PC Basketball Releases 2017-18 Non-Conference Schedule
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
PC Basketball Releases 2017-18 Non-Conference Schedule
SEE THE SCHEDULE BELOW
Overall, PC will play 13 non-conference games, seven of which are at home.
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PC opens the season on Friday, November 10 when they face either Houston Baptist or Belmont at Alumni Hall as part of the 2K Classic. The Dunkin’ Donuts Center is booked due to Rhode Island Comic Con.
It will be the first Friars game at Alumni Hall since 1972.
Providence will then take on the University of Minnesota, who are coached by Providence College Alum Richard Pitino (son of Rick Pitino), in the Gavitt Tipoff Games on Monday, November 13.
Following that game, PC will head to New York for two games at Madison Square Garden against the University of Washington, Virginia Tech or St. Louis in the 2K Classic from November 16 to the 17.
Providence will wrap up the 2K Classic at the Dunkin' Donuts Center against Houston Baptist or Belmont on November 22.
The Friars will then host New England rival Boston College on November 25 and Rider on November 29. The Eagles beat the Friars last season at Boston College.
Rivalry Games
The first week of December will be rivalry week for PC.
They will visit the University of Rhode Island on Saturday, December 2 at the Ryan Center. The Rams are the defending A-10 Champions, but the Friars have beat them seven straight times and eight of the last nine.
Following the game against URI, PC will return home to face Brown University at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. That game will take place on Wednesday, December 6.
Providence will conclude the first week in December with a game at UMass on Saturday, December 9.
Wrapping up Non-Conference
The Friars will close their non-conference scheduled with three games in six days.
PC will host America East power Stony Brook on Sunday, December 17 before traveling to Mohegan Sun on Wednesday, December 20 for a game against Houston. The game is part of the Holiday Showcase.
Providence will close out its non-conference schedule at home against Sacred Heart on Friday, December 22.
SEE THE FULL SCHEDULE BELOW
6 Things to Know About the Future of PC Basketball
Bullock Testing NBA Draft
Forward Rodney Bullock is putting his name into the NBA Draft, but is not hiring an agent, meaning that he could return to school.
If Bullock leaves, his spot in the starting lineup would likely come down to incoming freshman Nate Watson or returning senior Emmitt Holt.
If it is Holt taking his spot, incoming freshman Dajour Dickens or returning sophomore Kalif Young would step in at center.
The deadline for Bullock to officially decide whether he is staying or going is May 24, ten days after the NBA combine.
PC Returning Key Players
With the exception of Bullock potentially entering the NBA Draft, the Friars are returning all of their key players from last season.
Kyron Cartwright, Jalen Lindsey, Holt and Bullock (tentatively) will all return for their senior seasons while Alpha Diallo, Maliek White and Kalif Young will return for their sophomore seasons.
PC will likely be one of the favorites in the Big East and will be poised to make their 5th straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Newcomers
The Providence College Friars will welcome two top recruits to their roster for the 2017-18 season, forward Nate Watson and center Dajour Dickens. These two additions will give PC front court depth, something they have been missing over last couple of seasons.
Dickens is a 6'10" center from Virginia who is rated a four-star recruit by both Rivals.com and ESPN.
He attended and played for Bethel High School, while also playing for the AAU team, Boo Williams.
He had offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech and Creighton.
Watson is a 6'9" forward, also from Virginia, and is rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.
He is listed as the 3rd best player in the state of Virginia.
In his junior season, Watson averaged 13 points and 7.6 rebounds for Bishop O’Connell High School.
He had offers from Marquette, Georgetown and Xavier.
Photo: Dajour Dickens Twitter
Fazekas Transferring
Sophomore Ryan Fazekas announced that he will be transferring out of Providence.
His departure means that the Friars have one scholarship available for the upcoming season to try and fill the roster spot.
Potential replacements include Michigan guard Greg Elliot, who visited PC in February, or a 5th year transfer player.
Fazekas at Providence
Fazekas averaged three points and one rebound in 12 minutes per game this season.
After knocking down nine threes in the first four games, he made just two field goals from February 1 until the end of the season.
This past season's numbers are down from the five points, two rebounds in 19 minutes per game during his freshman season.
Ed Cooley
In an interview on ESPN Radio earlier this week, Ed Cooley was asked about the head coach opening at Georgetown, and other openings that he might be interested in or who might be interested in him.
Here is what Cooley had to say:
"I think you always talk to people that you love, you talk to people that you are comfortable with, it doesn’t hurt to have a conversation. Having a conversation and actually doing something are two totally different things.
Providence has given me an opportunity, it is a place that is home and all you want to do is your best while you are there. You want to continue to build, you know I have to try to get this team to the tournament again and do our best in that tournament."
Cooley went on to say that he has not got a call from Georgetown.
Cooley signed a 10-year deal at Providence in March of 2016 that pays him more than $2 million per year.
The Big East in 2017
PC will likely be picked as one of the favorites in the Big East next season.
Among the teams that will challenge them include defending Big East champion Villanova, Butler and Xavier.
Villanova is losing two key players in Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins, but return Phil Booth and Jalen Brunson. They will also welcome in top recruits Collin Gillespsie, Jermaine Samuels and Omari Spellman.
Butler loses big man Andrew Chrazbascz and Kethan Savage to graduation, but return Kelan Martin and Tyler Wideman. They will also welcome in four-star forward Christian David and three-star forward Kyle Young.
Xavier is losing Edmund Sumner to the NBA Draft, but will return J.P. Macura and Quentin Goodin to help fill the void. At the forward position, the Musketeers have Tyrique Jones and former Iowa State forward Brady Ernst who will be eligible to play this season.
