The Providence College men’s basketball team concluded their regular season with a 74-60 defeat to the UConn Huskies on Saturday, March 9 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. This last match marked the end of the Friars’ regular season, finishing with a commendable 19-12 overall record and a 10-10 mark in BIG EAST play.
Junior Devin Carter, a native of Miami, Florida, led the Friars with an impressive performance, scoring 24 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, earning his 12th double-double of the season. Graduate student Josh Oduro also contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Carter concluded the BIG EAST season with an average of 21.4 points per game in league action, making him the eighth Friar all-time, and the first since 2016, to lead the league in scoring. The Friars also paid tribute to graduate students Ticket Gaines from Buffalo, New York, and Josh Oduro from Gainesville, Virginia, in a pre-game Senior Night ceremony.
During the first half, Carter’s notable performance saw him scoring 12 of the Friars’ initial 15 points. However, UConn managed to surge ahead and ended the first half with a 42-24 lead over Providence. Despite Richard Barron of Chicago, Illinois, contributing with two three-pointers in the second half, UConn maintained their lead and ultimately secured a 74-60 victory.
In terms of shooting percentages, Providence finished 20-57 (35.1%) from the field, 8-27 (29.6%) from three, and 12-16 (75.0%) from the free-throw line, while UConn finished 29-68 (42.6%) from the field, 11-27 (40.7%) from three, and 5-6 (83.3%) from the free-throw line.
Despite the challenging loss, the Friars are now focusing on the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. As the No. 7 seed, the team is scheduled to face the No. 10-seed Georgetown Hoyas in the First Round on Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m., with the game televised on FS1. Providence aims to secure their third BIG EAST title, with their most recent championship win dating back to March 15, 2014.
The Friars are resolute in their determination to make a comeback and feel optimistic about their prospects in the upcoming BIG EAST Tournament. Their primary objective is to claim their first conference title since 2014, and their fans are hopeful for a strong performance in the tournament.
In conclusion, despite the defeat to UConn, the Friars are now focused on the BIG EAST Tournament as they prepare to bounce back and come out stronger.