📅 Date & Time: Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.
📍 Venue: Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, R.I.
📺 Broadcast: FS1 with Alex Faust and Bill Raftery (Fox Sports App); Radio with John Rooke and Joe Hassett on WPRO-99.7 FM/630 AM (The Varsity Network App); FriarTV
🤑 Opening Line: Providence -1.5, Over/Under 144.5
Providence College Friars:
- Record: 2-0
- Last Game Starters:Ticket Gaines (Gr. G, 9.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG)
- Jayden Pierre (So. G, 12.5 PPG, 4.0 APG)
- Josh Oduro (Gr. F, 9.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG)
- Devin Carter (Jr. G, 13.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG)
- Bryce Hopkins (Jr. F/G, 12.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG)
- Recent Performances:Josh Oduro: 13 pts/12 rebounds, 16th career double-double vs Milwaukee last time out
- Jayden Pierre: Career-high 16 points vs Milwaukee
- Garwey Dual: 14 points, 4 assists vs Milwaukee
- Five players scored in double figures against Milwaukee: Oduro, Hopkins, Pierre, Carter, Dual
- Friars in the Gavitt Games:The Friars are 2-3 in the Gavitt Games with their last win against Wisconsin. Their last home win in the Games was in 2015 against Illinois in the inaugural Gavitt Tip Off Games.
- Notable Preseason Honors:Bryce Hopkins: Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team, CBS Sports Preseason All-America Third Team, College Sports Today All-America Second Team, NABC Division I Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List, Naismith POY Watch List
- Devin Carter: Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
- Providence was picked 7th in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Historical Performance: Providence holds a 4-1 all-time record against Wisconsin, including a 2-0 home record. The last encounter saw Providence triumph 63-58 in Madison on November 15, 2021. Providence edged out Wisconsin, 58-57, on December 11, 1995 in the last game played by the two teams in Providence. The lone loss for the Friars against the Badgers came at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 1961 with Wisconsin winning the high scoring affair, 95-84.
Wisconsin Badgers:
- Record: 1-1
- Last Game Starters:Chucky Hepburn (Jr. G, 16.5 PPG, 3.5 APG)
- Max Klesmit (Jr. G, 11.0 PPG, 2.0 APG)
- AJ Storr (So. G, 16.0 PPG, 2.0 APG)
- Tyler Wahl (Gr. F, 9.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG)
- Steven Crowl (Jr. F, 11.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG)
- Recent Performances:AJ Storr: Led Wisconsin in scoring with 17 points last time out in a loss to Tennessee
- Steven Crowl: 14 points, 9 rebounds vs Tennessee
- Tyler Wahl: 10 points, 8 rebounds vs Tennessee
- Four players scored in double figures against Tennessee: Storr, Crowl, Wahl and Chucky Hepburn
- Badgers in the Gavitt Games:Wisconsin is 1-3 in the Gavitt Games with losses coming in 2016 at Creighton, 2017 at home against Xavier and last time they played in the Gavitt Games against Providence in 2021 in Madison. The Badgers’ lone win in the series came at Xavier in 2018.
🎙️ Quote Corner: “With our group the go-to guy is the open man. That’s a point of emphasis and a focus for us…Tiki-taka, FC Barcelona, just pass to the open man and cut and let the game give you what it allows.” – Kim English following Providence’s last game against Milwaukee
🏀 Game Preview: Providence is coming into this game after two relatively easy victories over teams they were supposed to beat. Wisconsin had one of those games against Arkansas State, but they were challenged with a high major matchup last time out in their loss to Tennessee and Rick Barnes, a Kim English mentor and advocate and former Providence head coach. In the 8th and possibly final playing of the Gavitt Games this figures to be an exciting matchup. Jayden Pierre is fresh off a career high and Garwey Dual returned from an ankle injury that limited him in the opening game to show why he’s so highly thought of by NBA types as a freshman. Bryce Hopkins has yet to really get things going, but this is a matchup that should suit him and his style. Devin Carter and Corey Floyd, along with Dual, will be needed to slow down the Wisconsin scoring backcourt of Chucky Hepburn and AJ Storr. The Badgers have been mostly without returner Connor Essegian played sparingly in both games so far due to a back injury. Essegian had a great freshman season a year ago averaging 11.7 points/game starting the final 19 of 35 games played for Greg Gard. His absence would be a blow to Wisconsin, but likely not of the notoriety of the missing Johnny Davis tag that followed the Friars in the 2021-22 season after beating Wisconsin in the Gavitt Games in Madison.
Hepburn and Essegian are two of five returning starters from last season’s NIT team and they’ve added the dynamic Storr to the mix following a solid campaign at St. John’s last season that garnered Storr a spot on the Big East All-Freshman team. Up front, Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl will be a handful for Josh Oduro, Ticket Gaines and Rafael Castro off the bench to deal with and this is a game where Providence’s relatively small and lacking in depth front court will be put to the test.
🏀 Final Thoughts: Expect a closely contested game with both teams showcasing their strengths. Providence’s balanced attack and defensive capabilities might just edge out Wisconsin’s experience and scoring depth. I predict a high-energy, back-and-forth battle, with the Friars pulling ahead in the final minutes for a narrow victory. 🏀🔥🎉
Score Prediction: Providence 75, Wisconsin 72.