Game Recap: PC Friars Get a Much Needed Signature Win Over #3 Nova at Home 76-71

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

Providence Friars 76 (17-9)

#3 Villanova Wildcats 71 (23-3)

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It’s pretty hard to figure out who this Providence team is on a game to game basis.  They get blown out by lowly DePaul at home and then come right back and beat the #3 team in the Nation the very next game.  It’s not really even as if they play to the level of their competition, its more that sometimes they show up and sometimes they don’t.  You never know which Friars team you’re going to get, which makes it all the more frustrating that they can hang with the best teams in the country when they are playing up to their ability.

But enough about that.  How about beating their second Top-5 team on the season, huh?

The Friars finished with 5 players in double-figures and held the probably Conference Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson, to 14 points and forced him into 7 turnovers for the game.

What a freaking win when these Friars needed it the most.

Game Notes:

    • Kyron Cartwright led the way for the Friars with a team-high 17 points and 5 assists in just 24 minutes in a game where he was hampered by foul trouble.
  • The one thing that was very uncharacteristic of Cartwright was that he struggled from the free throw line going just 5-11.  He currently has the highest free throw percentage on the team so I didn’t see that coming.
  • Alpha Diallo, also racking up the fouls, had a fluffed up stat line of 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.  He also turned the ball over 6 times on the night.  It seems like every person played well except for one particular aspect of their game.
  • After laying low in the first half, Rodney Bullock played perhaps the best half of basketball that I’ve seen from him in the second half with Cartwright on the bench in foul trouble, showing off his full offensive arsenal, including some monstrous rim-rattling dunks.
  • Bullock finished with 14 points and 6 rebounds on the night.
  • The 4th starter in double-figures was Jalen Lindsey who connected on 3-6 from deep and went a perfect 5-5 from the line.  Lindsey finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds but most impressively, notched 3 blocks on the night, playing great defense throughout the game.
  • Although Isaiah Jackson’s shooting numbers weren’t very good (3-13), Jackson was the “King of the Boards,” grabbing 8 rebounds and finishing with 11 points and 3 steals.
  • Kalif Young started for the Friars but only played 19 minutes.  He did continue to show his growth on the rebounding front with 7 boards.
  • Nate Watson only played 5 minutes as Ed Cooley and the Friars decided to go small ball for the majority of the game.  Nate continued to be great from the line on the season going 2-2 though.
  • Drew Edwards played 6 minutes but didn’t record a shot.  Nice to assists from Drew though, helping out with the ball-handling duties with Cartwright sidelined.
  • Maliek also got some extra run bringing the ball up but didn’t have the firepower off the bench that he has had this year, going 1-6 from the floor for 2 points.  But those 2 points were ohhhh so pretty.
  • Jalen Brunson, who is a stud mind you, was outplayed by Kyron Cartwright in this one.  Brunson had 14 points and 5 assists but turned the ball over 7 times.
  • Mikal Bridges is legit.  He might be a potential lottery pick based on his size, athleticism, length, ability the shoot the three, and play defense.  He is as advertised.  Bridges finished with a game-high 19 points on 6-10 shooting and grabbed 7 rebounds.  Of course, he did have this play too…ya dummy.
  • The Friar Faithful got the opportunity to rush the court after the huge win for the team.

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  • It seemed just as cool for the players as it did for the fans.

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  • Coach Cooley’s post-game speech to the team was awesome as always.
  • Let’s check the post-game photo to see who won the picture after the win.

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  • This might be the toughest one of the year to choose but I’m going to go with Nate for the win.

Next Up, the Friars look to work off their big win with a matchup against Butler in Indiana.

One thought on “Game Recap: PC Friars Get a Much Needed Signature Win Over #3 Nova at Home 76-71”

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

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