The game started off in a foreboding manner for the Providence Friars. Georgetown at one point held a double digit lead early in the first half and was 71% from the floor, with their All-Conference freshman Thomas Sorber uncharacteristically knocking down 3’s and swatting shots left and right on the defensive end. Providence and the staff, to their credit, stayed true to their gameplan and fought back to gain a 38-33 halftime edge. Jayden Pierre, despite his struggles from deep, willed them back into this one in the first half with an array of mid-range jumpers and looks in the paint.
From the second half on, it was a bit back and forth, but it was the grit and toughness of the Friars that won the game for them. Whether it was Floyd Jr. grabbing second chance offensive rebounds or Jabri Abdur Rahim hitting timely 3’s, it was the collective team effort from this scrappy Friar squad that secured the victory for the Providence Friars. PC is now 10-10 on the year and 4-5 in conference with Seton Hall up next on the road.
Kim English last year talked about having “13 Dudes”, and it was this depth that shined so brightly in comparison to the thin Georgetown squad. Even without their Big East All-Conference player Bryce Hopkins, Providence had NINE different players score in this one. Most important was the bench production, with PC out-scoring Georgetown 26-0 off the bench.
Below we’ll discuss in more detail just how Providence secured the victory and what the fanbase can take away from this well-deserved victory at the AMP.
Guard Play: Advantage Friars
Bensley Joseph and Jayden Pierre were excellent in this one. They combined for 28 points on 11-22 shooting and 4 assists to 1 turnover. Contrast that to Epps and Mack who scored 14 points on 5-23 shooting.
Providence shorthanded without Hopkins is going to need consistent offensive production from these two if they want to make the rest of this year interesting, and they certainly got that today. While Pierre is in a mini-slump from deep of late (0-5 today), we know he has the ability to right the ship and get going from three point land. It was the variety in which he scored today that ultimately made the difference. He bounced back in a big way.
Battle of the Freshman Bigs
Thomas Sorber is truly an incredible player. He went for 25 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals and was virtually unguardable. It wasn’t just him finishing in the low post. He has an array of post moves and the ability to finish with either hand that make him a really tough guard. Compound that with him making 2 three’s, and you just have to tip your cap to the freshman big. The best for him is still yet to come, which is a scary thought for opposing teams.
https://twitter.com/bocallday/status/1883210109557657927?s=46&t=jxSpiAPB3PvC74snCH-rvQ
Oswin held his own, however. He finished with 10 points, 6 boards, and 2 blocks and had a few key offensive boards in the second half early that set the tone for the remainder of the game.
It is tough to grade Oswin against Sorber, as I think Sorber will be playing professionally this time next year, but Oswin should be proud of the way he battled and kept to it throughout the game. This is another great experience for the rapidly developing freshman big from Providence.
https://twitter.com/colonelcardet/status/1883245735971549215?s=46&t=jxSpiAPB3PvC74snCH-rvQ
Health (and Depth!) of the Friars
I wrote about it above, but the balanced scoring from Providence is a beautiful sight for Friar fans. Providence had 5 guys in double digit scoring, with one of those 5 JAR coming off the bench. Georgetown had only two guys in double digit scoring, Micah Peavy and the aforementioned Sorber.
I wrote this in a tweet postgame, but the game played out for Georgetown in a similar fashion to how we saw old Ed Cooley Providence squads play. You’d see Dunn and Bentil or Duke and Watson score 50 points and be arguably the 2 best players on the court for either team, but the rest of the roster would be complete non-factors offensively. Sorber and Peavy combined for 52 of the 68 Hoya points. That’s a wild statistic.
We know from years past that you walk away from these games pleading with the rest of the roster to contribute and help out your two studs. It was unfortunately a calling card for Ed Cooley for the vast duration of his Providence career before the Sweet 16 roster that had contributions up and down the roster.
For Providence, the balanced scoring shows a commitment to team basketball. English said postgame that the players are starting to play more for the name on the front of the jersey than the back. Is it too little, too late? Probably. But it seems like the roster is starting to catch on.
Being the Tougher Team
Cooley prides his teams on being junkyard dogs and muddying up the game. Providence was the one who emerged from this fight victorious because they were the tougher team and wanted the game more. Look at the rebounding numbers: Providence out-rebounded the Hoyas on the glass and had more offensive boards. It was the hustle plays and will to win that dragged them over the finish line in this one.
Providence fans should applaud this Friar squad for their hustle and effort. It made the difference.
Unsung Hero: Corey Floyd Jr.
Corey Floyd Jr. finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. That statline won’t jump off the page if you are a casual basketball observer viewing the box score post game, but his impact was felt all over the game. Hitting the ground for loose balls, securing the late offensive rebound with the game in the balance to run out the clock, and flying high for alley-oops. He may never be a consistent 15-18 point scorer, but he is a smart basketball player who plays winning hoops.
Floyd Jr. has one more year left, and the PC powers and NIL ownership need to do everything within reason to ensure he stays another year at Providence. He is coming on strong off late, and you need to keep these type of players on your roster to make the next jump.
Conclusion
The talk pregame from Georgetown fans was coming into the AMP and making this a home game. Consider that an unmitigated failure. The talk all around basketball social media and on the broadcast during the game was how electric the environment was and how the Providence fanbase is one of the best in all of college basketball.
The season hasn’t fared the way we all expected, but it is a long season, and Providence is still very much in the middle pack of the Big East with over half of conference play left to go. Crazier things have happened, but the game today was a ringing endorsement of Kim English, the basketball team, the fanbase, and the Providence Friar program.
Go Friars!
Here Here, well said. Spot on!
They looked like a team and played like a team yesterday. Christ played well and looks a little thinner.