Providence Getting Healthy And Potentially Dangerous

Providence, who has been playing with just six scholarship players for all but a few minutes of the year, is on the verge of getting some much needed depth, and some talented reinforcements at that.

Kris Dunn, the top point guard in the 2012 class, is getting set to make his debut tonight after being out since June with a shoulder injury. With their star player and point guard, Vincent Council, out with a hamstring injury, the Friars have been forced to play Bryce Cotton at the point and run a very short rotation. Cotton, who is more of a two guard, has stuck to his scoring ways by leading the conference in scoring with 20.8 points per game. And while he does average just over two turnovers per contest, he is dishing out twice the amount of assists (4.8). Not terrible and not great, but it's been getting the job done in the interim.

However, with Dunn ready to make his debut tonight against Colgate, Cotton will be able to slide back over to shooting guard, granted that Dunn can step in right away and take control. Dunn is a gifted play-maker who should bring an added dimension to the team.

Also, Arizona transfer and former top-100 recruit, Sidiki Johnson, is slated to make his Friar debut tonight. Johnson, a 6-foot-10 forward, is a bit of a question mark as he played just seven minutes for Arizona before being suspended by the team and eventually electing to leave the school. Since he's barely even played, it wouldn't be fair to call him a bust, but there is no way of knowing how good he will actually be. At the very least he will provide much needed size and depth to the rotation, with top-100 upside to go along with it.

While the Friars are 7-2, it is nearly impossible to gauge how good this team is given the weak schedule they have played to date. According to KenPom they are ranked 71st, but their average opponent is ranked 194, with Massachusetts being the highest ranked team at 107; a game Providence lost on a neutral court by two.

Getting Dunn and Johnson on the court will be extremely beneficial, but Friar fans are also desperately awaiting the return of their star, Vincent Council. Council strained his hamstring minutes into the team's first game of the year, and initial diagnosis speculated that he would sidelined around five weeks (which was about five weeks ago). There's no telling when he will be back (whispers are any day now, maybe even tonight), but when and if he does, the Friars should have one of the most exciting back courts in the country with Council, Cotton and Dunn.

The Friars aren't expected to immediately become one of the best teams in the conference, but excitement is on the way. With conference play quickly approaching (only three more games before they start Big East play) the reinforcements are more than needed. And finishing in the top half of the Big East is not out of the question.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #15 Providence Friars

Previewing all 15 teams in the Big East from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

The optimism was at a sky high level back in the springtime as the Friars were ready to welcome the 6^th ranked recruiting class (by ESPN) to go along with talented pieces already in place.  This optimism was quickly torched by injuries and ineligibility issues.  

Who’s Back:

Vincent Council –G– Senior – 38.7 Min, 15.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.5 apg

Bryce Cotton –G– Junior – 38.6 Min, 14.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.3 apg

LaDontae Henton –F– Soph – 37.2 Min, 14.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.1 apg

Kadeem Batts –F– Junior – 19.7 Min, 6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.4 apg

Brice Kofane –F– Soph – 15 Min, 2.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.2 apg

Lee Goldsbrough –F– Junior – 7.8 Min, 0.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.2 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Kris Dunn – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 3, 180

ESPN’s 23^rd ranked player and 2^nd ranked Point Guard

Rivals.com’s 16^th ranked player and 1^st ranked Point Guard

McDonald’s All-American

Dunn had shoulder surgery in July and is expected to be out ~5 months.  The Friars are hopeful they will get him in the lineup in the middle of the season.

Josh Fortune – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 180

Ricardo Ledo – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 6, 180

ESPN’s 21^st ranked player and 6^th ranked Shooting Guard

Rivals.com’s 6^th ranked player and 2^nd ranked Shooting Guard

Ledo has been ruled academically ineligible to play this season, but can practice with the team.

Ian Baker – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 2, 180

ESPN’s 42^nd ranked Point Guard

Unfortunately Ian tore his ACL over the summer and will miss the upcoming season

Incoming Transfers:

Sidiki Johnson – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 10, 240

In the class of 2011, Sidiki was ESPN’s 94^th ranked player and 71^st on Rivals.  He is not eligible to play until the second semester, but when he does get on the floor he will provide the athletic big body that the Friars desperately need. 

Who’s Out:  Gerald Coleman, Bilal Dixon, Ron Giplaye

The Outlook:

I was really looking forward to the Friars this season.  And who wasn’t?  They retained their core in Council, Cotton and Henton to go along with the talented incomers of Dunn, Ledo and Johnson. 

But now Ledo is ineligible for the year, Dunn is recovering from shoulder surgery and Johnson isn’t eligible until the second semester.

When Dunn and Johnson do get on the court, it will be right as Big East play is starting.  Will they be ready for the gauntlet that Big East conference play is?

And up until these two get on the floor, the Friars have a very short bench (potentially only 7 players) and lack any sort of down low presence.  Johnson is hopefully the solution to the latter, but the depth will remain an issue.  Loads of minutes are nothing new for the vets as Council, Cotton and Henton practically played every available minute last year.  So the new comers should be prepared to get their money’s worth.     

This team has talent and experience, but they lack big bodies and depth.  A talented back court, such that Providence has, can take you a long way in college basketball, but not so much in the Big East.  Don’t get me wrong, there will be plenty of nights that Council and Cotton singlehandedly will this team to victory and the occasional upset,   but it’s not something that should be expected on a regular basis to make this team a contender. 

Coach Cooley has his team on the right track in his second year, and six months ago I thought this team was going to be in the upper half of the Big East.  But it looks as if we are going to have to wait another year for the revival of the Providence Friars.   

But I hope I’m wrong, and the arrival of Dunn and Johnson at mid-season changes the identity of this team and turns them into a dynamic force that can do damage in conference play.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preseason Player of the Year Candidates

By:  Shane McCarthy

Before the conference preseason awards are dished out at Big East Media Day this Wednesday (October 17), I thought it would be useful to look at the likely candidates and pick a winner.

Last year’s Big East Preseason Player of the Year was awarded to Pittsburgh guard Ashton Gibbs.  The season for Gibbs and the Panthers did not go anywhere close to planned.  Pittsburgh finished in the bottom quarter of the league and Gibbs ended up on the Big East Honorable Mention Team come season’s end. 

Those will not be the expectations for the group of candidates below.  The players are listed in alphabetical order. 

Jack Cooley – [Notre Dame] Senior, Forward

Cooley averaged 12.5 PPG and 8.9 RPG last season, earning him Big East Most Improved Player and All-Big East Second Team honors.  Expectations are high for the Irish this season and much of their success will depend on Cooley’s high-motor work ethic in the paint. 

Vincent Council – [Providence] Senior, Guard

Council has morphed into an elite guard in the Big East and his coach, Ed Cooley, went as far this summer to proclaim him THE best guard in the conference.  That's high praise and not at all biased.  But Vincent does deserve a look as he was on the court for almost every minute of the Friars’ games last year (averaging 38.7 per) and averaged 15.9 PPG and 7.5 APG – earning him All-Big East Third Team honors for a team that won only four games in the conference.  Many think of Providence as a cellar dweller in the Big East, but there is potential to surprise this year, and if they do – Vincent will be at the center of that movement.

Gorgui Dieng – [Louisville] Junior, Center

Louisville’s defensive dominance that came to form as the season progressed had a lot to do with the up-tempo press attack they took on, but it also had a lot to do with the development of Dieng.  Gorgui was a raw player on both ends of the floor last year, but another year under the tutelage of Coach Pitino should mold him into an elite big-man.   Expect him to average a double-double and be at the top of the nation in blocks.  If he is not the Big East Player of the Year, expect him to at least be the Defensive Player of the Year in the conference. 

Otto Porter – [Georgetown] Sophomore, Forward

Georgetown, seemingly an elite program year after year, was actually picked to finish in the bottom half of the Big East last year.  The Hoyas ended up surprising the preseason coaches’ picks and finished 12-6; good for 4^th in the conference.  A lot of that success had to do with the instant impact of Porter.  Not only is he a skilled big man on both ends of the floor, he also possesses excellent range.  Porter could very well be the best all-around player in the conference. 

Peyton Siva – [Louisville] Senior, Guard

If Louisville is to get back to the Final Four, a lot of their success will depend on Siva.  The Cardinals are loaded with talent all over the court, but it’s the play and leadership of their true point guard that is necessary to make a deep run.  Siva’s play doesn’t fill up the stat sheet, but it is the type of play that wins games. 

The Pick:  Peyton Siva

He is likely the most important player on a team with national championship aspirations.  He should be the favorite – at least for the preseason pick.       

Honorable Mentions:

Anthony Collins – [South Florida] – Sophomore, Guard

D’Angelo Harrison – [St. John’s] – Sophomore, Guard

Sean Kilpatrick – [Cincinnati] – Junior, Guard

Cleveland Melvin – [DePaul] – Junior, Forward

Brandon Triche – [Syracuse] – Senior, Guard

Tomorrow I will take a look at the candidates for Preseason Rookie of the Year. 

Twitter: @shane_t_mac