Friars Versus Rhode Island: The Providence Friars and the URI Rams will be renewing their Ocean State rivalry for the 132nd time on December 3. PC holds a 75-56 edge in the series, including a 40-23 mark in Providence. In the last 18 meetings between the two teams, Providence holds a 12-6 advantage with the Friars winning nine of the last 11 games. Last season, the Friars defeated the Rams, 66-52, on December 4 at the AMP. In the most recent meeting between the two teams in Kingston, URI defeated the Friars, 75-61, on December 6, 2019. The first two meetings between PC and URI were exhibition contests in Kingston in 1920 and 1921. The first regular season match-up was a 53-28 Friar win at the Rhode Island Auditorium on February 9, 1935.
Friar Tid Bits:
*The Friars have played Rhode Island more than any other opponent all-time.
*The Friars are playing their second consecutive road game of the season on Saturday.
*The Friars have posted a 155-112 mark all-time versus teams from the Atlantic 10, including a 0-1 mark this season.
*Bryce Hopkins was named to the Hall of Fame Tip-Off All-Tourney Team after averaging 18 pts. and 8.5 rpg.
*PC is second in BIG EAST in free -throw attempts (174) and free-throws made (127).
*PC was 20-20 from the free-throw line vs. St. Louis (2/20/22), which was second best all-time for the Friars.
*PC lost consecutive games on Nov. 19-20 for the first time since February 3 and 6, 2021.
*PC is 69-29 (.704) under Ed Cooley in games decided by FIVE points or less since the 2013-14 season.
*The Friars are 703-307 all-time versus New England opponents.
*With the win over Columbia, PC improved to 84-5 all-time under Ed Cooley in non-conf. games at the AMP.
*The Friars were picked fifth of 11 teams in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll.
*Jared Bynum was selected Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST by the league's coaches.
*The Friars have eight newcomers to the roster this season.
*The Friars have three graduate students on the roster - Jared Bynum, Noah Locke and Clifton Moore.
*The Friars have 14 players on the roster and seven of those players came via a transfer.
*The Friars won the BIG EAST regular season title for the FIRST time ever in 2022.
*The Friars made their 21st NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2018 last season.
*The Friars advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2022 for the first time since 1997 (25 years).
*The Friars played in their SIXTH Sweet 16 all-time in 2022.
*Ed Cooley has led the Friars to SIX NCAA Tourneys in 11 years, which is more than any other coach at PC.
*The Friars won 14 games in BIG EAST play for the FIRST time ever in 2022.
*On April 3, Ed Cooley was named Naismith Coach of the Year - FIRST Friar coach to earn the honor.
*Ed Cooley was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year in 2022 and became the FIRST Friar coach to earn the honor.
*The Friars won 20 or more games in a season for the 28th time in 2022
*Jared Bynum was the 1st BIG EAST player in 25 years with 3 games of 25+ points off the bench in the same season.
*Jared Bynum earned the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award in 2021-22.
*Ed Cooley (226-144) trails Joe Mullaney (319-164) for all-time wins as a head coach at Providence.
Friars Defeated At TCU: The Providence College men's basketball team was defeated at Texas Christian University, 75-62, on Wednesday, Nov. 30 in Ft. Worth, Texas. Sophomores Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) and Devin Carter (Miami, Fla.) led the Friars with 17 points each. Carter had a team-high eight rebounds. Freshman Jayden Pierre (Elizabeth, N.J.) brought a spark off the bench with 13 points and five rebounds.
Ed Croswell Named To The BIG EAST Honor Roll: Red shirt senior Ed Crosswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll on Monday, Nov. 28 after leading the Friars to a 2-0 mark last week. He averaged 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds, while making 12 of 17 shots from the field. For the season, Croswell is averaging 10.9 points and 6.8 rebounds in eight games.
Friars Finish 20-20 From Free-Throw Line: The Friars were 20-20 from the free-throw line in a 76-73 loss versus St. Louis on Nov. 20. It marked the second-best performance all-time for the team from the charity stripe. The top performance all time was when the team was 28-28 from the line versus Villanova on January 10, 1987.
Hopkins Leads The Friars In Scoring And Rebounding: Sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) is averaging 14.6 ppg and 7.8 rpg in eight games this season. He is 39-83 (.470) from the field, 6-16 (.375) from three, and 33-44 (.750) from the free throw line. On Nov. 20, he recorded his first career 20-point contest as he scored 20 points and added nine rebounds versus St. Louis.
Fielder And Santoro Each Sign A NLI: Providence College men's basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley announced on Nov. 16 that student-athletes Drew Fielder (Meridian, Idaho) and Donovan Santoro (Austin, Texas) each have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Providence College beginning in September of 2023. Both players attend Southern California Academy in Castaic, Calif., where they play for head coaches Julius Von Hanzlik and Chris Chaney. Fielder, a 6-foot-10-inch, 215-pound center is rated as a four-star recruit. He transferred to Southern California Academy after beginning his high school career in Idaho. Over the summer, Fielder had a strong showing at the Under Armour Association showcase in July. He averaged 10.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in six games at the UAA. He also shot 47.6 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. Fielder is rated as the No. 23 center in the nation in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports.com. Santoro, a 6-foot-8-inch, 185-pound forward transferred to Southern California Academy after playing at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. Last season, he helped Westlake post a 38-2 mark and advance to the Texas High School Semifinals. His squad recorded a 14-0 record in its district. For his efforts, Santoro earned second team All-District honors.
Bynum Named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team: It was announced on October 18 that Providence College graduate guard Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) was named to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. Bynum, who earned 2022 All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades, was named recipient of the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award and received USBWA All-District 1 accolades, had a break out season for the Friars in 2021-22. He led the team in scoring in BIG EAST games, averaging 15.6 ppg in 17 games. His 15.6 points per game ranked fifth in the league. He shot a team-best 46.5 percent (33-71) from behind the three-point arc in league play. Bynum also ranked third in the league in assists per game (4.9) in BIG EAST action. In overall action, he averaged 12.2 ppg and 4.0 assists per game. He was named BIG EAST Player of the Week twice. He scored a career-high 32 points in the Friars' win at Georgetown on February 6. He was 7-8 from three-point territory and 11-15 from the field. He came off the bench in 14 of the team's 17 league games and became the first BIG EAST player in 25 years with three games of 25 or more points off the bench in the same season. In addition to the 32 points at Georgetown, he also had 25 points versus DePaul on February 12 and 27 points versus Xavier on February 23.
Ed Cooley Inducted Into The RIIL Hall Of Fame: On October 26, 2022, Ed Cooley was inducted into the Rhode Island Interscholastic League High School Athletic Hall of Fame. The Rhode Island League High School Athletic Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the tradition of high school athletics in Rhode Island and seeks to highlight the past in order to insure a promising future for Rhode Island high school athletics. Inductees exemplify the highest standard of sportsmanship, ethical and moral character and were considered on the merits of their contributions and achievements to high school athletics. Cooley, who grew up in Providence, attended Central High School in the City. He played basketball at Central High School and he was a two-time Rhode Island High School Player of the Year honoree.
Friars Have Eight Newcomers Join The Roster: After the Friars posted a 27-6 mark, captured the BIG EAST Regular Season title and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2022, the team had all five starters graduate. The team returns three players, graduate student Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.), senior Ed Croswell (Philadelphia, Pa.) and junior Alyn Breed (Powder Springs, Ga.), who saw action last season. The squad welcomes eight new players to the lineup - freshman Jayden Pierre (Elizabeth, N.J.), freshman Quante Berry (Cleveland, Tenn.), graduate Noah Locke (Baltimore, Md.), freshman Scott Morozov (Toronto, Ontario), redshirt freshman Corey Floyd, Jr. (Franklin, N.J.), graduate Clifton Moore (Ambler, Pa.), sophomore Devin Carter (Miami, Fla.) and sophomore Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.).
How The Friars Got To The NCAA Tournament In 2022: The Friars earned an at-large bid as a four seed to their 21st NCAA Tournament overall and sixth in 11 years under Head Coach Ed Cooley. Providence posted a 27-6 mark and a 14-3 record in BIG EAST play. The Friars won the BIG EAST Regular-Season Title for the first time in the 43-year history of the league. Providence entered the NCAA Tournament with a NET Ranking of 32. The Friars defeated South Dakota State (66-57) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17 and Richmond (79-51) in the Second Round to advance to the Sweet 16. The Friars held Richmond to 51 points. It marked the fewest points allowed by the Friars in the NCAA Tournament all-time. The Friars made their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1997 and their sixth appearance overall. The team was defeated by No. 3/3 Kansas (1 seed), 66-61, on March 25 in the Midwest Regional.
Head Coach Ed Cooley Breaks Dave Gavitt's Mark Of Five Friar NCAA Tournament Apperances: The Friars made their sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Ed Cooley in 2022. With the 2022 appearance, Cooley eclipsed former Friar Head Coach Dave Gavitt's mark of five tournament appearances - which was the most for any Friar head coach all-time. Other former Friar head coaches who reached the NCAA Tournament are Joe Mullaney (three NCAA appearances), Rick Pitino (one NCAA appearance), Rick Barnes (three NCAA appearances), Pete Gillen (one NCAA appearance), and Tim Welsh (two NCAA appearances).
Ed Cooley Captures 2022 Naismith Coach Of The Year Award: It was announced on April 3 that Providence's Ed Cooley was named the recipient of the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach Of The Year Award. Cooley is the first Friar coach to earn the prestigious honor. He also is the first Friar coach to earn national coach of the year accolades since Rick Pitino earned NABC Coach of the Year in 1987.
Bynum Earns 2022 BIG EAST Sixth Man Award: It was announced on March 7 that Providence guard Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) earned the 2022 BIG EAST Sixth Man Award. Bynum became the first Friar to earn the honor.
Cooley Named 2022 BIG EAST Coach Of The Year: It was announced on March 9 at Madison Square Garden in New York that Providence's Ed Cooley was named BIG EAST Coach Of The Year. Cooley, who became the first Friar coach in the 43-year history of the league to earn the honor, guided the Friars to a 27-6 mark. In BIG EAST league play, the Friars set a team record for wins after registering a 14-3 mark and capturing the program's first BIG EAST Regular Season title. The Friars, who finished in first place, were picked to finish seventh in the annual BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll which was released in October.
Ed Cooley Gets The Key To The City: Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza joined Former Rhode Island State Senator Harold Metts, Providence Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez and Providence Public School District students to present a Key to the City to Providence College Men's Basketball Coach Ed Cooley on May 17. Cooley led Providence College to the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as a No. 4 seed. The Friars reached the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual national champion Kansas. Cooley was named Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year and BIG EAST Coach of the Year. He is the first Friar coach to win either award. His Friars also won the BIG EAST Regular Season title - the first time ever for a Providence men's basketball team. Cooley, who grew up in Providence, attended Central High School in the City. He played basketball at Central High School and he was a two-time Rhode Island High School Player of the Year honoree.
Friars In Overtime: The Friars recorded a 3-0 record in overtime games in 2022. On February 23, the Friars defeated Xavier, 99-92, in triple overtime. They have registered a 71-67 mark all-time in overtime games.
After Nine Years, Friars Have Fourth Best Record In BIG EAST Action: Since the formation of the new BIG EAST, the Friars have posted the fourth best mark in league play over the last nine years. The Friars' 93-69 mark (.574) trails only Villanova's 130-31 record (.808), UConn's 24-12 record (.667) and Creighton's 95-70 record (.576).
Providence College Basketball: The 2022-23 campaign marks the 96th season of basketball at Providence College. Since the program started in 1926-27, Providence has posted a 1,527-1,018 mark, good for a .600 winning percentage. The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament 21 times and the National Invitation Tournament on 20 occasions.
Steve Napolillo Named Athletic Director: It was announced on January 26, 2022 that Steve Napolillo would be the 11th athletic director in the history of Providence College. On July 1, Napolillo replaced Bob Driscoll, who announced his retirement on January 21. Napolillo, who was the senior associate athletic director/assistant vice president for external relations, has worked at the College since 2004.
Ed Cooley Ranks Second On The PC All-Time Win List: With the Friars' win versus Butler on January 23, 2022, Ed Cooley recorded his 210th victory as the Friar Head Coach and moved into second place on the all-time win list for PC Head Coaches. The the top three all-time winningest Friar head coaches are: Joe Mullaney (319-164), Ed Cooley (226-144, 12 seasons) and Dave Gavitt (209-84).
Friars All-Time Versus Top-25 Teams: The Friars have posted a 127-274 (.317) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 4-3 mark last season.
Friars At The Amica Mutual Pavilion: All-time, the Friars have recorded a 606-236 (.720) mark in 50 seasons of games at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The AMP, formerly the Providence Civic Center and the Dunkin' Donuts Center, opened on November 3, 1972. The Friars had played their home games there for 48 consecutive seasons, prior to the 2020-21 season when the team played on campus at Alumni Hall with no fans in attendance due to the pandemic. PC posted a 16-1 mark at the AMP in 2021-22, the team's best record at home since 1973-74.
Friars Are 84-5 In Non-Conference Home Games Under Ed Cooley: The Friars have posted an 84-5 mark (.944) in 12 seasons under Ed Cooley in non-conference home games.
