Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus DePaul on February 7, 2026 , Win , 90, to, 72
Men's Basketball
vs DePaul
Final
90
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72
Providence College Athletics
Photo by: Ryan Feeney
Men's Basketball Final Notes For 2021-22 Season
4/14/2022 10:12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Friars captured the BIG EAST Regular Season title and advanced to the Sweet 16.
Friar Tid Bits:
*The Friars made their 21st NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2018.
*The Friars advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997 (25 years).
*The Friars played in their SIXTH Sweet 16 all-time.
*The Friars are 17-22 all time in the NCAA Tournament with two trips to the Final Four (1973 and 1987).
*Ed Cooley has led the Friars to SIX NCAA Tourneys in 11 years, which is more than any other coach at PC.
*The Friars made their FIRST appearance as a No. 4 seed, which is the highest seed they have achieved.
*The Friars won the BIG EAST regular season title for the FIRST time ever in 2022.
*The Friars won 14 games in BIG EAST play for the FIRST time ever in 2022.
*On April 3, Ed Cooley was named Naismith Coach of the Year - FIRST Friar coach to earn the honor.
*Ed Cooley was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year in 2022 and became the FIRST Friar coach to earn the honor.
*The Friars finished 11-3 in games decided by five points or less.
*Since the 2013-14 season (nine years), the Friars are 68-28 (.708) in games decided by 5 points or less.
*Friars finished 4-3 vs. ranked teams - (Wins at #20 UConn, vs. #15 Seton Hall, at #21 Xavier, vs. No. 22 Marquette).
*The Friars were 3-0 in overtime games in 2021-22.
*As of March 15, 2022 the Friars had a Net Ranking of 32, which included a 5-3 record versus Quad 1 teams.
*The Friars earned 27 wins in a season for the first time since 1973-74.
*The Friars earned 20 wins in a season for the first time since 2017-18 and the sixth time under Ed Cooley.
*The Friars won 20 or more games in a season for the 28th time.
*The Friars finished the season with a 16-1 mark at home, which is the best mark since 1973-74 (16-0).
*Jared Bynum was the 1st BIG EAST player in 25 years with 3 games of 25+ points off the bench in the same season.
*Friars' top 7 players (Watson, Durham, Reeves, Horchler, Minaya, Bynum, Croswell) played 842 college games.
*The Friars finished the year ranked #13/#13. The Friars entered the polls at #22/#23 on Dec. 20.
*The highest the Friars were ranked in the 2021-22 season was #8/#9 on Feb. 14 and #9/#8 on Feb. 28
*Prior to entering the poll on Dec. 20, 2021, the last time the Friars had been ranked was Feb. 22, 2016.
*AJ Reeves returned vs. Marquette on Jan. 30. He missed five games with a finger injury.
*Jared Bynum returned vs. UConn (Dec. 18) after missing four games with an ankle injury.
* Al Durham missed two games due to an abdominal injury.
*Al Durham led the BIG EAST in free throws made (162) and attempted (192).
*Record in unis in 2021-22: white (12-1); black (5-2); grey (4-0); retro white (3-1); retro black (3-1); pinkout (0-1).
*The Friars missed three games with a Covid pause (12 days) before defeating Georgetown on Jan. 20.
*Nate Watson and Jared Bynum were named All-BIG EAST Second Team.
*Jared Bynum earned the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award.
*Ed Cooley was named NABC District 5 Coach of the Year and USBWA District 1 Coach of the Year.
*On March. 1 at Villanova, Nate Watson (1,756 points) became the 11th player at PC to score 1,700 or more points.
*On Jan. 23 in PC's win over Butler, Ed Cooley surpassed Dave Gavitt as he posted his 210th win.
*Ed Cooley (221-141) trails Joe Mullaney (319-164) for all-time wins as a head coach at Providence.
*PC posted a 6-1 mark in Nov., a 6-0 mark in Dec., a 6-1 record in Jan., a 6-1 mark in Feb and a 3-3 mark in March.
*On Jan. 8 versus St. John's, Ed Cooley earned his 300th victory (313-209) as a head coach.
*The Friars were 1-1 vs. the Big 12 in 2021-22. The Friars were 2-0 vs. the Big Ten in 2021-22.
*It marked the first time ever that the Friars have posted two wins over Big Ten teams in the same season.
*The Friars win over No. 20/22 UConn on Dec. 18 was the team's 700th win over a New England team (700-307).
*With the win over Marquette on Jan. 30, Ed Cooley posted the 100th BIG EAST win (106-92) of his career.
*The Friars had a team record of five graduate students on the roster this season.
*The average age of the Friars' top seven players was 23.0 years.
*Andrew and Luke Fonts were the first brothers to suit up at the same time for the Friars in 70 years.
How The Friars Got To The NCAA Tournament: 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.
Friars All-Time In The NCAA Tourney: The Friars made their 21st appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament in 2022. It was the Friars' sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Ed Cooley (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022). The Friars have posted a 17-22 mark all-time in NCAA Tournament play. The team has made two trips to the Final Four (1973 and 1987), four appearances in the Elite Eight (1965, 1973, 1987 and 1997) and six trips to the Sweet Sixteen (1965, 1973, 1974, 1987, 1997 and 2022).
Friars Versus The Tournament Field: The Friars faced 12 teams in the NCAA Tournament field in 2021-22 and posted an 9-5 mark against those teams. The Friars faced Richmond (1-0), South Dakota State (1-0), Wisconsin (1-0), Saint Peter's (1-0), Texas Tech (1-0), Vermont (1-0), Connecticut (1-0), Seton Hall (1-0), Marquette (1-1), Creighton (1-1), Villanova (0-2) and Kansas (0-1). All time, the Friars faced 53 of the 68 teams in the 2022 NCAA Tournament Field. Providence has registered a 291-307 record all-time against those 53 teams, including a 7-10 mark in NCAA play.
Friars Earn Highest Seed All-Time In The NCAA Tournament: Providence's No. 4 seed was the highest in program history since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Friars' highest seed prior to the 2022 tournament was a No. 5 seed in 2004.
Head Coach Ed Cooley Breaks Dave Gavitt's Mark Of Five Friar NCAA Tournament Apperances: The Friars made their sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Ed Cooley in 2022. With the 2022 appearance, Cooley eclipsed former Friar Head Coach Dave Gavitt's mark of five tournament appearances - which was the most for any Friar head coach all-time. Other former Friar head coaches who reached the NCAA Tournament are Joe Mullaney (three NCAA appearances), Rick Pitino (one NCAA appearance), Rick Barnes (three NCAA appearances), Pete Gillen (one NCAA appearance), and Tim Welsh (two NCAA appearances).
Ed Cooley Captures 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.
Watson And Bynum Named All-BIG EAST Second Team: It was announced on March 6 that graduate student center Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) and junior guard Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) each earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors. It marked the second consecutive year that the Friars had two players earn all-league honors as Watson and David Duke received Second Team accolades in 2021.
Bynum Earns BIG EAST Sixth Man Award: It was announced on March 7 that Providence junior guard Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) earned the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award. Bynum became the first Friar to earn the honor.
Cooley Named 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.
Friars In Overtime: The Friars recorded a 3-0 record in overtime games in 2022. On February 23, the Friars defeated Xavier, 99-92, in triple overtime. They have registered a 71-67 mark all-time in overtime games.
Friars Finished Season Ranked No. 13/13 In The Nation: The Providence College men's basketball team was ranked No. 13 in the FINAL Associated Press Poll (March 14) and No. 13 in the FINAL Coaches Poll (April 5). The Friars, who entered the polls on December 20 at No. 22/23, were ranked for 13-consecutive weeks heading into the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Friars final ranking of No. 13 is the highest the team has been ranked at the conclusion of the season since the 1986-87 squad was ranked No. 6 at the end of the season.
After Nine Years, Friars Have Fourth Best Record In BIG EAST Action: Since the formation of the new BIG EAST, the Friars have posted the fourth best mark in league play over the last nine years. The Friars' 93-69 mark (.574) trails only Villanova's 130-31 record (.808), UConn's 24-12 record (.667) and Creighton's 95-70 record (.576).
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 1,522-1,014 mark, good for a .600 winning percentage. The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament 21 times and the National Invitation Tournament on 20 occasions.
PC Hoops With Coach Cooley Show: The Providence College men's basketball program partnered with FOX Providence for PC Hoops with Coach Cooley. The 30-minute show aired the following Sundays this season -Feb. 27, March 6, March 13, March 20 and March 27 on FOX Providence at 10:30 p.m. WPRI 12 Sports Director Morey Hershgordon hosted the show that featured an exclusive interview each week with Friar Head Coach Ed Cooley, as well as features on the Friars.
Friars Earn 20 Wins For The First Time Since 2018: With the Friars' 71-52 win at Georgetown on February 6, the team posted its 20th victory of the season. It marked the first time the team earned 20 wins in a season since 2017-18 and the sixth time under Ed Cooley (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022). It also marked, the 28th time the Friars won 20 or more games in a season. In 2022, the Friars registered 27 victories, which is the most wins by the Friars under Ed Cooley and tied for second most all-time for the program.
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 (221-141, 11 seasons) and Dave Gavitt (209-84).
Friars All-Time Versus Top-25 Teams: The Friars have posted a 127-274 (.317) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 4-3 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 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 had 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. Providence entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 13/13 (most recent polls were released on March 13 and March 14).
Friars At The Dunkin' Donuts Center: All-time, the Friars have recorded a 603-236 (.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 a 16-1 mark at the Dunk' this season, the team's best record at home since 1973-74.
Veteran Lineup: The Friars' roster featured five graduate students. It marked the first time ever the Friars have had five graduate students on the roster. The Friars' top seven players - Nate Watson (155 games), Noah Horchler (120 games), Al Durham (154 games), AJ Reeves (107 games), Jared Bynum (79 games), Justin Minaya (111 games) and Ed Croswell (116 games) combined to play 842 collegiate games.
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 had 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.
Nate Watson Finished With 1,756 Career Points: 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 155 career games, Watson registered 1,756 points (11.3 ppg). He ranks 11th all-time in scoring at Providence College.
Horchler Finished With 1,335 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 120 career games (61 at North Florida and 59 at Providence), Horchler registered 1,335 points (11.1 ppg).
Nate Watson Ranks First All-Time At Providence In Games Played: Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) ended his career as the all-time games played leader at Providence. Watson saw action in 155 games during his five seasons as a Friar.
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.
"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.
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