www.thesunchronicle.com/sports/local_sports/loss-to-uconn-leaves-english-friars-scrambling-to-rebound-for-big-east-tourney/article_fdd350d1-a503-5697-8ee7-9d6336f88f4c.htmlPROVIDENCE -- The sobering reality entered into Kim English’s chain of thought at halftime of his Providence College Friars’ Big East Conference game with nationally No. 1 ranked and regular season champion Connecticut Saturday. It was a harsh sting.
The Friars do not have enough talent, do not have enough depth and are not good enough to compete on a national stage. At least at the moment.
“I don’t know if I can say this, but that we got caught with our pants down, -- without the depth that we needed,” English said of being without All Big East First Team’er Bryce Hopkins since the third Big East game of the season due to a torn ACL; having one transfer (Justyn Fernandez) miss the season with a knee injury; having a trio of holdovers (Jayden Pierre, Corey, Floyd, Rafael Castro) have sub-par seasons; and a trio of freshmen (Donovan Santoro, Garwey Dual, Eli DeLaurier) having little playing time.
“I’m excited about what we have to do next week (at the Big East Tournament) and beyond, what we are going to give our fans – a consistent championship program,” English intimated.
“I see it as clear as day. We’re going to build this roster to withstand an injury or two. We’re going to have 13 dudes next season. I’m excited about what we’re going to do here.”
The Friars (19-12, 10-10) will now face Georgetown Wednesday evening in the opening round of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. PC will be meeting former head coach Ed Cooley for a third time, having beaten the Hoyas twice.
The Friars’ third loss in the past four games, a not-as-close-as-the-final-score-indicated 14 point margin to UConn, was crystalized over the final nine minutes of the first half.
PC not only went without a field goal for that duration, but were limited to merely a trio of points taken at the free throw line.
Devin Carter scored 12 of the Friars’ first 15 points in the contest against UConn, PC taking a 15-2 lead at the four-minute mark.
But, after UConn out-scored PC 26-3 over the final eight minutes of the first half, English and the Friars faced a 42-24 deficit, eventually a 26-point gap midway through the second half.
The reality was that while Carter shot 6-for-11 in the first half, the rest of the Friars were a combined 2-for-17. Carter was limited to eight shots and three field goals during the second half, the rest of the Friars shooting 11-for-38 in the game.
“I don’t take much stock in what you think you deserve, it’s more what you earn in life,” English said of his Friars’ NCAA chances. “I think there are some flaws in the (selection) system right now I’m excited to see what this selection committee values – if they value five Quad 1 wins or a high NET (ranking).”
Carter, the Friars’ junior guard, finished the Big East season by averaging 21.4 points per game, becoming the eighth Friar all time and the first since Ben Bentil (2016) to lead the league in scoring. Carter notched his 12th double-double of the season by scoring 24 points and finishing with 15 rebounds.
Carter was a First Team All Big East selection, fifth-year senior center Josh Oduro an “honorable mention” selection and freshman Rich Barron was named to the All Freshman Team.
“You have to be methodical against a team (UConn) like that – we didn’t, we weren’t good,” English said.
UConn is 17-1 since the turn into 2024 and Huskie coach Dan Hurley believes PC should be in the NCAA Tournament field, “a team that deserves to be in. His (English) leadership and tactical changes keep guys in the hunt,” are credit-worthy said the sixth-year UConn coach. “I couldn’t have more respect for the job he’s done. We (Big East) have three potential Final Four contenders. This is the best conference in the country, (No.) 1 through 9 is something – it has been brutal.”
English expects more than a .500 finish during the regular Big East season for the Friars and to head to New York City for the Big East Tournament expecting to win a game.
“It was a disappointing effort, a disappointing outcome – just to focus and execute on what we had most to do, our immaturity showed,” English added.
“We took some ill-advised 3’s (8-for-27 overall, 2-for-11 in the first half) that allowed them to get back in it.
“Taking good, high quality shots leads to good transition defense.”
The black marks were everywhere for PC– Oduro shooting 5-for-16; Davonte Gaines shooting 1-for-5 with no rebounds; Jayden Pierre missing seven shots and committing six turnovers; Corey Floyd scoring two points (0-for-2 from the floor) in 28 minutes; Rich Barron having one rebound in 24 minutes.
Conversely, UConn had five players in double scoring figures; had 19 assists on its 29 field goals; scored 34 points in the paint; and had 11 3-pointers from six different players.“Most of the things were self-inflicted,” English added of the Friar mistakes. “If you decide not to run early, now you’re behind. That leads to the third key to the game, defensive rebounding.
“Offensively ability and skill have nothing to do with taking good shots, taking care of the ball and getting back on defense.
“We need to do our jobs, with maturity and shot quality. When you do your job with ball security and shot quality, you have to do your job in transition defense. If you don’t, you’re behind.
“It’s a teaching point for young players.”
FREE THROWS -- The Friars hold a 1-7 record versus Georgetown in the Big East Tournament. PC beat the Hoyas 74-64 in March, 1994 under then coach Rick Barnes for the program’s first Big East title …Hoya coach Ed Cooley and the Friars won the 2014 Big East title … PC beat Georgetown 84-76 at home and 71-58 six days ago in D.C. this season. “Georgetown has great talent, as much as anyone in this league,” English said of the matchup. “It’s a one-game season, a proverbial new season -- two really hungry teams” … PC’s average attendance of 11,296 was the fourth best in the Big East behind Creighton (17,269), Marquette (16,307) and UConn (12,733) … “this is the best fan base in the country,” English said. “We don’t have the national championships as some other programs, but we have as much the same vigor and fight and same support as the most successful programs in the country.”