Game Recap: Friars Take Care of DePaul on the Road, Win 71-64

On By The Morning HangoverIn Basketball Game Recaps, PC Men's Basketball

Providence Friars 71 (12-6)

DePaul Blue Demons 64 (8-9)

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The Friars traveled to the recently opened Wintrust Arena in Chicago to take on the DePaul Blue Demons, a team that has unexpectedly given Providence fits over the last couple of years.

The game was a little unique in the fact that FS1 had both Coach Cooley and Coach Dave Leitao mic’d up for the duration of the game and ran the game commercial-free, save for a small break before and after halftime.  This was a pretty cool way to watch a game, and Cooley definitely is the kind of guy you want mic’d up when you do something like this but I’m not sure that I liked that the coaches were shown in split screen with the game the entire time, thus having the game take up about 3/5ths of the screen.

The Friars started fast in the game but then hit a severe field goal drought stretching from 8:42 left in the first half until 16:40 left in the second half.  For those of you mathematicians at home, that’s 12 minutes and 22 seconds that the Friars couldn’t find a bucket.  Fortunately for them, they also went on a 22-0 run in the second half where DePaul went scoreless for over 9 minutes.  That run led to a 10 point PC lead that they never relinquished en route to a 7 point road win.

Game Notes:

  • We’ll start off a little differently this time, with Ed Cooley’s charisma shining straight through the TV screen.  A couple of the highlights.
  •  The one thing that impressed me the most about Cooley was his complete openness in communication and suggestions from his players, especially the Seniors.
  • Jalen Lindsey led the Friars with a game-high 18 points and looked locked in right off the bat.  Lindsey was 6-10, including 4-8 from three.
  • Lindsey has now made a 3-point basket in 44 straight games, 35 of those with multiple made threes.  Here’s a breakdown of made threes over the streak from Jalen.
    • 1 made three – 10 games
    • 2 made threes – 13 games
    • 3 made threes – 10 games
    • 4 made threes – 10 games
    • 6 made threes – 1 game
  • When the Friars needed them most, the Seniors for the squad stepped up, but it was Alpha Diallo who really got the scoring going in the 2nd half.
  • Diallo scored 14 of his 16 points in the 2nd frame and also grabbed a team-high 9 rebounds.  And you know what that means…KING OF THE BOARDS!
  • “Who’s better than us” looks like it’s the new “Let’s Eat” for this season.  How could you not want to play for that guy.
  • Rodney Bullock had a nice all-around game with 12 points and 8 rebounds.  He had a nifty little jumper that inexplicably found its way in the hoop and it looked like Rodney wasn’t even exactly sure how it went in.
  • I was hoping for a Bullock War Cry on this outlet pass but it looked like Rodney got his steps a little messed up when going for the slam.
  • Kyron Cartwright didn’t have his usual overwhelming assist number but he was able to hand out 4 assists to just 1 turnover.  The 4 assists moved Cartwright into sole possession of 3rd place on the All-Time Providence Assist Leaderboard, passing his former teammate Kris Dunn.  Next up is Friar Legend Ernie D, but he’s over 100 more assists away.

    1. Vincent Council – 725

    2. Ernie DiGregorio – 662

    3. Kyron Cartwright – 554

    4. Kris Dunn – 552

    5. Billy Donovan – 546

    6. Carlton Screen – 532

    7. Ricky Tucker – 520

    8. Bob Misevicius – 490

    T-9. Erik Murdock – 487

    T-9. Vin Ernst – 487

  • Cartwright also had 8 points and 6 rebounds on the night, one of his baskets coming on his patented spin move into a fade away jumper.
  • Isaiah Jackson has been playing great basketball lately and I might trust him at the line over just about everybody on the roster.  Jackson scored 15 points on 4-8 shooting, including 2-2 from three.  He was also 5-6 from the line and is now shooting 79.6% from the line and 47.1% from three.
  • Jackson has scored in double-figure in 6 of the last 8 games and has averaged 17.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg over the last three games.  Just like during the Friars run at the end of the season last year to close out Big East play, Jackson has been a huge factor in the success of the team and is needed as a big time contributor off the bench for this team to play at its best.
  • Not to be forgotten, Jackson also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
  • Nate Watson had his first off game in a while, only playing 13 minutes and scoring just 2 points.  He didn’t look quite right and it was confirmed when his dad tweeted the following after the game.
  • Kalif Young, Makai Ashton-Langford, and Drew Edwards were held scoreless off the bench in 21 total minutes.
  • Let’s check out the post-win team photo.

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  • It’s a tough choice but I think I’m going to go with Nate as my favorite in the pic.
  • I thought Max Strus on DePaul was supposed to be good or something?  He went 3 for 13 for 8 points, well below his season average.
  • How in the world is Eli Cain only a Junior?  Hasn’t he been there for the better part of a decade already?
  • One last pic to close this baby out.

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Next Up, the Friars return home to take on the Butler Bulldogs on Martin Luther King Day this Monday at 4:30 P.M.  The game will be televised on FS1.

One thought on “Game Recap: Friars Take Care of DePaul on the Road, Win 71-64”

  1. Pingback: 2017-2018 Men’s Basketball Schedule | The Morning Hangover

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