#20 Friars to Close Down AMP with Senior Day Saturday
Friars To Face Seton Hall In Team’s Final BIG EAST League Game On March 4: The Friars will play Seton Hall on Saturday, March 4 at 12 p.m. on FOX. Providence holds a 57-54 mark all-time versus Seton Hall. The Friars have posted a 30-17 mark all-time versus Seton Hall in Providence, a 23-31 record versus the Pirates at Seton Hall and a 4-6 mark on neutral courts. The Pirates are the Friars’ fifth most common opponent with 111 games played against Seton Hall. The Pirates are also one of the Friars’ oldest rivals with the first match up on February 26, 1927 when Seton Hall won, 25-24, in South Orange. In the first meeting this season, the Friars earned a 71-67 win at Seton Hall on December 17. The last time the two teams played in Providence, the Friars earned a 70-65 win at the Amp on December 29, 2021.
Friars To Honor Seniors On Saturday Vs. Seton Hall: In the team’s final home game on Saturday, March 4 versus Seton Hall, the Friars will honor the squad’s four seniors – Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.), Ed Croswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) Noah Locke (Baltimore, Md.) and Clifton Moore (Ambler, Pa.).
Friar Tid Bits:
*PC is 8-1 in BIG EAST home games this season.
*The Friars are 6-6 in road games this season, including 5-5 in BIG EAST action.
*PC is ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll and No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. It’s the team’s eighth week in the polls.
*PC is 2-1 in overtime games this season with both wins (Marquette and Creighton) coming in double OT.
*PC has 13 BIG EAST wins for the second consecutive season and the second time in team history.
*Ed Cooley is the only Friar coach to lead the team to 12 or more BIG EAST wins in a season – he has done it 3 times.
*PC has recorded 19 or more wins in nine of Ed Cooley’s 12 seasons and 20 or more wins in seven of those seasons.
*PC has registered 20 or more wins in 30 of the team’s 96 seasons.
*Ed Croswell has recorded a double-double in three of the last four games.
*Bryce Hopkins is a candidate for the Naismith POY, the Oscar Robertson Award and the Karl Malone Award.
*Friar point guard Jared Bynum returned versus Butler on 1/25 after missing four games with a torso injury.
*The Friars are 15-1 at home this season, 36-2 in their last 38 games at the AMP and 619-237 (.723) all-time.
*PC’s 73-61 win over No. 4/5 UConn on 1/4 was the team’s first victory over a top-5 team since March 9, 2018.
*Bryce Hopkins leads the team in scoring (16.5) and rebounding (8.7).
*PC has posted a 130-277 (.319) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 3-4 mark this season.
*PC has registered two games with 100 + points this season for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
*PC was 20-20 from the free-throw line vs. St. Louis (2/20/22), which was second best all-time for PC.
*PC is 73-32 (.695) under Ed Cooley in games decided by FIVE points or less since the 2013-14 season.
*The Friars are 705-308 all-time versus New England opponents.
*The Friars were picked fifth of 11 teams in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll.
*Jared Bynum was selected Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST by the league’s coaches.
*The Friars have eight newcomers to the roster this season.
*The Friars have three graduate students on the roster – Jared Bynum, Noah Locke and Clifton Moore.
*The Friars have 14 players on the roster and seven of those players came via a transfer.
*The Friars won the BIG EAST regular season title for the FIRST time ever in 2022.
*The Friars advanced to their sixth NCAA Sweet 16 in 2022.
*Ed Cooley has led the Friars to SIX NCAA Tourneys in 11 years, which is more than any other coach at PC.
*On April 3, Ed Cooley was named Naismith Coach of the Year – FIRST Friar coach to earn the honor.
*Ed Cooley earned 2022 BIG EAST Coach of the Year and became the FIRST Friar coach to earn the honor.
*Ed Cooley (242-150) trails Joe Mullaney (319-164) for all-time wins as a head coach at Providence.
Friars’ BIG EAST Tournament Picture: The Friars have clinched a bye and will open the BIG EAST Tournament on Thursday, March 9. With a win on Saturday and a win by Xavier, the Friars will not finish lower than third place. With a loss, the Friars could finish fourth or fifth in league standings.
Friars Defeated By No. 19/17 Xavier: The No. 20/20 Providence College men’s basketball team was defeated by the No. 19/17 Xavier Musketeers, 94-89, on Wednesday, March 1 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. With the loss, the Friars moved to third place in the BIG EAST. Redshirt senior Ed Croswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) led the way for the Friars with his second consecutive double-double, 17 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) contributed 17 points and six boards. Five players finished in double figures for the Friars.
Ed Croswell Named BIG EAST Honor Roll: Senior forward Ed Croswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in two games last week as the Friars posted a 1-1 mark. For his efforts, he was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll. Croswell shot 11-19 (.579) from field and 11-15 (.733) from the free-throw line in the two games. In the Friars’ 88-68 win at Georgetown, Croswell recorded 25 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. His 25 points and six assists were both career highs.
Friars Ranked No. 20 In Associated Press Poll And No. 20 In Coaches Poll: It was announced on February 27 that the Friar men’s basketball team is ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 20 in the most recent Coaches Poll. The Friars entered the national polls on January 9 with a No. 19 ranking in both polls. Last week, the Friars posted a 1-1 mark with an 87-69 loss at then No. 18/23 UConn on February 22 and an 88-68 victory at Georgetown on February 27. Providence has posted Quad 1 wins at home versus UConn, Marquette and Creighton. The Friars have a NCAA NET ranking of 39.
Bryce Hopkins Named To Naismith Men’s POY Midseason Team: It was announced on February 9 that sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) was named to the 2023 Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Midseason Team. The list consists of 30 male basketball players who have shown success on the court this season. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding men’s and women’s basketball player who achieves tremendous on-court success.
Bryce Hopkins Named A Top-10 Candidate For Karl Malone Award: It was announced on February 9 that sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) has been named a Top-10 Candidate for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. The winner of the award earns a spot on the “Naismith Starting Five”.
Bryce Hopkins Named To The Watch List For Oscar Robertson Award: It was announced on January 19 that sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) has been named one of 50 players for the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Award Midseason Watch List.
Jared Bynum Has A Big Game At Nova: In his second game back from an injury, graduate student Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) led the Friars to a 70-65 win at Villanova on January 29. He recorded 19 points, five assists and shot 7-8 from the field. With the Friars trailing by seven points (49-42) with 10:42 left, Bynum got hot. In the final 10:42, he scored 17 points (three 3pt fg, three 2pt fg and two free throws) as he was 6-6 from the field during that span. He also had two assists, one rebound and one steal in the final 10:42 to help propel the Friars to a five-point win.
Friars All-Time Versus Top-25 Teams: The Friars have posted a 130-278 (.319) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 3-4 mark this season.
Fielder And Santoro Each Sign A NLI: Providence College men’s basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley announced on Nov. 16 that student-athletes Drew Fielder (Meridian, Idaho) and Donovan Santoro (Austin, Texas) each have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Providence College beginning in September of 2023. Both players attend Southern California Academy in Castaic, Calif., where they play for head coaches Julius Von Hanzlik and Chris Chaney. Fielder, a 6-foot-10-inch, 215-pound center is rated as a four-star recruit. He transferred to Southern California Academy after beginning his high school career in Idaho. Over the summer, Fielder had a strong showing at the Under Armour Association showcase in July. He averaged 10.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in six games at the UAA. He also shot 47.6 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. Fielder is rated as the No. 23 center in the nation in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports.com. Santoro, a 6-foot-8-inch, 185-pound forward transferred to Southern California Academy after playing at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. Last season, he helped Westlake post a 38-2 mark and advance to the Texas High School Semifinals. His squad recorded a 14-0 record in its district. For his efforts, Santoro earned second team All-District honors.
Bynum Named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team: It was announced on October 18 that Providence College graduate guard Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) was named to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. Bynum, who earned 2022 All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades, was named recipient of the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award and received USBWA All-District 1 accolades, had a break out season for the Friars in 2021-22. He led the team in scoring in BIG EAST games, averaging 15.6 ppg in 17 games. His 15.6 points per game ranked fifth in the league. He shot a team-best 46.5 percent (33-71) from behind the three-point arc in league play. Bynum also ranked third in the league in assists per game (4.9) in BIG EAST action. In overall action, he averaged 12.2 ppg and 4.0 assists per game. He came off the bench in 14 of the team’s 17 league games and became the first BIG EAST player in 25 years with three games of 25 or more points off the bench in the same season.
Friars Have Eight Newcomers Join The Roster: After the Friars posted a 27-6 mark, captured the BIG EAST Regular Season title and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2022, the team had all five starters graduate. The team returns three players, graduate student Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.), senior Ed Croswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) and junior Alyn Breed (Powder Springs, Ga.), who saw action last season. The squad welcomes eight new players to the lineup – freshman Jayden Pierre (Elizabeth, N.J.), freshman Quante Berry (Cleveland, Tenn.), graduate Noah Locke (Baltimore, Md.), freshman Scott Morozov (Toronto, Ontario), redshirt freshman Corey Floyd, Jr. (Franklin, N.J.), graduate Clifton Moore (Ambler, Pa.), sophomore Devin Carter (Miami, Fla.) and sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.).
How The Friars Got To The NCAA Tournament In 2022: The Friars earned an at-large bid as a four seed to their 21st NCAA Tournament overall and sixth in 11 years under Head Coach Ed Cooley. Providence posted a 27-6 mark and a 14-3 record in BIG EAST play. The Friars won the BIG EAST Regular-Season Title for the first time in the 43-year history of the league. Providence entered the NCAA Tournament with a NET Ranking of 32. The Friars defeated South Dakota State (66-57) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17 and Richmond (79-51) in the Second Round to advance to the Sweet 16. The Friars held Richmond to 51 points. It marked the fewest points allowed by the Friars in the NCAA Tournament all-time. The Friars made their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1997 and their sixth appearance overall. The team was defeated by No. 3/3 Kansas (1 seed), 66-61, on March 25 in the Midwest Regional.
Ed Cooley Captures 2022 Naismith Coach Of The Year Award: It was announced on April 3 that Providence’s Ed Cooley was named the recipient of the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach Of The Year Award. Cooley is the first Friar coach to earn the prestigious honor. He also is the first Friar coach to earn national coach of the year accolades since Rick Pitino earned NABC Coach of the Year in 1987.
Cooley Named 2022 BIG EAST Coach Of The Year: It was announced on March 9 at Madison Square Garden in New York that Providence’s Ed Cooley was named BIG EAST Coach Of The Year. Cooley, who became the first Friar coach in the 43-year history of the league to earn the honor, guided the Friars to a 27-6 mark. In BIG EAST league play, the Friars set a team record for wins after registering a 14-3 mark and capturing the program’s first BIG EAST Regular Season title. The Friars, who finished in first place, were picked to finish seventh in the annual BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll which was released in October.
Ed Cooley Gets The Key To The City: Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza joined Former Rhode Island State Senator Harold Metts, Providence Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez and Providence Public School District students to present a Key to the City to Providence College Men’s Basketball Coach Ed Cooley on May 17. Cooley led Providence College to the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament as a No. 4 seed. The Friars reached the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual national champion Kansas. Cooley was named Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year and BIG EAST Coach of the Year. He is the first Friar coach to win either award. His Friars also won the BIG EAST Regular Season title – the first time ever for a Providence men’s basketball team. Cooley, who grew up in Providence, attended Central High School in the City. He played basketball at Central High School and he was a two-time Rhode Island High School Player of the Year honoree.
Friars In Overtime: The Friars have recorded a 2-1 record in overtime games in 2022-23. On December 20, the Friars defeated Marquette, 103-98, in double overtime. On February 1, Providence was defeated at Xavier, 85-83, in overtime. On February 14, the Friars defeated Creighton, 94-86, in double overtime. They have registered a 73-68 mark all-time in overtime games, including 9-1 in their last 10 games.
Providence College Basketball: The 2022-23 campaign marks the 96th season of basketball at Providence College. Since the program started in 1926-27, Providence has posted a 1,542-1,024 mark, good for a .600 winning percentage. The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament 21 times and the National Invitation Tournament on 20 occasions.
Ed Cooley Ranks Second On The PC All-Time Win List: With the Friars’ win versus Butler on January 23, 2022, Ed Cooley recorded his 210th victory as the Friar Head Coach and moved into second place on the all-time win list for PC Head Coaches. The the top three all-time winningest Friar head coaches are: Joe Mullaney (319-164), Ed Cooley (242-150, 12 seasons) and Dave Gavitt (209-84).
Friars At The Amica Mutual Pavilion: All-time, the Friars have recorded a 619-237 (.723) mark in 50 seasons of games at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The AMP, formerly the Providence Civic Center and the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, opened on November 3, 1972. The Friars had played their home games there for 48 consecutive seasons, prior to the 2020-21 season when the team played on campus at Alumni Hall with no fans in attendance due to the pandemic. PC posted a 16-1 mark at the AMP in 2021-22, the team’s best record at home since 1973-74.
Friars Are 86-5 In Non-Conference Home Games Under Ed Cooley: The Friars have posted an 86-5 mark (.944) in 12 seasons under Ed Cooley in non-conference home games.
