Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Pittsburgh (Exhibition) on October 17, 2026 , Win , 87, to, 64


11/5/2026 10:34:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Friars will play Nebraska at Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Friar Notes Vs. Nebraska at Hall of Fame Tip Off:
*The Friars opened their 100th season of basketball on Monday, Nov. 2 versus Maine at the AMP.
*The Friars have posted a 0-0 mark all-time versus Nebraska.
*The Friars have posted a 40-38 mark all-time versus teams from the Big 10, including a 1-1 mark last season..
*The Friars ave posted a 4-6 record all-time at Mohegan Sun, including a 1-1 mark last season.
*PC's' last win at Mohegan Sun was a 77-65 victory over Penn State in the Hall of Fame Showcase on 11/22/25.
*The Friars played two exhibition games against ACC opponents to begin the season - Pittsburgh on Oct. 17 (87-64 win) and Georgia Tech on Oct. 24 (101-73 win).
*Bryan Hodgson was named the 17th men's basketball coach at PC on March 22, 2026.
*In the 2025-26 season as the head coach at USF, Hodgson led the team to its most successful campaign in program history, posting a 25-9 record, winning both the American Conference regular-season title and the conference championship, earning the team an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
*Hodgson was named the 2025-26 American Conference Coach of the Year.
*The Friars have 12 newcomers and two returners on the roster this season.
*Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) and Devin Vanterpool (Laurel, Md.) have been named team captains.
*Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) and John Jackson (Ridgewood, N.J.) are the lone returners for the Friars. Mela enters his third season with the team.
*Ryan Sabol (Washington, D.C.) ranked first in the Mid-American Conference last season in three-point field goals made (122) and three-point field goal attempts (306) and he was second in three-point field goal percentage (.399).
*Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) came to Providence after four seasons with San Diego State, where he was a two-time All-Mountain West Conference selection and was named the 2025-26 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
*Devin Vanterpool (Laurel, Md.) ranked 10th in the American Conference last season in scoring (15.8 ppg) and eighth in rebounds per game (6.3).
*Malik Mack (Oxon Hill, Md.) averaged 13.6 points and 4.1 assists last season at Georgetown. After earning Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors, he spent his next two seasons at Georgetown.
*Javon Bardwell (Harlem, N.Y.) is the third highest ranked recruit ever to commit to PC, according to ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. He is ranked No. 33 (11th for small forwards) by 247Sports.com, No. 35 (10th for small forwards) according to ESPN.com and No. 36 (11th for small forwards) by Rivals.com.
FRIARS TO PLAY NEBRASKA IN THE HALL OF FAME TIP OFF: The Friars will face Nebraska in the Hall of Fame Tip Off on November 7 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It will mark the first meeting all-time between the two teams.
FRIARS VERSUS THE BIG 10: The Friars have posted a 40-38 mark all-time versus teams from the Big 10. Last season, the Friars were 1-1 versus Big 10 opponents. The Friars defeated Penn State (77-65) and lost to Wisconsin (104-83).
HODGSON COACHES HIS FIRST GAME FOR THE FRIARS: On Monday, Head Coach Bryan Hodgson coached his first game for the Friars. He led the team to an 83-56 win over Maine on November 3. Hodgson was named the 17th men's basketball coach at PC on March 22, 2026. Hodgson came to Providence after spending the 2025-26 season as the head coach at USF and the previous two seasons as the head coach at Arkansas State University. In the 2025-26 season as the head coach at USF, Hodgson led the team to its most successful campaign in program history, posting a 25-9 record, winning both the American Conference regular-season title and the conference championship, earning the team an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. For his efforts, Hodgson was named the 2025-26 American Conference Coach of the Year. In four seasons as a head coach, he has a 71-37 record.
FRIARS DEFEAT MAINE IN THE SEASON OPENER: The Friars defeated Maine, 83-56, in the season opener for both teams on Monday, November 3, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Jacob Bannarbie (Anchorage, Alaska) recorded his second career double-double with 14 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting from the field. He also added 10 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) recorded seven steals, tying his career high, to go along with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block. Gavin Hightower added a career-highs with seven assists and five steals.
FRIARS DEFEAT PITTSBURGH IN EXHIBITION OPENER: The Friars defeated Pittsburgh, 87-64, in an exhibition matchup on October 17 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) led all scorers with 17 points and added seven rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocks. Three other Friars finished in double figures. Arrinten Page (Atlanta, Ga.) added 16 points as he shot 4-8 from three. Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) and Malik Mack (Oxon Hill, Md.) each scored in double figures. Mela registered 15 points and Mack contributed with 10 points and seven assists. The Friars recorded 22 assists on 33 made baskets and out rebounded the Panthers, 42-26.
FRIARS DEFEAT GEORGIA TECH IN FINAL EXHIBITION GAME: The Friars defeated Georgia Tech, 101-73, in its final exhibition game on Saturday, October 24 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) led all scorers with 19 points and added six rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks. Gavin Hightower (Los Angeles, Calif.) contributed with 16 points and five assists. Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) and Leonardo Marangon (Vigodarzere, Italy) each added 14 points. Jacob Bannarbie (Anchorage, Alaska) was the fifth Friar to score in double figures as he registered 11 points on 5-5 shooting from the field.
FRIAR OFFENSE PRODUCING AT A HIGH RATE: Head Coach Bryan Hodgson is known for offenses that play at a high rate. In 2025-26, his USF Bulls finished eighth in the nation in points per game at 87.5 ppg (2,974 points in 34 games). The Bulls recorded a 1.19 points per possession metric. In the two exhibition games this season, the Friars averaged 94 points and had a points per possession mark of 1.16.
MACK AND HIGHTOWER AT THE POINT: Senior Malik Mack (Oxon Hill, Md.) and sophomore Gavin Hightower (Los Angeles, Calif.) each recorded five assists in the Friars' exhibition win over Georgia Tech on October 24. Over the last two exhibition games, the two guards combined for 24 assists in two games. As a team in those two games, the Friars had 41 assists on 69 made baskets. Hightower added seven assists and Mack had three in the Friars' season opening win over Maine on November 2.
BYRD HAS BEEN EXCELLING FOR THE FRIARS: Graduate student Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) led the Friars in scoring during the two exhibition games. He recorded 36 points and averaged 18.0 in the two games. He also averaged 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.5 assists and 2.0 blocked shots. In the Friars' season opening win over Maine on November 2, he scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and tied his career high with seven steals. His seven steals were the most by a Friar since Kris Dunn had seven steals versus Xavier on January 26, 2016.
BYRD NAMED TOP 20 CANDIDATE FOR JERRY WEST SHOOTING GUARD AWARD: It was announced on October 27 that Providence College graduate student Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) is one of the 20 players named to the Naismith Starting 5 - Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List. This prestigious award honors the best shooting guards in men's college basketball and is presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame, highlighting the elite talent in the sport.
FRIARTOWN TO PICK A CENTENNIAL TEAM: As part of the celebration of the 100th season of Providence College Men's Basketball presented by Navigant Credit Union, Providence Athletics will recognize a Centennial Team honoring the players who have helped define a century of Friar Basketball. The Centennial Team will serve as one of the signature elements of the season-long celebration, giving generations of Friar fans an opportunity to help recognize the players who have shaped the program's history across five distinct eras.To develop the Centennial Team ballot, Providence Athletics worked with a committee featuring Joe Brum, Kevin McNamara, John Rooke, Mike Tranghese and Joe Hassett, bringing together individuals with longstanding knowledge and connections to the program. The group reviewed the pool of players and helped finalize the 100-player ballot before the process is opened to Friar fans. Fans will have a direct voice in determining the final team. Fan voting will account for 50 percent of each player's selection score, with the committee accounting for the other 50 percent. The four highest combined selections from each of the five eras will earn a place on the team, with the next five highest combined scores completing the 25-member Centennial Team. The 100-player ballot will be unveiled era-by-era beginning November 9, with fan voting opening on November 14.
BYRD NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST: It was announced on October 1 that graduate student Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team. Byrd, who transferred to Providence after spending the 2025-26 season at San Diego State, started all 33 games and averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the Aztecs last season. For his efforts, he was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and Third Team All-Mountain West. He also earned 2026 Second Team All-NABC Pacific District honors. Byrd, a 6-6, 200-pound guard, played for San Diego State the last four seasons. In his four seasons at San Diego State, he helped lead the Aztecs to a 101-39 mark. The team also made three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a berth in the NCAA title game in 2023.
FRIARS PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON BIG EAST POLL: It was announced on October 1 that the Friars received 59 points in the Preseason BIG EAST poll and were selected to finish fifth of 11 teams. UConn was picked first (98 points) and was followed by St. John's (90 points), Villanova (81 points) and Marquette (73 points). Xavier was picked sixth (54 points) and Creighton was selected seventh (47 points). DePaul (32 points), Seton Hall (31 points), Georgetown (27 points) and Butler (13 points) were picked eighth through 11th, respectively.
BYRD AND VANTERPOOL NAMED CAPTAINS: Junior Devin Vanterpool (Laurel, Md.) and graduate student Miles Byrd (Stockton, Calif.) have been named captains of the 2026-27 Friars.
TEE BUTTERS SELECTED TO SILVER WAVES 100 MOST IMPACTFUL ASSISTANT COACHES: It was announced on Wednesday, Oct. 7 that Providence College men's basketball Associate Head Coach/General Manager Tee Butters was selected to the 2026 Silver Waves Media 100 Most Impactful/Influential High Major Assistant Coaches in the country. Butters enters his first season as an associate head coach/general manager at Providence College. Most recently, Butters was an associate head basketball coach at the University of South Florida for the 2025-26 season. He helped the Bulls capture the AAC Regular Season and Conference Tournament titles after posting a 25-9 mark. The squad also earned the Bulls' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012.
FRIARS ALL-TIME VERSUS TOP-25 TEAMS: The Friars have posted a 134-291 (.315) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 1-2 mark last season.
FRIARS SELL OUT SEASON TICKETS AGAIN IN 2026-27: In 2023-24, the Friars sold out of season tickets at the Amica Mutual Pavilion for the first time ever. Again in 2026-27, the team sold its entire season ticket allotment for the arena. It marked the fourth consecutive season that the Friars sold out of season tickets. In 2025-26, a total of 163,340 fans watched the Friars at the AMP in 16 home games. It was an average of 10,209 fans - the 11th highest single season average at the AMP. The 2023-24 season marked the first time a complete sell out of season tickets occurred since the team moved to the AMP when it opened in 1972. As a result, the Friars had 211,147 fans watch the team play 19 games at the AMP. That average of 11,113 per game is the highest single-season mark in the history of the program. The total of 211,147 is the second highest number of fans to watch the Friars at home in the history of the program. In 1991, 211,498 fans attended 20 home games at the AMP. The 211,147 fans in 2023-24, also marked just the second time in the history of the program that the team drew more than 200,000 fans in a single season.
FRIARS ARE 117-6 IN NON-CONFERENCE HOME GAMES OVER THE LAST 16 YEARS: The Friars have posted a 117-6 mark (.951) in their last 17 seasons in non-conference home games. The team's six losses over the last 17 years were to Brown (77-67) on December 8, 2014, Minnesota (86-74) on November 13, 2017, UMass (79-78) on December 7, 2018, Arkansas (84-72) on March 19, 2019, Penn (81-75) on November 23, 2019 and Boston College (62-57) on March 19, 2024. The Friars are 40-1 in their last 41 non-conference home games (2025-26, 6-0; 2024-25, 6-0; 2023-24, 8-1; 2022-23, 7-0; 2021-22, 8-0; 2020-21, 2-0; 2019-20, 2-0).
FRIARS IN OVERTIME: The Friars recorded a 1-4 record in overtime games in 2025-26. They have recorded an 81-75 mark all-time in overtime games. The Friars have posted a 9-1 mark in their last 10 overtime games at the AMP.
FRIARS AT THE AMICA MUTUAL PAVILION: All-time, the Friars have recorded a 653-255 (.719) mark in 54 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 15-2 mark at the AMP in 2022-23 and a 16-1 record in 2021-22 -- the team's best record at home since 1973-74.
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The 2026-27 campaign marks the 100th season of basketball at Providence College. Since the program started in 1926-27, Providence has posted a 1,591-1,079 mark, good for a .596 winning percentage. The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament 22 times and the National Invitation Tournament on 21 occasions.