Post by dmac80 on Jan 28, 2014 13:16:19 GMT -5
Providence College visits the Barclays Center
Must watch video:
Downtown Brooklyn is the only neighborhood of its kind in the borough. Its sprawling infrastructure spans dozens of blocks, and buildings stretch taller there than in any other location in Kings County. The steady buzz of traffic and the tinny rattling of subways pulling into Atlantic Avenue Station lend character to the bustle that only the Manhattan neighborhood to the west over the Hudson River can compare to. This area of Brooklyn hums perpetually with business, and, at the heart of it, the Barclays Center represents the Big Time. The arena opened in the Fall of 2012, and since then has become a mainstay for sporting events and touring performers. “The Barclays Center is a first class place,” Ed Cooley said before the game, and it draws added “excitement and energy” to the neighborhood.
The Providence Friars fell to the No. 3 ranked Kentucky Wildcats, losing 79-65 to a basketball team whose range of talent is surpassed only by the outstretched arm of center Willie Cauley-Stein when he’s primed for a block. Despite the intimidation factor typically associated with the cynical New York City spotlight, the Friars played a well-disciplined game, turning the ball over just six times and keeping fouls at a minimum. But with a sea of blue-shirted Wildcats fans roaring down from the stands (this went into the books as a home game for Kentucky, despite neither team having any affiliation with Brooklyn), Providence had a difficult time maintaining cohesion offensively. The two teams entered halftime in a close game, but the numbers could not accurately convey the recurring story of PC’s offensive difficulties in the paint — despite being down only 35 – 39 at the end of the first half, PC had been visibly overmatched from a physical standpoint. Friar forwards were often stymied by the tremendous reach of Cauley-Stein, and forced to either put up awkward jump shots or kick out the basketball to well-covered guards.
Speaking of which: The Big Apple was formally introduced to PC’s star shooter, Bryce Cotton, who has stepped up his game in a big way since starting point guard Kris Dunn went down with a shoulder injury earlier this season. Cotton played the full 40 minutes, serving as the team’s primary scorer and facilitator. He notched 23 points and tallied five assists, leading the team in both categories. However, his 33% shooting efficiency exemplified the Friars’ poor shot selection all night — a sentiment Coach Cooley would echo in the press conference following the game.
Though it was a home game for Kentucky both technically and in terms of sheer volume of support, Providence was well-represented in the Barclays Center crowd. Every one of Cotton’s three pointers unlocked a rumble of foot-stomps and guttural cheers. But the night belonged to Kentucky. Though Providence showed flashes of the killer instincts and defensive grit that has earned them the right to compete in the Big Time, perhaps they are not quite ready yet to win there.
coxsportsonline.com/2014/01/providence-college-visits-the-barclays-center/
