📅 Date & Time: Saturday, January 6, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
📍 Venue: CHI Health Center, Omaha, NE
📺 Broadcast: FS1 with Dave Sims and Donny Marshall (Fox Sports App); Radio with John Rooke and Joe Hassett on WPRO-99.7 FM/630 AM (The Varsity Network App & YouTube); FriarTV
🤑 Opening Line: Providence +10.5, Over/Under 137
Providence College Friars:
- Record: 11-3, 2-1
- Recent Performances:
- The Friars are coming off a loss at home, just their 3rd defeat at home in their last 50 contests. Seton Hall now accounts for 2 of those 3 losses. Providence had won four straight prior to the Seton Hall loss.
- Providence vs:
- Providence is 19-14 all-time against Creighton with the Friars being 6-7 in Omaha.
- Stat Leaders:
- Points/Game – Devin Carter, 16.2
- Rebounds/Game – Bryce Hopkins, 8.6
- Assists/Game – Devin Carter, 3.2
- Minutes/Game – Devin Carter, 33.5
Creighton Bluejays
- Record: 10-4, 1-2
- Recent Performances:
- Creighton went 9-2 in non-conference play but lost their first two Big East games. They got back on track against Georgetown in their last game on January 2nd.
- Stat Leaders:
- Points/Game – Baylor Scheierman, 18.6
- Rebounds/Game – Baylor Scheierman, 7.9
- Assists/Game – Trey Alexander, 4.5
- Minutes/Game – Trey Alexander, 35.6
Game Preview:
Providence faces a crucial test following the season-ending injury to Bryce Hopkins early in the second half of Providence’s lost at home against Seton Hall. Kim English will look to try some new lineups and new combinations of players to try and fill the massive void that Hopkins’ 15.5 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game provided. In addition to the raw production numbers missing for the Friars, Hopkins presented matchup issues for opponents and now Providence may be the one with matchup issues due to their very thin frontcourt lineup and mix of mid-sized wing guards that are likely to see increased time now.
Creighton started Big East play 0-2 with a home loss to Villanova and a road defeat at Marquette. The Bluejays are coming off their first league win on Tuesday over Georgetown, 77-60. While Creighton’s metrics look like that of a top-25 team they fell out of the poll last week after being ranked as high as 8th on December 11th. A win over Providence may mean a return to being ranked as Creighton was 2 spots outside the top-25 last week in the receiving votes section. The Bluejays are ranked 20th nationally in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, but their offense has lagged their season numbers a bit so far in Big East play. They rank 4th in the country in eFG% at 59.1% largely on the back of senior Ryan Kalkbrenner who shoots 71.9% from the field, good for the 27th best 2-point FG%. But Greg McDermott has multiple other weapons in Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see Providence struggle in their first game without Bryce Hopkins and the Friars haven’t been nearly as good away from the Amica Mutual Pavilion in a few games this season. While I expect the effort to be there, it might be too much of an ask in a game they would have been underdogs with Hopkins to pull out this road upset.
Score Prediction: Providence 61, Creighton 74
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