Providence fans near and far have been waiting for this game since March 20, 2023. Ed Cooley returns home. This is, objectively speaking, probably the most highly anticipated college basketball game of the season nationwide, even if you aren’t a Providence or Georgetown fan. The Hometown Hero returns as The Villain.
Has there ever been a game that the Friar community has rallied on in such a fervent manner? I don’t think so. The wait is finally over, and it is time for Ed Cooley to face the music.
While this game will inevitably be an absolute circus, it is important to remember Providence needs this win to stay in NCAA tournament contention. Providence just secured a road win against an NCAA caliber team in Seton Hall, and they need to win this one decisively for the metrics. A loss to one of the worst teams in the Big East at home is a resume killer, and Providence is already on thin ice with their recent four game losing streak and loss of Bryce Hopkins.
Below, we break down all the different layers to this game. This one will be a doozy.
Players Can’t Get Caught in the Chaos Around the Game – This game is going to be an absolute zoo. Remember the Villanova game two years ago? Amplify that by 100. This will be the most raucous, vicious version of the Friar fanbase that I’ll probably ever witness in my lifetime.
The players need to do their absolute best to focus on the task at hand: playing good basketball and beating a Big East team at home. There will inevitably be nervous energy due to the crowd and build-up to this game, and I am slightly fearful that this backfires on the Providence squad.
Kim English cannot tell his players this is “any other game”. It’s not. He needs to have them acknowledge the moment, take it in, and go out and play ball. It’s imperative English tries to slow the game down early and get quality looks to see the ball go in the bucket. Once a few shots drop, the players will settle in and play basketball. If they start cold, the energy in the building will shift drastically (much like the Villanova game where the excitement pregame turned into nervous energy throughout the game).
Know Your Assignments – With the energy around this game, it’s easy to get lost in the moment and not play disciplined. Providence needs to know the following: Epps is their primary backcourt option on offense, Cook will have post touches drawn up for him, and Massoud is hunting for threes. Epps is a very talented scorer, but can just as easily shoot them out of the game. Cook is a grown man, and Oduro will have his hands full on defense and on the glass. Massoud is a Horchler-lite. Force him to put the ball on the floor, and he becomes rather ineffective.
Just because the crowd will be out of control doesn’t mean the Friar players can follow suit.
Oduro a Focal Point on Offense – Josh needs to do everything possible to get Cook in foul trouble. Georgetown falls off dramatically when Supreme isn’t in the line-up.
Throw Different Looks at Epps – I presume Carter will get tasked with being the primary defender of the Big East league leader in scoring. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Dual on him as well to give Carter a breather. The only way Georgetown comes out with an upset victory is if Epps goes OFF to the tune of 25+ points. As we saw with Dawes in the Seton Hall game, Providence can be prone to giving up big nights from the guard position. This is one to monitor.
Cooley Interaction with Fanbase – I hope for Ed’s sake he focuses exclusively on the game being played on the court and doesn’t engage with the Friar fanbase. He is going to be baited by Providence fans all game, and I don’t want to see anything ugly happen. I don’t think it’s a hyperbolic statement to say that the AMP should have extra security, while Georgetown should probably bring their own security as well. This atmosphere has the chance to be celebratory with the chance to exorcise the Ed Cooley departure demons. It also has a chance to get ugly, and Providence doesn’t need that associated with the program.
I’ve made my thoughts on Ed Cooley’s legacy and departure crystal clear (see below), but Ed is doing nothing to tamp down the hate.
Ed Cooley did no favors earlier this week with his deliberate tweet throwing shade at Providence. Maybe he is embracing the Heel role? It wasn’t a coincidence to tweet this out at this time, his first tweet in about 3 months. I hope he knows what he is doing because this just puts gasoline on the fire.
Let’s enjoy this game for what it is. Atmospheres like this are few and far between. Friar fans, be loud, be energetic, make an impact. Just don’t cross the line.
See everybody Friday.
Loved the column but, Friar fans have some unfinished business with the Traitor.