Where: Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, RI
When: 7:00pm EST
How: FSN (Scott Graham & Andy Katz)/Fox Sports GO (Where Available)/WPRO 99.7 FM & 630AM, TuneIn and Friars.com (John Rooke and Joe Hassett)/FriarTV
Game Notes
- Providence and Merrimack will meet for the 2nd time ever on Tuesday. The Friars won the only other meeting, 79-56, on February 9, 1955. Providence is 57-12 all-time against teams from the NEC.
- Providence is 62-4 all-time in non-conference home games under Ed Cooley.
- Merrimack is in their first season in Division 1 and the Warriors already own wins over Northwestern, UMass-Lowell and Jacksonville.
- Providence was picked 4th in the preseason Big East Coaches’ Poll. Senior Alpha Diallo was named to the Preseason First Team All-Big East for the second straight season. Diallo and junior Nate Watson were named to watch lists ahead of the 2019-20 season. Diallo is on the 2020 Julius Erving Award watch list for the top small forward in Division 1 and he was also named to the 2020Â Naismith Trophy and 2020 Wooden Award which are awarded to the National Player of the Year in college basketball. Watson was named to the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list for the top center in Division 1.
- The Friars played two exhibition games leading up to the 2019-20 season. Providence beat Stonehill, 87-68, on October 19th at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and then defeated Purdue, 60-53, on October 27th in a closed scrimmage in Indianapolis.
- Providence is coming off a win over St. Peter’s, 68-47, on Saturday.
- Opening Line: Providence -21 vs Merrimack 11/19/2019
Game Preview
Providence and Merrimack meet for the 2nd time ever on Tuesday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The previous meeting occurred back in 1955.
The Friars have been short-handed in the early part of the season without Nate Watson (MCL sprain) being sidelined since late September, A.J. Reeves sat out Saturday with back spasms, and Greg Gantt is home in North Carolina following the passing of his mother. Gantt is going to miss Tuesday’s game, but there’s a possibility that Watson could make his season debut against the Warriors. Reeves is expected to be a gametime decision.
The probable starters according to the game notes are:
Providence
- Luwane Pipkins – #12 – Graduate
- David Duke – #3 – Sophomore
- Alpha Diallo – #11 – Junior
- Jimmy Nichols – #5 – Sophomore
- Kalif Young – #13 – Senior
Merrimack
- Mikey Watkins – #5 – Sophomore
- Juvaris Hayes – #0 – Senior
- Jaleel Lord – #13 – Senior
- Devin Jensen – #14 – Junior
- Idris Joyner – #15 – Senior
The keys to victory for Providence are to take advantage of their superior size inside and score in transition. There are rumors that Nate Watson may return to the floor in this game, which would mean the Friars have an even greater discrepancy in the paint. Even without Watson, the Warriors’ are vastly undersized with their tallest player being freshman Jordan Minor (former Brimmer & May teammate of Reeves, plus Mass Rivals teammate of Reeves and Duke) at 6’8. Merrimack has been pretty solid at not turning the ball over through 5 games, ranking 54th nationally at Kenpom.com in Turnover %. However, the Friars’ defense currently sits at 6th in the country in Turnover %. Providence’s outside shooting has been a struggle in the early season, so getting some turnovers that lead to easier transition buckets would help mitigate the lack of 3-point shooting.
Prediction: Providence 80 Merrimack 63
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