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Game Previews & Recaps

Providence Big East Schedule Review: Part I

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This is Part 1 of a 3 part series giving my impressions of Providence’s Big East schedule in 6 game blocks. This first block looks at games 1-6 from 12/31/14 through 1/17/15. My evaluation of each 6 game block will take into account a few factors: road trips/travel, potential fan attendance/games over school breaks, opponent’s schedule around time of PC game and other factors.

Game 1: vs. Creighton

  • Where: Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, RI
  • When: 12/31/14 7:30pm
  • How: Fox Sports 1/WEEI 103.7 FM
  • Last season’s final RPI: 10
  • Last season’s final Kenpom rating: 24

This is a cool move by the Big East/Fox to have a primetime rematch of the Big East Tournament Championship game from last March. Some of the key players that made last year’s final game so exciting have graduated, namely Doug McDermott and Bryce Cotton. Having said that, this should be a solid conference opener for the Friars. Creighton is in rebuilding mode as they lost more than just Dougie McBuckets from last season’s team that finished 2nd in both the regular season (behind Villanova) and the Big East Tournament. The Friars will have 9 days between their last non conference game against Miami (FL) on December 22nd at the Barclays Center and this first Big East contest on December 31st. I’m sure there will be time spent with family for Christmas but there is also going to be plenty of time for Ed Cooley and his staff to scout and install a Creighton-specific gameplan. The Bluejays still have some talented players on the roster but they are going to be somewhat young and inexperienced overall and this is a game Providence should be favored in and I would expect them to win. The crowd will be interesting to see as it’s a bit of a late start on New Year’s Eve but I would expect the building to be loud either way because people will probably start the partying early that day.

Providence will get Creighton twice during this first 6 game block with game two coming at the always full CenturyLink Center in Omaha.

Continue reading Providence Big East Schedule Review: Part I →

Links of the Day

#pcbb Links of the Day 5/7/14

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Big East News

First Season In the Books: How Did The Big East Do?

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Rewind to Big East media day, October 16, 2013. Val Ackerman, the Big East’s new commissioner said the following to the media: “There’s no doubt the eyes of the basketball world and the eyes of others in college sports are definitely on the Big East.”

How true those words would be. And not surprisingly, the “eyes of the basketball world” were quick to be negative. Without the backing of ESPN, the Big East was constantly knocked and, even when good things happened, not given its full due. It was not an ideal first season for this new basketball-centric league. Marquette and Georgetown were picked 1 and 2 in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Many thought that it was crucial for Marquette, a team that has had a good run of success since joining the conference in 2005, and especially Georgetown, a school that was a big part of the original Big East’s foundation, to be successful both in the conference and nationally. Injuries and lack of on court chemistry seemed to do in both the Golden Eagles and Hoyas as the teams would finish 6th and 7th after 18 regular season games. Only two teams were ranked heading into the Big East Tournament and there was a concern that those two teams might even be the only schools to make the NCAA Tournament.

You Only Get One First Impression

Continue reading First Season In the Books: How Did The Big East Do? →

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#pcbb Links of the Day 3/26/14

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#FriarTBT

#FriarTBT 2/20/14: Butler Edition

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#FriarTBT time again

Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Kadeem Batts, Player News

Kadeem Batts: As He Goes, So Goes Providence #pcbb

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This season has sort of been a microcosm of Kadeem Batts’ career. He has been up and down. When he is up, PC usually wins. When he is down, PC usually loses. The numbers bear it out.

This Season When Providence Wins
Points/game Rebounds/game FG %/game FT %/game
13.8 7.9 47% 80%
This Season When Providence Loses
Points/game Rebounds/game FG %/game FT %/game
7.5 6.8 24% 54%

Batts decided to return to Providence this year for his 5th year after receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in May 2013. Once that was confirmed, he and Bryce Cotton were immediately deemed to be the leaders for next year’s team. Cotton is more of a lead by example guy but Batts is more vocal and expressive. You can usually tell how he’s feeling by just looking at him.

This has served him well at times.

And not so well at others.

A pattern has emerged.

If Batts is involved and aggressive early in games, he usually plays well. If he isn’t involved and isn’t aggressive early, he tends to get down and it affects his play at both ends. One positive potential change in that pattern occurred on Saturday at DePaul. Batts was not looking good on the offensive end. He missed a few shots within 5 feet and couldn’t seem to get in a rhythm. In the past, this is the kind of thing that would have taken him totally out of the game and resulted in foul trouble and/or a lack of effort on the defensive end. And yet, Batts managed to contribute to the game in other ways. He grabbed 9 rebounds, blocked 2 shots and took a charge late in the game, all while only managing 4 points.

Hopefully that was a preview of a new and improved Kadeem Batts for this 2nd half of conference play stretch run that PC embarks on tonight.

Yesterday he tweeted:

PC fans, no matter if they get frustrated at his poor play at times in some games, are with Kadeem. We know that in order for this team to get to the ultimate goal of their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since the 2003-2004 season, Kadeem Batts needs to be more like the guy who had 27 and 10 against Louisville in 2012 and the guy who had 27 and 12 against Seton Hall in 2013 and the guy who had 14 and 17 against Butler 2 weeks ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsO7oTu1E4M

This is the last ride for Kadeem.  He knows it. He is motivated. In order for he and the Friars to get to the Dance, they need Kadeem to be aggressive and play like he did against St. John’s the first time. They need Kadeem to play like the Senior leader who is fighting for his legacy as a Providence Friar. They need Kadeem play like this: