5 Things to Know About PC — Villanova Mega-Matchup
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5 Things to Know About PC — Villanova Mega-Matchup
The game will have a significant impact on NCAA seedings and is a game that could lead the way to a top 4 seed in the Big Dance.
The match-up is the #8 Friars against #10 Wildcats, but it means so much more.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"We've had a lot of battles with Providence over the years and we know how tough it is to be the road team in the Dunk," Villanova head coach Jay Wright said. "Ed (Cooley) has done an incredible job this year and they're playing as well as anyone in the country."
Tuesday’s game is being played in primetime at 8 PM on the CBS Sports Network.
And there is a long -- and a short-term history -- to this rivalry.
Villanova has the edge all-time against the Friars 68-41.
The two teams first met on February 15, 1936, with the Friars earning a 46-37 win in Providence. In the first meeting with the Wildcats last season, Villanova earned a 71-56 win on January 23, 2021, at Villanova. In Providence's most recent game versus Villanova, the Friars defeated the Wildcats, 54-52, at Alumni Hall in Providence on March 6, 2021.
2) PC v. Top 25
This season, the Friars are 4-0 vs. ranked teams - (at No. 20 UConn, vs. No. 15 Seton Hall, at No. 21 Xavier, vs. No. 22 Marquette).
It was announced on Monday that junior Jared Bynum was named Big East Player of the Week. It marks the second consecutive week that he has earned the league honor. Bynum helped the No. 8/9 Friars post a 1-0 mark last week with a 76-73 overtime win over DePaul on February 12. Bynum came off the bench to score a game-high 25 points in the win. He also grabbed seven rebounds and recorded six assists. He was 4-8 from three-point territory, 5-7 from the free-throw line and 8-15 from the field. Bynum ranks third on the team in scoring at 11.6 ppg. He leads the team in three-point shooting (29-63, .460).
4) Friar Numbers
Momentum is with PC.
The Friars are 11-1 in BIG EAST play for the first time ever.
The Friars are 21-2 for the first time since the 1972-73 season.
The last time the Friars posted a 22-2 mark was the 1972-73 season.
Providence College is 15-0 at the Dunk this season.
Cooley will be counting on the crowd at the Dunk on Tuesday night.
"I have no words to explain the appreciation that I have for our fans and our students," Cooley said after PC's last win on Saturday. "That was one of the harder games I've ever coached, and we couldn't have won without our crowd."