Well Friartown, we made it! It feels like an eternity ago but Providence College basketball will be returning to the Dunkin Donuts Center to play in front of fans Tuesday night! PC opens up against a familiar foe in Fairfield University. Not only did Ed Cooley coach at Fairfield before coming to Friartown, but the Friars played this same team last season in the opener. PC beat the Stags 97-56 last season in front of an empty Alumni Hall. Tuesday night PC will look for a similar result, but this time at the Dunk. Jay Young is back for his second year at the helm at Fairfield and he will be returning the same exact team this time around. Literally, the entire roster returned. Yet the guys at Three Man Weave project them to finish in last place in a stronger Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this season.
Tuesday will also mark the return of super senior Nate Watson. Watson will look to get off on a good start to which could be a monster campaign. Fairfield’s Supreme Cook is going to have a tough time with Watson down low. By the way, you know its the return of college basketball when you run into a player on a mid-major with an unreal name like Supreme Cook.
What to Know:
Date: November 9th, 7:00pm EST
TV: FS1* (FS1 is doing a RedZone style whip around coverage for the Big East’s openers, interested to hear how that goes)
Radio: WPRO 630 AM/99.7 FM, Sirius XM Channel 985
Players on Fairfield to Watch: Jack Wojck, Supreme Cook
KenPom Predicts: PC 74- FU 60, PC 90% win prob
Betting Lines: PC -14, O/U 134.5
CrierCast
Fairfield has an experienced group, as they return an entire team that is looking to avenge the beatdown handed to them by the Friars last year. However, the post play of Nate Watson and the way PC’s guards matchup against Fairfield think the Friars send the fans home happy for the first time in a long time.
PC 81, Fairfield 64
BOC Prediction
With the return of fans and the start of the season, Providence starts the game a bit too tight. Nervous energy will be permeating throughout the arena. For many players, this is the first time collegiately they are playing at the Dunkin Donuts center with fans.
After a slow start, Providence’s depth and skill level become too much of a factor for Fairfield. Providence wins 72-60. Watson leads the way for the Friars with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0N5qDwwUcThba9PAjzsPac?si=a82aw8ZPSC2IOtoaGCpSSA