Tag Archives: Villanova

Game Previews & Recaps

Providence Big East Schedule Review: Part II

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This is Part 2 of a 3 part series giving my impressions of Providence’s Big East schedule in 6 game blocks. This second block looks at games 7-12 from 1/22/15 through 2/11/15. 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 7: vs. Xavier

  • Where: Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, RI
  • When: 1/22/15 7:00pm
  • How: Fox Sports 1/WEEI 103.7 FM
  • Last season’s final RPI: 47
  • Last season’s final Kenpom rating: 59

This will be the first home game for the Friars where the students are back from break. Hopefully that means the student section will be full and rocking. What else is there to do on a Thursday night in January? Xavier loses Semaj Christon to the NBA and Justin Martin to transfer but they have an impressive recruiting class coming in including incoming freshman Larry Austin who had Providence as one of his final schools before selecting the Musketeers the weekend he was scheduled to visit Friartown. For Xavier, this game comes in the middle of arguably the toughest stretch of their conference schedule as they will be coming off games at Butler and Villanova with Marquette at home between this game in Providence and that game in Philadelphia. Xavier struggled on the road in the inaugural season in the Big East with a 2-6 record. The Musketeers play on the road in 3 of the 6 games leading to their trip to Providence.

Xavier will likely be somewhere in the 3rd-6th range along with Providence in terms of conference standings by the time March 8th rolls around so this game could make a big difference to both teams in the final league standings. Providence is coming off a trip to Omaha and should be at least 4-2 in league play entering this matchup. Xavier may end up being 4-2 as well based on how their first 6 games look right now.  This game is the beginning of a pretty tough 6 game block which will include a trip to Cincinnati for the rematch on February 7th.

Continue reading Providence Big East Schedule Review: Part II →

Recruiting News

Recruiting News: ESPN Final Class Of 2015 Top 100 Recruit Rankings

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ESPN updated their class of 2015 rankings to include the final post-Summer updates.

To see the entire top 100, click here.

PC Recruits:

  • #89 – Alex Owens – 6’8 PF – Oak Ridge HS/Orlando, FL
  • #93 – Davon Dillard – 6’5 SF – Our Savior New American/Centereach, NY

List of Big East commitments in Top 100:

  • #23 Jalen Brunson – 6’1 PG – Stevenson HS/Lincolnshire, IL
  • #58 Jessie Govan – 6’10 C – Wings Academy/Manhasset, NY – Georgetown
  • #69 Nick Noskowiak – 6’2 PG – Sun Prairie HS/Sun Prairie, WI – Marquette
  • #79 Haanif Cheatham – 6’5 SG – Pembroke Pines/Fort Lauderdale, FL
Recruiting News

Recruiting News: Scout.com Releases Updated Class Of 2015 Top 100 Recruit Rankings

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Scout.com updated their class of 2015 rankings Thursday. This is the first look at how where each player’s stock is at after the July live evaluation periods. Recent PC commit Alex Owens is not among the top 100 after falling out from #96 during the previous update but (get ready for that knife in your back to be twisted) Donovan Mitchell went from unranked to #20. One other note is that 42% of the top 100 is already committed.

To see the entire top 100, click here.

PC Recruits:

Continue reading Recruiting News: Scout.com Releases Updated Class Of 2015 Top 100 Recruit Rankings →

Recruiting News

2015 Guard Donovan Mitchell Commits to Louisville

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Well this one hurts. There really isn’t much else a coaching staff can do when recruiting a player. Ed Cooley followed Donovan Mitchell around like a shadow beginning in April 2012. When Mitchell broke his wrist last spring the Providence staff still sat and watched Mitchell’s team play while he sat on the bench in street clothes. These guys were serious about Donovan Mitchell and they were the first. Unfortunately they weren’t the last. Mitchell’s huge July this year led to a lot of attention both from the national recruiting media and some blue blood programs.

In the end it’s hard to blame Mitchell for choosing Louisville. They have had a lot of team success including a national championship in 2012 and have a recent history of developing NYC guards. Maybe we all weren’t listening when Mitchell repeatedly talked about wanting a big school or maybe we just wanted to believe he would change his mind and choose the tight knit family atmosphere that Ed Cooley and his staff have worked hard to develop. He told Scout.com’s Evan Daniels “I’m needed here and I love it.” Well he certainly was needed in Friartown but will be heading to Louisville next fall.

Check out Donovan Mitchell’s Friar Crystal Ball page here.

Follow me on Twitter @pcbb1917

Recruiting News

Donovan Mitchell Trims List to Final 5

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Donovan Mitchell initially said he would cut his list down further at the end of August from the 10 he tweeted out on July 31st.

He must have done a lot of thinking over the last few days because he has already cut the 10 down to 5.

https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell/status/496096893995200512

Mitchell is scheduled to take an unofficial visit to Villanova on August 4th followed by an official visit to Louisville August 7th-8th.

Perhaps this can be seen as good news for Providence fans as maybe the September decision is still in the cards. The sentiment in Friartown is that the longer it takes for Mitchell to decide, the worse it is for Providence’s chances. After having blown up during July some blue bloods got involved but Kansas and Indiana didn’t make the cut which surprises me. Mitchell spoke highly of Norm Roberts (Kansas) and mentioned he wanted to visit Indiana.

Of the schools in the final 5, Mitchell has visited or will have visited all 5 by August 8th so maybe a decision is closer than it appears.

Check out Donovan Mitchell’s Friar Crystal Ball page here.

Follow me on Twitter @pcbb1917

Recruiting News

Donovan Mitchell Cuts List

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Donovan Mitchell told Scout.com that he has cut his list to a top 10. He then tweeted that list:

https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell/status/494847100442918912

It shouldn’t be surprising to see Providence make the cut as Ed Cooley and his staff have been recruiting Mitchell as a priority recruit in 2015 for over a year and haven’t missed a single one of his AAU games over the last 2 years – even when he was injured. Scout.com’s Evan Daniels tweeted earlier in the week the Mitchell will visit Villanova on August 4th and Louisville on August 8th. Daniels also recently wrote: “No player improved his stock in July more than Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy standout Donovan Mitchell.”

In a recent interview with Corey Evans of HoopsIntel.com, Mitchell had this to say about Providence: “Providence has been there for two years and it is very appealing. I just want to be able to enjoy the coaching staff, which I do with Coach Cooley. It is a great school for basketball and great school in general.” So there’s still hope in Friartown. Mitchell also told Evans that he will look to cut his list down from 10 to 5 at the end of August.

Continue reading Donovan Mitchell Cuts List →

Recruiting News

Recruiting News: Scout.com Updated Class Of 2015 Top 100 Recruit Rankings

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Scout.com updated their class of 2015 rankings today and there was even more movement than in the ESPN release of their top 100 earlier in the week.

Rob Harrington discussed some of the PC related movement in this article:

Isaiah Briscoe moved up 10 spots, from No. 26 to No. 16. Briscoe has performed tremendously at every stop this spring and summer, showcasing a leaner body, quicker first step and more controlled (but not too controlled) style. He ranks among the most talented, confident and aggressive scorers in the class.

Antonio Blakeney (pictured, above) vaulted from No. 39 all the way to No. 20. He has emerged as one of the most prolific shooters and scorers in the EYBL and now projects as a potential, or even likely, McDonald’s All-American.

When Malik Beasley is in the house, people tend to notice. Beasley is one of the country’s most explosive leapers and also is a capable, if streaky, jump shooter. He had been unranked but now sits at No. 58. If he can tighten his ballhandling, he’s another prospect who could make another big jump later.

And then there’s another spring wonder, Steve Enoch. The athletic and skilled power forward from Connecticut debuts in our rankings at No. 61 and may be able to rise from there. He has proved he can hold his own against other national-caliber big men and now simply needs more exposure to solidify his place. His recruitment likely will blow up in July.

To see the entire top 100, click here.

PC Recruits:

Continue reading Recruiting News: Scout.com Updated Class Of 2015 Top 100 Recruit Rankings →