. Dunn averaged 18.0 points/game and 6.5 rebounds/game in two games last week. Being named to the weekly honor roll is no solace for Dunn or Providence after the Friars dropped a home game against Seton Hall on Saturday. Dunn fouled out in that Seton Hall game with a little more than 3 minutes left as Providence was attempting to mount a comeback against the Pirates.

The rest of the Big East weekly awards are as follows:

Big East Player of the Week: Trevon Bluiett (Xavier)

Big East Freshman of the Week: Edmond Sumner (Xaver)

Big East Honor Roll: Isaiah Zierden (Creighton), D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown), Kris Dunn (Providence), Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall) and Ryan Arcidiacono (Villanova).

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Kris Dunn, Player News

Kris Dunn on Midseason Wooden Award Watch List

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The Wooden Award’s Midseason Watch List was released Wednesday night and Kris Dunn finds himself firmly planted among 24 others on the pared down list. Dunn was on the first release of the Wooden Award Watch List that was put out in mid-November right after the season began and that list included 50 players. This midseason one only has 25. A player not being on the midseason list doesn’t disqualify him from winning the award, however. The Wooden Award — named after legendary UCLA coach John Wooden — is given annually to the nation’s top player. Dunn is the only Big East player to make the midseason watch list for this award.

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