PC Basketball Picked 4th in Big East Preseason Poll

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.