The result of yesterday’s game, a comfortable win by St. John’s 79-69, is an afterthought. This game will likely be the most widely discussed college basketball game of this season, and the talking points have nothing to do with the basketball that was played on the court.
With 15 minutes remaining in the game and Providence up 40-39, Bryce Hopkins went up for a lay-up in the open court and was crushed with a hard foul by Friar grad transfer Duncan Powell. The foul was absolutely a flagrant foul and likely warranted an ejection due to the follow through and colliding with his head. It was the after effects of the foul and what ensued post foul that then led to mayhem in the AMP.
For what it’s worth, if the foul wasn’t on Bryce Hopkins, I don’t think a fight breaks out nor do I think Powell gets ejected for the foul. It was a hard foul that the older generation of Big East fans reminisce about when reflecting on the “Big East of Old”. The uproar from national media pundits was a bit disingenuous (and laughable, to be honest), and their projection yesterday is more so a reflection on the media’s negativity towards Providence that was made apparent when Cooley left for Georgetown. Media personalities despise Providence, and yesterday was their red meat. So be it, but the game announcers and sideline reporters were acting like they were in a live war zone. Enough of the dramatics, guys. These type of games are what make the Big East the Big East.
Back to the game…
Bryce understandably got up and took offense to the foul, and then all hell broke loose as Powell didn’t back down from the conflict. A scuffle broke out between the two teams, and St. John’s had many players leave their bench to support their teammate. Dillon Mitchell was equal parts agitator as he pushed Jaylin Sellers in the back. The final event in this bedlam was Powell trying to swing on another St. John’s player.
As the teams were separated, and the dust settled, a total of 7 ejections transpired. The two biggest ejections were Sellers and Mitchell. With Corey Floyd and Jason Edwards already ruled out, the thin backcourt and wing position for Providence was stretched even more thin with the Sellers ejection.
It was the Johnnies, especially Dylan Darling, who answered the call post melee. Darling helped St. John’s go on an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead, and the Red Storm never looked back. Providence had to rely on walk-ons and sparingly used players, and it showed in the second half.
Dylan Darling was the reason St. John’s won in a game where Hopkins was held in check for the second time this season against Providence, and Ejifor had a surprisingly quiet evening. The fight overshadowed how poorly Bryce played, going 3-14 from the floor. Darling led the way with 23 points, but it was his pesky defense that stood out to me. He was giving me Stevie Mitchell vibes, and I mean that as an ultimate compliment.
For Providence, it was the same old issues that have plagued them all season. Even before the ejections, they were completely erratic with the basketball. They finished the game with 14 turnovers. PC is consistently one of the worst teams in taking care of the basketball, and you aren’t going to win many games turning the ball over as frequently as they do.
For the Friars, yesterday may have galvanized the fanbase in their common disdain for Bryce Hopkins, but the truth is they are now 11-15 and in last place in the Big East standings. This season has been a nightmare, and yesterday added to this 2 year nightmare. The season cannot end soon enough for the Friars, but I can’t help but wish for a Round 3 match-up against St. John’s in The Garden. Who is with me?
