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
Wednesday, February 22
Storrs, Conn.
6:30 PM
Providence College
at
University of Connecticut
Photo by: 2022 Porter Binks
No. 20/18 Men's Basketball Game Notes At No. 18/23 Connecticut
2/20/2023 3:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Friars will play at UConn on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.
Friars To Play At No. 18/23 UConn On Wednesday: The Friars will play at No.18/23 UConn on Wednesday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m. on FS1. Providence holds a 31-45 mark all-time versus Connecticut. The Friars have posted a 16-17 mark all-time versus UConn in Providence, a 12-25 record versus the Huskies at UConn and a 3-3 mark on neutral courts. The Huskies are one of the Friars' oldest New England rivals with the first match up on January 21, 1928 when UConn won, 29-21, in Storrs. In the first matchup this season, the Friars earned a 73-61 win on January 4 at the Amp. In the only meeting last season between the two teams, the Friars earned a 57-53 win in Hartford on December 18, 2021. In the Friars' most recent visit to Storrs, UConn defeated the Friars, 73-61, on February 16, 2021.
Friar Tid Bits:
*PC is 8-0 in BIG EAST home games this season - it marks the first time ever the team has been 8-0.
*The Friars are 5-5 in road games this season, including 4-4 in BIG EAST action.
*PC is ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll. It's the team's seventh week in the polls.
*PC is 2-1 in overtime games this season with both wins (Marquette and Creighton) coming in double OT.
*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.
*Bryce Hopkins earned his 2nd BIG EAST Player of the Week honor on 2/20 after averaging 19.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg.
*Bryce Hopkins is a candidate for the Naismith POY, the Oscar Robertson Award and the Karl Malone Award.
*Ed Croswell scored 21 points vs. Villanova (2/18) to reach 1,000 for his career (143 games).
*Friar point guard Jared Bynum returned versus Butler on 1/25 after missing four games with a torso injury.
*The Friars are 15-0 at home this season, 36-1 in their last 37 games at the AMP and 619-236 (.724) 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 (16.9) and rebounding (9.3).
*Bryce Hopkins is averaging 21.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in his last four games.
*PC has posted a 130-276 (.320) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 3-2 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 73-31 (.702) under Ed Cooley in games decided by FIVE points or less since the 2013-14 season.
*The Friars are 705-307 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 (241-148) trails Joe Mullaney (319-164) for all-time wins as a head coach at Providence.
Friars Defeat Villanova: The Providence College men's basketball defeated the Villanova Wildcats (13-14, 7-9 BIG EAST), 85-72, on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. The Friars improved to 20-7 on the season and 12-4 in BIG EAST play. The team also moved to 15-0 at home on the season. The Friars swept the season series versus Villanova for the first time since 2013. It marks the seventh time in Ed Cooley's 12 seasons as the coach of the Friars that the team has earned 20 or more wins. It also is the 30th time in 96 seasons the Friars have earned 20 or more victories. Redshirt senior Ed Croswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) led the way for the Friars with a game-high 21 points along with 10 rebounds. Croswell eclipsed 1,000 career points in the game. Sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) finished with a double-double, 19 points and a game-high 12 boards. Hopkins became the first Friar to earn 10 double-doubles in a season since Alpha Diallo '19 (10) in the 2018-19 season.
Bryce Hopkins Named BIG EAST Player Of The Week: Sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) led the Friars to two wins last week after averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. For his efforts he earned his second Player of the Week honor of the season. Hopkins was 13-29 from the field, 4-7 from three and 9-12 from the free-throw line. He also played all 90 minutes of both games. Hopkins leads the league in scoring (16.9 ppg) and is second in rebounding (9.3 rpg). In the Friars' 94-86 double overtime win over No. 18/19 Creighton on February 14, he registered 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists. In the team's 85-72 victory over Villanova on February 18, Hopkins had 19 points, 12 rebounds and four steals. He also recorded his team best 10th double-double in the win.
Friars Ranked No. 20 In Associated Press Poll And No. 18 In Coaches Poll: It was announced on February 20 that the Providence College men's basketball team is ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 18 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 2-0 mark with a 94-86 win over then No. 18/19 Creighton on February 14 and an 85-72 victory over Villanova on February 18. The Friars (20-7, 12-4) are tied for second place in the BIG EAST. Providence has posted Quad 1 wins at home versus UConn, Marquette and Creighton and on the road at Seton Hall. The Friars have a NCAA NET ranking of 38.
Bryce Hopkins Named To Naismith Men's POY Midseason Team:Â 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:Â The Friars have posted a 130-276 (.320) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 3-2 mark this season.
Kyron Cartwright Named Special Assistant To The Head Coach: Head Coach Ed Cooley announced on Dec. 5 that former Friar Kyron Cartwright '18 has been named the Special Assistant to the Head Coach. As the Special Assistant to the Head Coach, Cartwright will be responsible for assisting Ed Cooley in a number of different areas. Cartwright will mentor current student-athletes off the court in areas such as academics, social media, and community engagement. He also will act as a resource for the student-athletes and the athletic department in the areas of student-athlete development and DEI. Cartwright helped lead the Friars to four NCAA Tournament appearances during his career at Providence. The team won 20 or more games in each of his four seasons of action and he helped the team compile an 87-50 mark (.635). He scored 1,100 points, which ranks 40th all-time. Cartwright recorded 646 assists (4.8 apg) in 136 career games. He ranks third all-time in assists and ninth in assists per game at Providence. As a junior in 2017, Cartwright earned the BIG EAST Most Improved Player Award, Second Team All-BIG EAST honors, USBWA All-District 1 accolades and USBWA District 1 Player of the Year. In his final season with the Friars, he was named All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention, BIG EAST All-Tournament Team member and PC Male Athlete of the Year. After graduating from Providence, Cartwright spent three years playing professional basketball. He began his pro career in Székesferhérvár, Hungary for Albá Ferhévár where he competed in the top domestic league and Fiba Eurocup. He spent his second professional season with the Leicester Riders, in Leicester, England in the British Basketball League. His final season of pro ball was in Hagen, Germany with the Phoenix Hagen in the Pro A league. Cartwright, who grew up in Compton, Calif., began his coaching career in 2021-22 at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minn. He served as an assistant under former UConn guard Khalid El-Amin. Most recently, Cartwright was an assistant coach at University of Minnesota-Crookston (NCAA Div. 2) for Head Coach Bryan Beamish.
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.
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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 1,541-1,022 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 (241-148, 12 seasons) and Dave Gavitt (209-84).
Friars At The Amica Mutual Pavilion: All-time, the Friars have recorded a 617-236 (.721) 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.
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