Where: Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, RI

When: 12:00 PM

How: Fox Sports 1 (Dick Stockton & Steve Donahue)/WEEI 103.7 FM and Friars.com (John Rooke and Joe Hassett)/FriarTV

Game Notes

• This will mark the 4th meeting all-time between Providence and Butler. The series is currently led by Providence, 3-0, and all contest have come since Butler joined the Big East prior to last season. Providence went 2-0 against Butler last season and are 1-0 against the Bulldogs this season. The Friars beat Butler by 5 points on January 6th. You might remember that game for as the one in which Ed Cooley turned to his “All-Toughness” team for the second half.
• Butler enters the Dunkin’ Donuts Center following a 6 point defeat at Georgetown, 60-54, on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are led in scoring by junior Kellen Dunham, who averages 16.7 points/game. Butler is led in rebounding by senior Kameron Woods, who averages 9.6 rebounds/game. That mark is good for second in the Big East.
• Providence is coming off a road win at Seton Hall on Wednesday, 79-66. That win completed a season sweep of the Pirates. Carson Desrosiers returned from injury to play 19 minutes off the bench. The Friars were led in scoring by LaDontae Henton and Ben Bentil. Henton and Bentil each scored 21 points. Henton scored his 2,000th career point about mid-way through the second half to become the second player in school history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career. Bentil had a double-double with 10 boards and Kris Dunn finished with 17 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals.
• LaDontae Henton remains in 4th place on the all-time points scored list at Providence with 2,004 career points. He now trails Eric Murdock by 17 points for 3rd.
• Carson Desrosiers is 8th on the all-time blocked shots list at Providence College with 154 blocks through 62 career games as a Friar. Desrosiers is 1 blocks behind Randall Hanke for 7th place in school history. Kris Dunn‘s 217 assists this season rank him 7th on the all-time assists in a season list. Next on the list is former teammate Vincent Coucil, who had 217 assists in the 2011-12 season.
• The line opened with Providence as a 2.5 point favorite.

Game Preview

Providence’s Senior Day figures to be one of the more emotional in recent memory as LaDontae Henton will play his final game at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. He will be honored pregame, along with Carson Desrosiers and Tyler Harris. I have a hard time seeing the Friars losing this game even though Butler is a very good team. Providence controls their own destiny for the 2 seed in next week’s Big East Tournament and a win will accomplish that goal. I think Providence makes it happen.

Prediction: Providence 71 Butler 68

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Mike Hopkins

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