PC Basketball Climbs Back Into Top 10 in National Polls
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
PC Basketball Climbs Back Into Top 10 in National Polls
This marks the ninth straight week in which Providence has been ranked.
The Polls
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTProvidence is ranked 10th in the coaches poll, sitting behind Xavier and West Virginia at eight and nine, respectively. PC is ranked ahead of Michigan State and Virginia, who sit at 11 and 12, respectively.
The Friars also find themselves ranked 10th in the AP Poll behind Maryland and West Virginia at 8 and 9 respectively. Providence is ranked ahead of Virginia and Michigan State at 11 and 12 respectively.
The Friars are one of three Big East teams in the national polls after Butler has dropped out.
The other two teams are Xavier (8/7) and Villanova (6/6).
North Carolina takes over the number one spot in the coaches poll while Okalhoma holds onto the number one spot in the AP Poll.
RPI Rankings
In the most recent RPI rankings, Providence is ranked 21st, after not being ranked last week.
The RPI rankings measure the teams strength of schedule and is adjusted based on wins and losses and who those wins and losses come against.
Next up
The Friars return to action on Tuesday, when they host #8 Xavier at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Tip off is set for 8:30 p.m.
Providence College Friars 2015-16 Projected Starting Lineup
G - Kris Dunn
Considered one of the top players in the country and the best point guard in the country, Kris Dunn passed on going to the NBA and came back to Providence for his redshirt junior season.
Dunn averaged 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds last season, registering eight double-doubles and one triple-double in the process.
Dunn was selected as the preseason Player-of-the-Year during Big East media day.
G - Junior Lomomba
Junior Lomomba is a glue guy for the Friars and also effective on the defensive end of the floor.
Last season, Lomomba finished with eight steals and 37 rebounds, averaging 11.1 minutes per game.
So far in 2015-16, Lomomba is averaging 28 minutes and six points per game.
G- Jalen Lindsey
Sophomore Jalen Lindsey, 6'7", played in 33 games, and started 13, for the Friars last seaso.
Lindsey averaged 3.8 points in 18 minutes of play per game. Lindsey shot 33 percent from three-point land during the season.
Lindsey's length can help the Friars on the defensive end as well.
F - Rodney Bullock
Rodney Bullock, 6'8" from Virginia, is a redshirt sophomore for the Friars but has yet to play a college basketball game. Bullock tore his ACL prior to last season and the year before that he was suspended.
In PC's exhibition game against Stonehill, Bullock had 26 points and 11 rebounds for Providence.
"I was impressed with his court awareness, his ability to post up when he wants was impressive given that he hasn't played a college game," Joe Hassett said.
F - Ben Bentil
Sophomore Ben Bentil, 6'9" leads the forward group after playing in 34 games last season, starting 23 of them for the Friars.
Last season, Bentil averaged six points and five rebounds in 21 minutes of play per game. Given that he is the tallest player that the Friars have, his minutes will go up significantly this season.
6 man - Kyron Cartwright
Kyron Cartwright
Sophomore Kyron Cartwright played in 34 games and started eight for the Friars last season. Carwright averaged 3.5 points in 19 minutes of play time per game.
Cartwright only made four three-pointers all of last season and will look to improve those numbers this season.
