Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Late Night Madness on October 4, 2025 at TBA
Men's Basketball
vs Late Night Madness
TBA
Providence College Athletics
Thursday, November 11
Providence, R.I.
6:30 PM
Providence College
vs
Sacred Heart University
Photo by: Ryan Feeney
Men's Basketball Game Notes Vs. Sacred Heart
11/10/2021 8:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Friars will host Sacred Heart on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.
Friars Versus Sacred Heart: The Friars are 6-0 all-time versus Sacred Heart, with all six games having been played at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. In the most recent meeting, the Friars earned an 106-60 win on November 5, 2019. The two teams first met on December 19, 2001 when the Friars earned an 85-76 victory at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.
Friars Versus the Northeast Conference: The Friars will play their 69th game against a Northeast Conference opponent on Thursday. PC has posted a 56-12 all-time record vs. the NEC. The Friars hold a 19-7 record over St. Francis (N.Y.), their most frequent opponent the Northeast Conference.
Friar Tid Bits:
*Tuesday's game was the Friars' first game at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in 611 days.
*The Friars posted a 13-13 mark last season.
*Nate Watson was named the 2021-22 BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team.
*Nate Watson was named to the 2021-22 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Preseason Watch List.
*The Friars have a team record of five graduate students on the roster this season.
*Andrew and Luke Fonts are the first brothers to suit up at the same time for the Friars in 70 years.
*Jeff Battle has been promoted from Assistant Coach to Associate Head Coach.
*The Friars defeated Stonehill College in the team's first exhibition game, 95-71, on October 21.
*The Friars posted a 2-2 mark versus ranked teams last season, with wins at No. 11 Creighton and at home versus No. 10 Villanova.
*The Friars were 8-3 at Alumni Hall, 4-7 on the road and 1-3 in neutral site games in 2020-21.
*Jared Bynum suffered a lower body injury on Jan. 2, 2021 vs. Creighton.  He missed nine games due to the injury. He returned to action versus DePaul on Feb. 13. The team was 3-6 in the nine games he missed.
*Nate Watson and David Duke were named Second Team All-BIG EAST on March 7.
*Noah Horchler scored his 1000th career point on March 10 versus DePaul. He now has 1,018 career points. He scored 833 points at North Florida before transferring to Providence in 2019. He has scored 185 points at Providence.
*Nate Watson scored his 1,000th career point on Dec. 20, 2020 versus Seton Hall. He now has 1,339 career points.
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611 Days: It had been 611 days since the Friars last played a regular-season game at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. That changed on Tuesday night when Providence opened the season with an 80-73 win over Fairfield at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Prior to Tuesday's win, the Friars' last game at the Dunk' was on March 7, 2020 when the Friars closed out their regular season with a 93-55 win over the DePaul. The Friars played the 2020-21 season on campus at Alumni Hall with no fans in attendance. PC posted an 8-3 mark at Alumni Hall last season. All-time, the Friars have recorded a 588-235 (.714) in 49 seasons of games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.
Veteran Lineup: The Friars' roster features five graduate students. It marks the first time ever the Friars have had five graduate students on the roster. The Friars' starting lineup of Nate Watson (123 games), Noah Horchler (88 games), Al Durham (124 games), AJ Reeves (80 games) and Jared Bynum (51 games) have combined to play 466 college basketball games.  The Friars' sixth man Justin Minaya has played in 80 college games. The Friars top six players have played in 546 combined games.
Watson Named To Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Oct. 22 that Friar graduate center Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Preseason Watch list. Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its eighth year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just 5. In March the five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.
Nate Watson Named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team: It was announced on October 19 that Providence College graduate center Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) was named to the 2021-22 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. Watson (Portsmouth, Va.), who earned 2021 All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades, NABC All-District 5 Second Team honors and USBWA All-District 1 accolades, led the Friars in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg) last season. He also ranked third in the league in scoring (16.9 ppg). In 26 games last season, he recorded four double-doubles and seven games with 20 or more points. Watson shot 60 percent (180-299) from the field, which ranked second overall in the league.
Brothers In The Lineup: For the first time since 1941 when Eddie and John Lee of Attleboro, Mass. suited up for the Friars, the Providence men's basketball team will have brothers playing together. Graduate student Andrew Fonts (Portsmouth, R.I.) and his brother, freshman Luke Fonts, are the first sibling combo for the Friars in 81 years.
Friars Post A 13-13 Mark: The Friars recorded a 13-13 mark and a 9-10 record in BIG EAST action in 2020-21. The team finished in sixth place of 11 teams in league play. The Friars had several games postponed due to their opponents having Covid. However, the Friars did not have a pause during their entire regular season and BIG EAST Tournament action.
Watson Led The Friars In Scoring And Rebounding: Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) led the Friars in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg) last season. He ranked second in the league in field goal percentage (60.2), third in the league in scoring (16.9 ppg) and 10th in rebounding (6.7 rpg). In 26 games, he recorded four double-doubles and seven games with 20 or more points. Watson shot 60 percent (180-299) from the field.
Watson To Return For 2021-22 Season: It was announced on March 17 that Providence College center Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) would return for his fifth season with the Friars. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted all winter athletes an extra season of eligibility. Watson (Portsmouth, Va.), who earned All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades, NABC All-District 5 Second Team honors and USBWA All-District 1 accolades in March, led the Friars in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg). He also ranked third in the league in scoring (16.9 ppg). In 26 games, he recorded four double-doubles and seven games with 20 or more points. Watson shot 60 percent (180-299) from the field, which ranked second overall in the league.
Horchler To Return For 2021-22 Season: It was announced on March 28 that Providence College forward Noah Horchler (Melbourne Beach, Fla.) would return for another season with the Friars. Horchler, who transferred to Providence College in 2019 with one season of eligibility, is able to play in 2021-22 due to the NCAA granting all winter athletes an extra season of eligibility due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Horchler started 13 of the team's 26 games in 2020-21, including the final eight games of the season. He played an integral role for the Friars during those final eight games, shooting 43.2 percent (16-37) from three-point territory, grabbing 8.8 rebounds per game and scoring 11.5 points per game. For the season, Horchler ranked first on the team in three-point shooting (41.9 percent, 26-62), third in rebounding (5.7 rpg) and fourth in scoring (6.7 ppg). He registered 20 points and nine rebounds in the team's win over Xavier on February 24. Horchler recorded his first double-double as a Friar when he scored 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the team's win over No. 10 Villanova on March 6.
Nate Watson Registers His 1,000th Career Point: Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) scored his 1,000th career point on December 20 in the Friars' win at Seton Hall. He became the 51st Friar all-time to register 1,000 career points. In 123 career games, Watson has registered 1,339 points (10.9 ppg). He ranks 23rd all-time in scoring at Providence College.
Horchler Registers His 1,000th Career Point: Noah Horchler (Melbourne Beach, Fla.) scored his 1,000th career point on March 10, 2021 in the Friars' BIG EAST Tournament game versus DePaul. In 88 career games (59 at North Florida and 27 at Providence), Horchler has registered 1,018 points (11.6 ppg).
Friars All-Time Versus Top-25 Teams:Â The Friars have posted a 123-271 (.312) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 2-2 mark this season.
Ed Cooley Ranks Third On The PC All-Time Win List: With the Friars' win versus Butler on March 9, 2019, Ed Cooley recorded his 161st victory as the Friar Head Coach and moved into third place on the all-time win list for PC Head Coaches. The two all-time winningest Friar head coaches are: Joe Mullaney (319-164), and Dave Gavitt (209-84). Cooley has a 195-135 mark in 10 seasons as the Friars head coach.
Friars Are 69-5 In Non-Conference Home Games Under Ed Cooley: The Friars have posted a 69-5 mark in 11 seasons under Ed Cooley in non-conference home games.
Friars In Overtime: The Friars recorded a 3-0 mark in overtime games in 2020-21. They have registered a 68-67 mark all-time in overtime games.
"DG" Patch On Friar Uniforms: In memory of former Friar Head Coach Dave Gavitt the Friars have worn a "DG" patch on their uniforms since the 2011-12 season. Gavitt led PC and Eastern basketball into the modern age. In 10 seasons as the head coach of the Friars, Gavitt led PC to 209 wins, including eight consecutive 20-win seasons, five NCAA appearances, three NIT appearances and five New England Coach of the Year honors. He led the Friars to 23 wins over Top-20 teams. His 1973 team made it to Final Four. In 1971, Gavitt was named Director of Athletics at PC, a position he held until 1982 when he resigned to be the director of the BIG EAST Conference. He also was named Head Coach of the 1980 USA Olympic basketball team. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Providence College Basketball: The 2021-22 campaign marks the 95th season of basketball at Providence College. Since the program started in 1926-27, Providence has posted a 1,496-1,008 mark, good for a .597 winning percentage. The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament 20 times and the National Invitation Tournament on 20 occasions.
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