For the fifth time in 23 months since Ed Cooley made that fateful trip down Route 95 to our nation’s capital, he will be on the opposing sideline when the Friars face off against the Georgetown Hoyas on Wednesday. The Friars have won the first four matchups, but depending on injuries, this could be the biggest challenge yet for our team. The Friars managed to dominate the Villanova Wildcats from start to finish this past Saturday despite missing Bryce Hopkins, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Wesley Cardet, and Corey Floyd Jr. We know that both Bryce and Jabri will be out for this one, with the status of Wesley and Corey to be determined. The Hoyas also had freshman star Thomas Sorber leave Saturday’s blowout loss to Butler early with a foot/ankle injury and there have not been any updates from the Hoyas for his availability.
In each of the four previous games since Ed defected to the dark side, I have found gameday to be a nerve-wracking experience, and the victories have produced a sense of relief as much as joy. At some point Ed’s Hoyas will win a game against the Friars, and the Hoyas social media gnats will act as if they won the World Series, Super Bowl, Olympics, and a Spelling Bee. Hopefully that will not occur this time or any time soon.
The effort and execution the team showed on Saturday has given Friartown a much-needed boost after a long stretch of each game seeming to bring a new injury to the rotation. There are some concerns from that game that could temper the optimism we feel. The Friars hit 13 of 27 three-point attempts against Villanova, and the Hoyas superior defense will make it difficult to replicate that output in the cavernous Verizon Center. Last game, Ed put Micah Peavy on Jayden Pierre in the second half of the game while Bensley Joseph, Corey, and Jabri picked up the scoring slack. With at least one of those three out this time, it will be interesting to see if Ed tries to go with that plan earlier in the game. Also, Jayden Epps was 3-14 from the field while Malik Mack was 2-9, in large part due to the defense of Corey and Justyn Fernandez. On the other hand, it will also be difficult for Peavy and Sorber to put up similar numbers again.
I mentioned this in my most recent Quick Hits video and it bears repeating: if people are questioning some of the roster lineups and strategic decisions of Coach English, they should also give him credit for the fight this team has shown throughout this season. Despite a non-stop succession of injuries dating back to the summer, and despite having a disappointing record to date, this squad has never given up on themselves or their teammates. As a reminder, the Friars have gone through the following this season:
- Bryce Hopkins rehab from surgery then a reinjury against DePaul.
- Rich Barron recovering from shoulder surgery, then a mid-season concussion.
- Ryan Mela being slowed by back issues in the preseason, and an illness against Villanova.
- Hamstring injury to Eli DeLaurier.
- Hamstring injury and illness to Christ Essandoko.
- Leg injury to Wesley Cardet.
- Knee injury and surgery to Jabri Abdur-Rahim.
- Car accident to Corey Floyd (not his fault).
I am sure I have missed other setbacks, in addition to the everyday aches and pains players go through over the course of the season. Despite this, neither the players nor the coaching staff have used these injuries as an excuse. That is a testament to the character of the players and the leadership of the staff.
One player who deserves special recognition for his on-court performance as well as his attitude is Bensley Joseph. He came from Miami, a team which reached the Final Four in his sophomore year and was ranked as high as eighth last season before collapsing to a 15-17 record. He came to Friartown to be closer to home and to win, as he expected a return to the NCAAs with the Friars. Even though the season has not gone as planned, he has shown leadership and a willingness to give 100% from the opening to the final horn. His play has not been perfect, but there has not been a single game where his effort and attitude could be questioned. Just as importantly, Bensley is playing the best ball of his career over the past six weeks. In the last eleven games, he’s averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 46% from three on six attempts per game. As a senior nearing the end of his collegiate career, it would be easy for him to either give up or play selfishly down the stretch. Instead, he’s been more of a team leader and team player, helping to keep the Friars in most games despite being undermanned. The most common refrain heard at the Friar games lately is the wish that we had Bensley for another year.
As someone who does not pay attention to the NFL, or the NBA unless there is a Friar playing, I truly enjoy the college basketball season and hate to see it end. I also have an irrational belief in the Friars’ ability to win every game and can imagine scenarios where they find a way to get into the NCAA tournament, so take this with that in mind. If we can get Corey and Wesley back and add them to the growth we have seen with the freshmen, Justyn and Rich, and combine that with the growth of Bensley, we can make a run during the Big East Tournament at MSG. The interesting thing about the Big East this year is that the top of the conference is good but without a team like last year’s UConn, while the bottom of the conference is much better than last year’s DePaul and Georgetown. We saw that this past Saturday when Seton Hall doubled their conference win total with a victory over Connecticut. Don’t be surprised if there are numerous upsets during the BET. As of today, the Friars are in the 8-9 game, with the winner playing top seeded St. John’s. To refresh, the Friars have lost twice to St. John’s, including at MSG, to a pair of last-second shots. Beating them would not be easy but it is far from impossible. This would lead to a match with likely either UConn or Villanova, and a victory there would have us in the finals. I wouldn’t bet on this coming to fruition, but it wouldn’t be shocking either. A good way to start our path to a strong finish would be a win over Georgetown with a week off to gear up for a homestretch run.
Go Friars
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