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
Sunday, January 30
Providence, R.I.
12:30 PM
Providence College
vs
Marquette University
Photo by: Ryan Feeney
No. 17 Men's Basketball Game Notes Vs. No. 22 Marquette
1/28/2022 10:57:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Friars will host the Golden Eagles on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on FS1.
Friars To Host No. 22 Marquette On Sunday: The Friars will host No. 22 Marquette on Sunday, January 30 at 12:30 p.m. Marquette holds a 21-12 edge in the all-time series with Providence. The teams' first two meetings were in the 1963 and 1967 National Invitation Tournaments, with the Friars taking a win in 1963 en route to the title, but the Golden Eagles earned the win in 1967. The teams have met 28 times since Marquette joined the BIG EAST Conference in 2005-06, with the Friars posting a 9-19 mark. The Friars are 7-6 at home versus Marquette, 3-13 on the road and 2-2 in neutral arenas. In the first meeting this season, the Friars were defeated at Marquette, 88-56, on January 4 in Milwaukee. The last time the two teams played in Providence, the Friars earned a 72-63 win in overtime on January 27, 2021.
Friar Tid Bits:
*Friars' record in unis this season: white (7-1); black (4-0); grey (3-0); throwback white (2-0); throwback black (1-1).
*The Friars missed three games with a Covid pause (12 days) before defeating Georgetown on Jan. 20.
*The Friars are 7-1 in BIG EAST play for the first time ever.
*The Friars are 17-2 for the first time since the 1976-77 season.
*The last time the Friars posted a 18-2 mark was the 1976-77 season.
*Ed Cooley needs ONE win to reach 100 BIG EAST wins (99-90) for his career.
*As of Jan. 28, the Friars had a Net Ranking of 34, which includes a 4-1 record versus Quad 1 teams.
*The Friars are ranked #17/#17 (sixth week being ranked). The Friars entered the polls at #22/#23 on Dec. 20.
*Prior to entering the poll on Dec. 20, 2021, the last time the Friars had been ranked since Feb. 22, 2016.
*Senior guard AJ Reeves has missed the last five games with a finger injury - his status is day to day.
*The Friars have won 12 of their last 13 games.
*On Dec. 29 vs. SHU, Nate Watson (1,570 points) became the 18th player at PC to score 1,500 or more points.
*Jared Bynum returned vs. UConn (Dec. 18) after missing four games with an ankle injury.
*In the Friars' win over Saint Peter's on Nov. 27, Ed Cooley earned his 200th victory at Providence (211-137).
*On Jan. 23 in PC's win over Butler, Ed Cooley surpassed Dave Gavitt as he posted his 210th win..
*Ed Cooley (211-137) trails Joe Mullaney (319-164) for all-time wins as a head coach at Providence.
*On Jan. 11 versus St. John's, Ed Cooley earned his 300th victories (303-206) as a head coach.
*The Friars win over No. 20/22 UConn on Dec. 18 was the team's 700th win over a New England team (700-307).
*The Friars posted a 6-1 mark in November and they recorded a 6-0 mark in December.
*PC went undefeated (6-0) in December for the second time under Ed Cooley (2015-16 - 7-0).
*The Friars need ONE more win to post their 600th victory all-time at the Dunkin' Donuts Center (599-235).
*The Friars are 1-0 vs. the Big 12 this season. The Friars are 2-0 vs. the Big Ten this season.
*The Friars are 3-0 vs. ranked teams this season - (at No. 20 UConn, vs. No. 15 Seton Hall and at No. 21 Xavier).
*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.
*The average age of the Friars' top nine players is 22.1 years.
*Andrew and Luke Fonts are the first brothers to suit up at the same time for the Friars in 70 years.
Nate Watson Named To BIG EAST Honor Roll: Graduate student Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll on January 24. He scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Friars' 69-62 win over Butler on January 23. He averaged 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the Friars' two wins last week. He also was 6-6 from the free-throw line and 11-20 from the field. In the Friars' 83-75 win over Georgetown on January 20, Watson recorded 10 points.
Friars Are 7-1 In BIG EAST Play For First Time Ever: With the Friars' 65-62 win at Xavier on January 26, the team improved to 7-1 in BIG EAST play. It marks the first time ever that the Friars have started league play with a 7-1 mark.
Athletic Director Bob Driscoll Announces Retirement: Providence College Athletic Director Bob Driscoll announced on January 21 that he will retire in June after serving the College for 21 years. Driscoll has worked in collegiate athletics for 47 years.
Steve Napolillo Named Next Athletic Director: It was announced on January 26 that Steve Napolillo would be the 11th athletic director in the history of Providence College. On July 1, Napolillo will replace Bob Driscoll, who announced his retirement on January 21. Napolillo, who is the senior associate athletic director/assistant vice president for external relations, has worked at the College since 2004.
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 (211-137, 11 seasons) and Dave Gavitt (209-84).
Friars All-Time Versus Top-25 Teams:Â The Friars have posted a 126-271 (.317) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 3-0 mark this season.
Friars Play Their First Game In 12 Days After Covid Pause: On January 8, the Friars defeated St. John's, 83-73. The team then went on a 12-day pause due to Covid within the program. It marked the first time in the last two seasons the Friars have had to pause due to Covid within the team. The Friars returned from the Covid pause to defeat Georgetown, 83-75, on January 20.
Friars Ranked No. 17/17 In The Nation: The Friars are ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 17 in the most recent Coaches Poll. Both polls were released on January 24. The Friars, who entered the polls on December 20 at No. 22/23, have been ranked for six consecutive weeks. The Friars were ranked No. 21/21 in both polls last week and climbed in this week's polls after two home victories over Georgetown (83-75) on January 20 and Butler (69-62) on January 23.
Friars Ranked For First Time Since 2016: When the Friars entered the polls on December 20 at No. 22/23, it marked the first time the Friars had been ranked since they were No. 24 in the Coaches Poll on February 22, 2016. It also marked the first time the team has been ranked in both polls since February 15, 2016 when the Friars were 23rd in the Associated Press Poll and 20th in the Coaches Poll.
Friars At The Dunkin' Donuts Center: All-time, the Friars have recorded a 599-235 (.718) mark in 49 seasons of games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The Dunkin' Donuts Center, formerly the Providence Civic 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 an 8-3 mark at Alumni Hall last season.
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' star ting lineup of Nate Watson (141 games), Noah Horchler (106 games), Al Durham (142 games), AJ Reeves (93 games) and Jared Bynum (65 games) have combined to play 549 college basketball games.  The Friars' sixth man Justin Minaya has played in 97 college games. The Friars top six players have played in 644 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.
Essandoko, Berry and Pierre Sign NLIs To Attend PC: Ed Cooley announced on Nov. 16 that student-athletes Christ Essandoko (Paris, France), Quante Berry (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Jayden Pierre (Elizabeth, N.J.) each have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Providence College beginning in September 2022. Essandoko, a 6-foot-11-inch, 260-pound center is in his senior year at Winston-Salem Prep (N.C.). He is coached by Antonio Lowe at Winston-Salem Prep. Essandoko played for Boo Williams on the EYBL Nike Circuit. He averaged 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds, while shooting 62.5 percent from the field. He is ranked as the 20th best center in the country (134 overall) and the sixth best player in France, according to 247Sports.com. Rivals.com ranked Essandoko as the 150th best player in the country and the No. 23 center. Berry, a 6-foot-4-inch, 175-pound guard, also attends Winston-Salem Prep. Berry played AAU basketball for B. Maze Elite on the UAA circuit. As a sophomore, Berry averaged 17 points, six rebounds and five assists and earned All-State honors at Bradley Central High School in Tennessee, before transferring to Winston-Salem Prep. Berry is the 33rd ranked guard in the nation, according to 247Sports.com. Pierre, a 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pound point guard, is in his senior year at Long Island Lutheran. He is coached by John Buck at Long Island Lutheran. Pierre played AAU basketball for Team Rio. He is ranked as the 15th-best point guard in the country and the top-ranked point guard in New Jersey, according to 247Sports.com. ESPN.com has Pierre ranked as the 39th point guard in the nation and sixth best player in New Jersey.
Watson Returns 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 Returns 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, 2020 in the Friars' win at Seton Hall. He became the 51st Friar all-time to register 1,000 career points. In 141 career games, Watson has registered 1,570 points (11.1 ppg). He ranks 15th 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 106 career games (61 at North Florida and 45 at Providence), Horchler has registered 1,193 points (11.2 ppg).
Friars Are 79-5 In Non-Conference Home Games Under Ed Cooley: The Friars have posted a 79-5 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 1,512-1,010 mark, good for a .598 winning percentage. The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament 20 times and the National Invitation Tournament on 20 occasions.
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