It was a fitting way to end 2024 with Marquette coming into Providence and outclassing the Friars every way imaginable en route to a 78-50 thrashing. Providence didn’t belong on the same court with them. Now, Providence travels to Wisconsin to take on the Golden Eagles after Marquette surprisingly dropped a road game against the mercurial Villanova Wildcats. A get right game for Marquette may be on the menu for the Friars. This one could get ugly, but this is why you roll the balls out and play the game.
We highlight a few things below to watch for in this game.
Limit Turnovers
I think Marquette is a vastly superior team, but giving up 22 turnovers doesn’t exactly give you the best chance to secure an upset. Providence played sloppy, lethargic, and downright terrible in the first game. The on-ball defense by Marquette is stellar, led by Stevie Mitchell, and if you don’t protect the basketball, they’ll pick your pockets with glee. They currently lead the Big East in steals per game at 9.5 steals/game.
Providence has been loose with the ball all season, and they need to take better care of the basketball on the road. While an upset here would be one of the more shocking outcomes as a Friar fan, if they are to secure an upset, they need to limit the turnovers to 6 or less. I’ll call my shot at 6 being the benchmark here.
Improved Health of Friars
Cardet was ineffective in his return against Georgetown and showed a lot of rust with turnovers and missed lay-ups, but it was good to get a body like him back into the rotation. I’m hoping we see a more effective Cardet in this one in his second game back.
I’m also hoping the week off gets Floyd Jr. back into the mix. They need him on the offensive and defensive end, as he’s arguably been the most complete player on both ends all season. His absence due to the car crash was definitely felt in the Georgetown loss, particularly when they had no answer for Micah Peavy.
If Providence can have both Floyd Jr. and Cardet back and healthy, they now have two of their most versatile players on the roster back in the rotation.
Pierre Needs A Bounceback
It goes without saying, but Pierre needs to get back on track in this one. It’d be quite reassuring to see him perform well on the road. That’s his next step in his maturation as he heads into his senior year: performing consistently whether he is at home or on the road. The variance cannot happen to a guy who is in his third year playing in the Big East.
Joseph needs some help in the backcourt, and Pierre can’t be another no-show. It’s important for Pierre for the remainder of this year and vital for his offseason development.
Recommendation for Frontcourt Adjustment – Small Ball!
I think the most repetitive “key to the game” in these articles this season has been Oswin staying out of foul trouble. At this point, him playing without foul trouble isn’t a real possibility.
With that said, Mike and I may have stumbled upon a potential remedy on our last podcast. When Oswin inevitably gets in foul trouble, go small! It’s sad to say but Essandoko, Bonke, and DeLaurier aren’t Big East level players right now. DeLaurier doesn’t possess the strength to hold up in a Big East frontcourt quite yet, and Essandoko and Bonke cannot match the pace of the Marquette offense. They both look lost out there when a team moves the ball with pace like Marquette does.
So, if Oswin does get in foul trouble, we would recommend going very small and putting Floyd Jr and Cardet at the 4/5, with a Mela/Barron/Fernandez playing the 3. Marquette is a good match-up to test this out, as they don’t have a true 5 like a Creighton or Georgetown.
Marquette is 9th in the Big East in rebounds/game, so it is not as if they are beating teams up on the glass.
While Providence may be at a detriment from a size advantage, it’s not like Essandoko, Bonke, and DeLaurier are bringing a lot when they step on the court that warrants them playing more. These three have had their chance to solidify their spot in the rotation and haven’t seized the opportunity. It’s time to try something new.
In a season where everything has gone awry, maybe this small ball line-up unlocks something heading into Big East tournament play. It’s worth a shot, and you may only have to turn to this line-up 10 minutes a game at most (hopefully).
As always BOC and Mike you are spot on with your analysis. I agree 110% with your idea of going small if Oswin gets in his usual foul trouble. We have nothing to lose at this point in the season. Keep the better players on the court! It would be great if KE would read and follow your lead. I’ll just say one thing about the Johnnies success this season: what a difference a coach makes! Go Friars!