Providence Friars (10-8, 19-12) at Louisville Cardinals (16-2, 25-5)

Big East Tournament - Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 12 - 12:00 PM EST on ESPN

Preview

Last season, the Big East regular season title came down to the final game of the season, and the Cardinals fell short against the Georgetown Hoyas. This season was a completely different story, and Louisville secured their first Big East regular season title. Thursday marks the beginning of their next quest—the Big East Tournament title.

Providence began their tournament title quest on Wednesday with an 83-74 win over DePaul. The Friars have been very surprising this season, although their win over the Blue Demons was expected. They are trying to make their case for an at-large bid, and a strong tournament performance would go a long way.

The Friars' strength lies in their backcourt—their two guards Weyinmi Efejuku and Sharaud Curry average 27 points between them, and guard/forward Marshon Brooks adds another 11. Against the Blue Demons, Curry had a team-high 25 points and Efejuku added 23.

Louisville has a strong team all around, although their presence is typically felt under the basket. Their frontcourt consists of Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, and Samardo Samuels, who account for 38 points.

This will be the second time this season that coach Pitino faces his former team. In their first meeting, Louisville won by 18.

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NEW YORK — Big East bubble talk is in full swing with two of the conference's squads notching victories on the first two days of the Big East Championships. 

Notre Dame kept its hopes alive with a hard-fought victory over Rutgers 61-50 Tuesday night and will tip-off against West Virginia in a chance to pick up a solid win Wednesday night.

Providence struggled mightily to end DePaul's attempt at a Cinderella run through the Big East Tournament. The Friars needed a 15-1 run in the second half to overcome a six-point Blue Demon lead.

After both games, coaches and players were talking NCAA chances.

"We haven't won enough games to be in discussion, but I think we're playing better and our frame of mind is better," said Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. The Irish coach made a good point about his team's schedule and results.

According to Joe Lunardi's latest bracketology on ESPN, ND has played six games against the current top seeds (Connecticut, Louisville, UNC, and Pittsburgh).

"Has that ever happened before with three on the road, two at home, and one at a neutral site?" Brey asked.

"We have 13 losses. Do we have a bad loss? Look at it and tell me if we really have a bad loss."

Sorry Coach Brey, but you in fact have bad losses. Losing to St. John's, who tallied just six wins in the conference, is a bad loss. Losing to UCLA by 26 points is a bad loss. The Bruins are a good team, but the selection committee won't think very highly of you if you're losing games by 26 points.

Losing to Cincinnati, the same team that opened the Big East Tournament with a loss to winless DePaul comes as close as you can to a bad loss.

Brey did admit his team's shortcomings, "We don't have enough good wins. Don't get me wrong; we've got work to do."

The Irish could use some more quality wins, but they aren't hurting as much in that department. Thumping Louisville and beating Texas on a neutral court are pretty impressive wins. With games against West Virginia and then Pitt looming, if the Irish keep winning, ND can make some noise and get back on the bubble.

If Notre Dame keeps winning, and defeats the Mountaineers and Panthers, then loses in the semifinals, there is precedent to send a 20-14 team that would then be 11-11 in conference to the NCAA Tournament.

The Irish have fixed a major weakness that could make a deep Big East run possible.

"I think we've been unselfish defensively," Brey said.

"We've rotated over and helped our teammates much more willingly and I think we've done that the last two games."

Notre Dame has held its opponents to their lowest scoring totals since playing Delaware State in December.

While Notre Dame needs to keep on winning, Providence may have accomplished enough to go dancing even if the Friars don't win another game in the tournament.

"I think we're squarely on the bubble," said Providence head coach Keno Davis.

"I know that playing Louisville, tomorrow, win or lose, I don't think it hurts us if we lose."

With bubble teams floundering across the nation, a victory over the Cardinals would make the Friars a virtual lock. Signature wins over Pittsburgh and Louisville would put Providence over the top because of its Big East play. 

Providence beat who it was supposed to (and them some with wins over Syracuse and Pitt) and lost to who it was supposed to (no bad conference losses).

Taking care of business is what Keno Davis says Providence should hang its hat on.

"They'll [the selection committee] remember those big-name games for us, but it's really these kind of games [beating DePaul] that have set us apart from the other teams," Davis said. 

At this point, Providence is at a crossroads in its relationship to gaining an at-large berth. The Friars can't really be too upset with the selection committee if they are left out because of a lack of quality non-conference wins. But they also shouldn't be shocked if they get in because of their ability to take care of business in conference.

DePaul Blue Demons (0-18, 9-26) at Providence Friars (10-8, 18-12)

Big East Tournament—Round 2
Wednesday, March 11—12:00 PM EST

Preview

The second round of the Big East Tournament begins on Wednesday with No. 16 DePaul taking on No. 8 Providence. And yes, you read that right—the regular season Big East winless DePaul Blue Demons have moved onto the second round of the Big East Tournament.

In an unlikely turn of events yesterday, the Blue Demons defeated Cincinnati 67-57 to grab their first conference win of the season. While it was a great game, perhaps the best part of being at Madison Square Garden yesterday was listening to the sheer joy of the fans after the game.

In yesterday's game, the Blue Demons were lead by junior guard Will Walker and sophomore forward Dar Tucker, who had 17 points apiece. Tucker scored all of his points in the second half after getting into foul trouble early in the game.

Walker, sophomore forward Mac Koshwal, and freshman guard Jeremiah Kelly all played 40 minutes yesterday. Koshwal and Kelly were the only other Blue Demons to score in double-figures, each adding 12 points.

Providence has been very surprising this season. While a majority of their conference wins have come over opponents seeded beneath them, their two most notable wins of the season were a six point victory over Syracuse and a 10 point victory over Pitt (who was the top ranked team at the team).

The Friars' strength lies within their backcourt—specifically with guards Weyinmi Efejuku and Sharaud Curry, and guard/forward Marshon Brooks. Between the three of them, they average 38 points per game.

The Friars have not won in the Big East Tournament since 2003.

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I tried to pick myself up off of the hardwood floor when I saw a security guard, a woman in her mid-40's, on the ground right next to me. Riot? Hardly.

As we both struggled to get to our feet, the rabid Friar faithful were still rampaging onto the court at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, celebrating the school's first win over a top-ranked team in over 30 years.

Providence simply got it done last night, and played their most complete game of the season.  Stopping DeJuan Blair is never easy, but the stingy Providence defense, which has been non-existent thus far shut him down with great ball pressure and body positioning. 

It was an emotional Senior Night that saw Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jon Kale, Randall Hanke, and Jeff Xavier play their last home game as Friars. Fans were excited, but no one could have expected this.

The Friars did not trail once during the game and took a 20-point lead with 17 minutes left in the game. The trigger-happy Friars did a great job controlling the clock with the lead, keeping the ball out of the hands of Pitt's tough offense. 

The entire team played well throughout the game, as Efejuku netted 16 points, going 9-10 from the Free Throw line down the stretch to help the Friars preserve their lead.

PC controlled the tempo of the game, and by the time the second half rolled around, Pitt was jacking up threes and taking ill-advised shots to simply try to get back in the game. The Panthers however, turned the ball over 18 times, to the Friars' nine, which ended up being the story of the game.   

This team, and these players have seen more than their fair share of criticism since stepping on PC's campus four years ago, but now, they are back in the NCAA tournament conversation, depending on how they perform down the stretch.

The Friars played their absolute best when it mattered most, and stunned a team that most people thought would massacre the Friars. None of that matters now, as the Friars greatly improved their NCAA tournament resume.

If they can win at Rutgers and Nova, and then take a game or two in the NCAA tournament, they will be dancing in March. I will never forget last night's game, as it will live on in the annals of Friar basketball history.

Hey, the sweetness of victory makes getting stampeded not seem so bad.

For the second time this season, the Pittsburgh Panthers lost their first road game after being named the No. 1 team in the nation.

The Panthers didn't allow any one Friar to beat them, however, as Providence came out on top due to their team play. The Friars’ largest lead was 20 points, and they held off a final run by Pitt to gain their second victory over a top-ranked team.

“I think they made a big step to be able to continue their collegiate careers tonight,” Providence coach Keno Davis said of his seniors after their final home game. “We’re in a pretty good situation—we’re in the top-half of the best conference in the country. It puts us in the conversation. I’m sure if we had lost, they wouldn’t be talking about us anymore.”

When the Panthers win, they usually get a big game from DeJuan Blair. Some would say he did his part with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and eight rebounds. But Blair fouled out on an illegal screen in a very critical part of the game, leaving Pitt without their big man and trailing by seven with a minute or so to go.

“It was just terrible. We didn’t play as us,” said Blair, who has fouled out in two of Pitt’s three losses. “They deserved [it]. We gave them that game.”

Pittsburgh was terrible when it came to turnovers Wednesday night against Providence. The Friars forced 18 turnovers—the second most allowed this season by the No. 1 team in the nation.

Point guard Levance Fields also had a very uncharacteristic night, accumulating just three assists—his second fewest this year.

Providence, meanwhile, was lead by guard Sharaud Curry, who was 5-of-7 from the field, scoring 15 points. Senior Weyinmi Efejuku was bad from the field (3-of-9) but hit nine of 10 from the free throw line.

With Pitt losing again, the next No. 1 team is anybody’s guess. The chances of the Panthers keeping their current spot are unlikely, though, as they lost to an unranked team. Oklahoma also is unlikely, as they have lost two in a row and are without their star, Blake Griffin.

Preseason favorite North Carolina recently lost to Maryland, as well, so while they will likely be named No. 1 again, the team with the best chance for that top spot is UConn.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Pittsburgh Panthers (12-2, 25-2) at Providence Friars (8-7, 16-11)

Tuesday, Feb. 24 — 7 p.m. EST on The Big East Network Local

Preview

After winning seven in a row, including a win over former top-ranked UConn, the Panthers are back in the top spot in the national polls for the second time this season. Their two losses this season have both come against ranked Big East opponents.

Providence has been a big surprise this season. The Friars currently sit in seventh in Big East standings, but they unfortunately have been slowly slipping. They have lost two in a row—to Louisville by 18 and Notre Dame by 19—and are 2-5 in their last seven.

The Friars have played well this season, but their conference standing has come from victories over unranked Big East opponents. Against ranked Big East teams, they are 1-5 this season, and against Big East teams that have been ranked at all this season they are 1-7 (Note: Notre Dame and West Virginia weren't ranked when they faced the Friars, but they were in the Top 25 at one point this season).

The Panthers' success comes from their fantastic frontcourt, led by sophomore DeJuan Blair and senior Sam Young. Between the two of them, they average 34 points and 18 rebounds per game.

The Friars' strength lies within their backcourt in Weyinmi Efejuku and Sharaud Curry.

After this game, Providence faces Rutgers before getting another shot at Villanova. The Panthers stay on the road and travel to Seton Hall before hosting Marquette and UConn to finish out the season.

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Providence Friars

Saturday, Feb. 21—12:00 PM EST

Current Line: Providence -2.5

Notre Dame (5-8, 14-11) looked like they were about to salvage their season. After losing seven straight games, they managed back-to-back wins, with one of them coming over Louisville. But then they traveled to West Virginia and lost by eleven. Not great news for a team that is clearly on the March Madness bubble.

Providence (8-6, 16-10) started conference play off on the right foot, and they currently sit in sixth in the Big East as a result. They are coming off an 18-point loss to Louisville, something they would clearly like to put behind them.

The Friars have outperformed all expectations this year. No one expected them to do much of anything in the Big East. On the flip side of that, everyone expected great things out of Notre Dame this season, yet they have been nothing but a disappointment.

But the difference between the two teams lies with who they have taken down and who they've lost to.

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Providence Friars (8-5, 16-9) at Louisville Cardinals (10-2, 19-5)

Wednesday, Feb. 18—7:30 PM EST on ESPN2

Preview

The Friars (8-5, 16-9) have exceeded everyone's expectations this season—they currently sit in sixth in the Big East and have been very competitive in their losing efforts.

Louisville (10-2, 19-5) is currently one of four Big East teams with two losses, and they are looking for their 20th win of the season.

Their two conference losses have come against UConn and Notre Dame—the UConn loss is very respectable, and the Notre Dame loss, while it seems terrible at the moment given their January record, isn't the end of the world. They are still a very tough team.

The Cardinals proved that they are for real when they bounced back from their loss to Notre Dame with a 45 point win over DePaul.

Louisville's frontcourt is what drives them—Clark, Samuels, and Williams are the players that keep the team going. The three of them account for half of Louisville's average points.

The 20th win is always a great milestone to reach—especially when it keeps you in the running for the regular season title.

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All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com.

Providence Friars (6-5, 14-9) at South Florida Bulls (3-7, 8-14)

Tuesday, Feb. 10—7:00 PM EST

Preview

South Florida (3-7, 8-14) is coming off an unlikely one-point victory over Marquette. Prior to taking down the Golden Eagles, the Bulls had only defeated Big East winless DePaul.

Providence (6-5, 14-9) has outperformed most expectations this season, although their recent three-game skid has been a little disappointing. They have lost to UConn, Villanova, and West Virginia—three quality teams—but it's their defense that has fans on edge. In their last five games, they have allowed more than 85 points in every game.

In fact, they have allowed more than 80 points in eight of their last nine (coincidentally, they've gone 4-5 in their last nine, versus their 10-3 start to the season).

This is a great opportunity for the Friars to step up their defense and right their ship—the Bulls only average 61 points per game and have only hit 80 once this season.

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Current Line: Pick

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*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

Providence Friars (6-4, 14-8) at West Virginia Mountaineers (4-5, 15-7)

Saturday, Feb. 7—4:00 PM EST

Preview

The Providence Friars (6-4, 14-8) have played fantastic basketball recently, and they have shown why they are in the top half of the Big East. They have been playing fast and scoring often, surpassing 90 points in three of their last five. They lost to Villanova 94-91, defeated Syracuse 100-94, and took down Seton Hall 98-93.

Since upsetting Georgetown on the road, the Mountaineers (4-5, 15-7) have gone 1-3, only taking down St. John's. However, this record is a product of who they've played: Pitt, Louisville, and Syracuse.

Both teams look like they are going to be on the bubble come March, so a win over a fellow bubble team can only help.

Providence's recent success has stemmed from three players—Sharaud Curry, Weyinmi Efejuku, and Jeff Xavier. Between the three of them, they average 34.0 points per game, but when the Friars have hit 90 plus, they have averaged 52.7. West Virginia's offense revolves around two players—Da'Sean Butler (F, 17.9 PPG) and Alex Ruoff (G, 15.9 PPG).

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Prediction

Current Line: West Virginia -10.5

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*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*