VIDEO: Cartwright's Three in Final Second Lifts PC Over Belmont 66-65
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
VIDEO: Cartwright's Three in Final Second Lifts PC Over Belmont 66-65
CARTWRIGHT! FOR THE WIN!
— #BIGEASThoops (@BIGEASTMBB) November 23, 2017
Major onions from the @PCFriarsmbb star to give Providence the win. #PCBB #BIGEASThoops @CBBONFOX pic.twitter.com/QUFAdtgra3
"If we got a chance to take the ball and just push it up the court we are going to do that because the defense doesn't have an opportunity to set up. I got the ball, I pushed the ball up, saw Alpha [Diallo] ready on the wing, but at that point I was already at full speed. My first intentions was to get the ball all the way to the rim, but I saw a guy help in and when I split the defenders it kind of slowed me down. Coach always tells us to set your feet, take a regular shot and I thought that's what happened and I thought that's the reason why it went in," said Cartwright after the game.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCartwright finished the game with 17 points to lead the Friars.
The win improves the Friars to 4-1 on the season, while Belmont drops to 4-2 overall. PC finishes the 2K Classic with a record of 3-0.
Friars Escape
Two free throws by Rodney Bullock pulled PC into a tie at 63 with less than 20 seconds to play in the game.
Belmont would go ahead by two on their next possession, getting a layup from Dylan Windler to go up 65-63.
The Friars inbounded the ball from under their own basket with just under four seconds left to go.
Cartwright waved off a timeout call by Coach Ed Cooley and raced up the court and launched a running three from the top of the key to win the game.
"Happy with the win, I'm a little disappointed in our defensive execution in the second half, it is something that we can build on, but anytime you get a win, you are happy you win," said Cooley after the game.
Bullock finished the game with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Jalen Lindsey added 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting from three.
PC’s Strong 1st Half Finish
After teams traded leads for most of the first half, Providence trailed Belmont 23-22 with 4:20 left to play in the half.
A layup by Bullock gave PC a 24-23 lead with 3:54 to go, before Belmont retook the lead, 25-24, on two free throws by Kevin McClain.
Providence then got a layup by Alpha Diallo to take a 26-25 lead with 3:22 to go. PC would extend their lead on a jumper by Bullock to go up 28-25.
Providence would have a chance to further extend their lead with time winding down, but a deep Diallo three with just seconds left missed. PC would take their 28-25 lead into the half.
Next up
The Friars return to action on Saturday, November 25 when they host Boston College.
Game time is set for 8 p.m.
Kyron Cartwright with a 3 at the buzzer! Providence beats Belmont by 1 at the Dunk. This is ONLY November. #pcbb
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 23, 2017
Mr. Underrated, Kyron Cartwright, beats buzzer with a 3 at the horn as Providence holds off a really good Belmont team. #pcbb
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) November 23, 2017
Providence College Basketball 2017-18 Projected Starting Lineup
Guard
Kyron Cartwright - Senior
Kyron Cartwright was ranked as the sixth-best guard in the country and the second-best guard in the Big East by CBS Sports.
He was also named to the preseason All-Big East second team at Big East media day.
"Kyron is the fastest player in the Big East, he can distribute the ball, he was 4th in the league in assists last season, so he can make things happen," said Hassett.
In 2016-17, Cartwright averaged 11.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in the regular season helping the Friars to a third-place finish in the conference.
He finished the season ranked fourth in the country and first in the Big East with 6.7 assists per game.
Coming into this season, Cartwright is tied with John Linehan with 450 career assists. He has a chance to climb as high as second all-time and pass Ernie DeGregorio who recorded 662 career assists.
Vincent Council is number one with 725 career assists.
Guard
Alpha Diallo - Sophomore
Alpha Diallo will look to build off a freshman season in which he started 16 games for the Friars.
He averaged 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and one steal in 21 minutes of action per game. At the end of the year, the team named him the Marvin Barnes Defensive Player of the Year.
Diallo started his freshman season coming off the bench and playing inconsistent minutes through the first eight games.
By PC's fifth Big East Conference game, he was in the starting lineup and would stay there.
Diallo finished the season reaching double figures in five of the Friars final 12 games, including 18 points against both Villanova and St. John's.
Guard
Jalen Lindsey - Senior
Jalen Lindsey has missed the entire preseason with a knee injury.
Lindsey returned to practice on Wednesday and will be a game-time decision for Friday, according to Cooley.
If Lindsey can't go, senior Isaiah Jackson will take his place in the starting lineup.
Last season with PC, Lindsey averaged 10.4 points, four rebounds and one steal in 31 minutes of action per game.
He also shot 46% from three.
Forward
Rodney Bullock - Senior
Rodney Bullock returns to the Friars this season after testing the NBA Draft waters last March, before pulling his name out.
Prior to the start of this season, Bullock was named second-team all-Big East.
"With Rodney Bullock, he has to be consistent. He has to come out and give it to you every night. With this team, there is no reason why he shouldn't average 17 points and get 8-10 rebounds per game. He has to be more aggressive on both ends of the floor," said Hassett.
In 2016-17, Bullock led Providence in scoring and rebounding with an average of 15.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
He also led PC with five double-doubles on the year and scored at least 20 points in nine games, including a career-high 36 points against New Hampshire.
In PC’s NCAA Tournament game against USC, Bullock poured in 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Center
Kalif Young - Sophomore
Forward Emmitt Holt remains out with abdominal issues and is not even on campus,
"The Holt injury is a major problem. He is the toughest player on the team, the best rebounder, and a post up guy that they don’t have. He is also good outside guy that can stretch the defense. Plus, you lose the experience," said Hassett.
Holt's absence means 6'9" sophomore Kalif Young will open the season at center.
"He has a tremendous opportunity now with Holt gone to get more minutes then he would have gotten. The reliance on him now is bigger. With Emmitt out there he didn’t have to play important minutes, now he has to play important minutes," said Hassett.
In his freshman season with the Friars, Young averaged 3.2 points, 3.2 rebounds 0.5 blocked shots in 13 minutes of action per game.
