Providence To Face Villanova In 2018 Champ Game Rematch
By Sean Brennan
Special to BIGEAST.com
It was a few days before the BIG EAST Tournament even tipped off when Providence head coach Ed Cooley was asked about his team’s chances of reaching the NCAA Tournament.
The Big Dance, you see, has become a regular spring destination for the Friars under Cooley as he has led them there five straight seasons, a first in school history. But finishing up the regular season with a 17-14 record, Cooley said he was straight up with his team when he told them what it would take to make it six straight dance invites this spring - they would have to run the table at the Garden this week. Anything less would mean adios NCAAs and hello NIT.
In Wednesday night’s BIG EAST Tournament opener, the Friars took a nice first step in that long and arduous journey to March Madness when they shook off a slow start, caught fire at the end of the first half and then exploded in the second half as the Friars advanced to the quarterfinals with a convincing 80-57 decision over the Bulldogs.
Providence’s reward will be a Thursday afternoon matchup with Villanova at noon in the day’s first quarterfinal matchup.
“I said from Day One there is something about this building,” Cooley said after the game. “It’s spectacular for the Friars. We didn’t come out the way we wanted to. We were a little jittery, a little nervous. But I’m really proud of our guys with how they responded.”
The game was the third head-to-head encounter between Butler and Providence in the last 15 days so no two teams were more familiar with one another than the Friars and Bulldogs. But after losing the first two matchups, Butler seemed determined to make the third time the charm as the Bulldogs jumped to a 17-7 lead with 10:02 left in the first half. The saying goes that it’s tough to beat a team three times in a season and it appeared Butler was believing that manta as well.
Providence really struggled early. The Friars went a span of five minutes without a single point and didn’t hit double figures until David Duke’s three-pointer with 8:26 left in the first half made it Butler 17, Providence 12. But that’s right about the time Providence’s offense woke from its early-game slumber and proceeded to catch, then pass, Butler in the final minutes of the first half. The main culprit for the Friars down the stretch was Maliek White, who scored 13 of his 19 points in the final 3:31 of the first half as Providence took a 38-27 lead at intermission.
It was just the start of things to come for the Friars.
“I thought this was on of our more complete offensive games,” said Cooley, who had four players finish in double figures, including Alpha Diallo (18 points), David Duke (16) and Isaiah Jackson (13). “I thought we settled down and played really A-plus basketball - offensively, defensively, our rotations were good and we shared the ball. I saw our guys playing with just a ton of joy, a ton of happiness.”
Joy and happiness will almost always be found when a team is shooting 52% in the first half and 60% in the second, just like the Friars did. Want more joy and happiness? Hit 11 three-balls in the game, just like the Friars did. Want to be absolutely delirious? Make sure a seldom-used guard named Andrew Fonts scores in garbage time, just like he did in the final minute of the game. It was a play that brought the absolute loudest cheers of the night from the Friars faithful.
(According to Providence’s media guide, Fonts lists his biggest thrill in sports as scoring 1,000 points in high school. That may now change to scoring a deuce in Madison Square Garden in a BIG EAST Tournament victory).
But you get the idea. After the Friars opened the second half with a 20-10 run to open up a 58-37 cushion, the pressure was off Providence, for one day at least, and it was a time for the Friars to enjoy their brilliant night on the BIG EAST’s BIG STAGE.
Providence even introduced us to its latest superhero. He came without a cape, but he was super nonetheless.
“Maliek looked like Superman out there,” Cooley said. “I was really happy for Maliek. That was pretty fun to watch on this stage. (Now) we’re going to need him to do that again in about 15 hours.”
That will roughly be the time when the Friars tip off with defending BIG EAST Tournament and defending National Champion Villanova. The Wildcats swept the season series from the Friars this year and also ended Providence’s hopes of a BIG EAST Tournament title last season when the Wildcats took a 76-66 overtime decision in last year’s championship game.
So how does Cooley think his Friars will fare against the mighty Wildcats?
“Unless you’re God I can’t answer that,” Cooley said to laughs. “We’re going to play together. We’re going to play excited. We’re happy to advance. These tournaments, it’s about advancing and moving on. We came here to try and compete for a championship and you can only do it one game at a time.”
Cooley. who famously tore his pants in last year’s title game, then wore a Gatorade towel as a fashion accessory the rest of the game, was asked if his pants will hold up Thursday afternoon.
“I’ll rip them myself if it means a win,” Cooley joked.
Providence’s journey to an NCAA invite continues. One down, and Villanova on deck.