Scouting Providence

[Hey Adrien!]

All national rankings based on KenPom.

Schedule analysis (10-1)

• A solid strength of schedule (143th difficult in nation) with wins over Texas Tech (heck of a comeback), Wisconsin, Northwestern, Rhode Island and Vermont. Only loss to Virginia.

Roster report:

• Typical of Cooley teams, there is a lot of positional diversity. Nate Watson at the post and Jared Bynum at the point are really the only two players who stick to a set position.
• Speaking of Jared Bynum, he was a GTD last Saturday against CCSU, so it’s a good bet he’ll play Saturday. In his absence, Al Durham has played the point and has done a nice job scoring (double-digit scoring in all games), but has averaged 4.4 TOs/game in Bynum’s absence.
• About 12% of the time, they play Croswell and Watson together. I giggle thinking about that much post-size and lack of spacing w/ that lineup.

Offense: 63th in KenPom

• Al Durham has stepped in admirably for David Duke as their do-everything, three-level, but inefficient at times, scorer.
• Even though they score about 71 ppg, the team has four double-digit scorers: Durham, Watson, Reeves and Horchler.
• They don’t really push the tempo (266th in offensive tempo rate)
• Mostly thanks to Durham, they are elite at getting to the line (7th in the nation at FTA/FGA ratio).
• They share the ball really well. About 61% of their FGs are from assists, which is good for 23rd in the nation
• As a team, they do not shoot that well from three (32.2 3p%, 216th in nation)
• Solid, but not spectacular on many offensive metrics. They are in the 110-125 range nationally in fg%, turnover%, offensive rebounding rate and ft%.

Defense: 69th in KenPom (nice)

• Very good interior defense (56th in nation)
• They defend the perimeter well (123rd in opponent 3p%, 31.8%)
• Good job preventing teams getting to the line (51th lowest FTA/FGA ratio)
• Solid defensive rebounding team (94th best defensive rebounding rate)
• Their defense is not reliant on causing turnovers (226th in defensive turnover rate)
• They don’t have any real “rim-protectors”. Watson averages 1.0 bpg and Horchler averages 0.8.

Can't wait for this one!!!!!!

 

[awfuldan]

Wish we had a healthy Sanogo for this match-up. Whaley vs. Watson is gonna be critical. Feel like we should have the edge at most other positions, and I like our depth vs. theirs, especially at home.

Horchler is a good player too, kind of reminds me of Whaley.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Any word on Martin and Sanogo? With them, I like our chances. Without them, not so much. Looking at this, I think we need to attempt to play fast and speed them up. Score in transition and force turnovers. A deliberate pace doesn't favor the Huskies

 

[AntG168]

Wish we had a healthy Sanogo for this match-up. Whaley vs. Watson is gonna be critical. Feel like we should have the edge at most other positions, and I like our depth vs. theirs, especially at home.

Horchler is a good player too, kind of reminds me of Whaley.

I know Watson is good. But Whaley is reigning defensive player of the year. It's far from a mismatch

 

[AntG168]

Any word on Martin and Sanogo? With them, I like our chances. Without them, not so much. Looking at this, I think we need to attempt to play fast and speed them up. Score in transition and force turnovers. A deliberate pace doesn't favor the Huskies

I could be mistaken, but I thought the beat writers confirmed last week that Martin would be available on saturday

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Mostly thanks to Durham, they are elite at getting to the line (7th in the nation at FTA/FGA ratio).

This is the big one to me. Our defense is 282nd in FTA/FGA ratio. I think the only way we can lose this one is if they are at the FT line all game.

 

[awfuldan]

I know Watson is good. But Whaley is reigning defensive player of the year. It's far from a mismatch

Definitely would not say it’s a mismatch, just wish we had a couple different dudes to throw at Watson. Whaley picking up two early fouls is a nightmare in this game. They are gonna go to Watson early and often. He’s skilled and has almost 40 pounds on Whaley. Gonna be a challenge.

 

[AntG168]

Definitely would not say it’s a mismatch, just wish we had a couple different dudes to throw at Watson. Whaley picking up two early fouls is a nightmare in this game. They are gonna go to Watson early and often. He’s skilled and has almost 40 pounds on Whaley. Gonna be a challenge.

Yea i agree, whaley has to play smart. Watson would eat Samson Johnson alive right now

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Brought on Jake Zimmer - a Providence guy to preview the game on the pod this week. Check it out!

 

[tennmike]

Whaley is way better at help defense than his own man. He tends to get bullied by bigger guys. Watson is a problem.

 

[awfuldan]

Whaley is way better at help defense than his own man. He tends to get bullied by bigger guys. Watson is a problem.

Yeah, this too. If he’s guarding the other team’s best guy, I’d rather it was a smaller dude like Jabari Smith on Auburn or Mamu last year. Watson is the best (offensively at least) true Center we’ll see all year.

 

[ucp990411]

Make Watson play defense and run, run, run,. Get him in foul trouble and tire him out. One of the best ways to beat a good big man is to have your big man run the court. Watson tends to tire easily from what I have seen. I expect PeeCee to play lots of zone so our outside shooting will ne critical. Hello Jordan Hawkins. Also, AJ Reeves has been shooting lights out from three. AJ Reeves meet Andre Jackson. And rebound like crazy.

 

[husky429]

Watson is the only threat IMO. Whaley isn't as strong defensively vs these big traditional 5s. One of the rare occasions I would feel MORE confident in Sanogo's defense.

I think we have the advantage at every other position.

If Rese is back, we dominate them.

Hurley needs to put his money where his mouth is and let our horses RUN in this game. Providence does not have the athletes to keep up anywhere on the court.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

All national rankings based on KenPom.

Schedule analysis (10-1)

• A solid strength of schedule (143th difficult in nation) with wins over Texas Tech (heck of a comeback), Wisconsin, Northwestern, Rhode Island and Vermont. Only loss to Virginia.

Roster report:

• Typical of Cooley teams, there is a lot of positional diversity. Nate Watson at the post and Jared Bynum at the point are really the only two players who stick to a set position.
• Speaking of Jared Bynum, he was a GTD last Saturday against CCSU, so it’s a good bet he’ll play Saturday. In his absence, Al Durham has played the point and has done a nice job scoring (double-digit scoring in all games), but has averaged 4.4 TOs/game in Bynum’s absence.
• About 12% of the time, they play Croswell and Watson together. I giggle thinking about that much post-size and lack of spacing w/ that lineup.

View attachment 71890
Offense: 63th in KenPom

• Al Durham has stepped in admirably for David Duke as their do-everything, three-level, but inefficient at times, scorer.
• Even though they score about 71 ppg, the team has four double-digit scorers: Durham, Watson, Reeves and Horchler.
• They don’t really push the tempo (266th in offensive tempo rate)
• Mostly thanks to Durham, they are elite at getting to the line (7th in the nation at FTA/FGA ratio).
• They share the ball really well. About 61% of their FGs are from assists, which is good for 23rd in the nation
• As a team, they do not shoot that well from three (32.2 3p%, 216th in nation)
• Solid, but not spectacular on many offensive metrics. They are in the 110-125 range nationally in fg%, turnover%, offensive rebounding rate and ft%.

Defense: 69th in KenPom (nice)

• Very good interior defense (56th in nation)
• They defend the perimeter well (123rd in opponent 3p%, 31.8%)
• Good job preventing teams getting to the line (51th lowest FTA/FGA ratio)
• Solid defensive rebounding team (94th best defensive rebounding rate)
• Their defense is not reliant on causing turnovers (226th in defensive turnover rate)
• They don’t have any real “rim-protectors”. Watson averages 1.0 bpg and Horchler averages 0.8.

Can't wait for this one!!!!!!

when i see one of ur breakdown lazerlikes, i be all like

learning is fun.

 

[Huskybass]

Watson is the only threat IMO. Whaley isn't as strong defensively vs these big traditional 5s. One of the rare occasions I would feel MORE confident in Sanogo's defense.

I think we have the advantage at every other position.

If Rese is back, we dominate them.

Hurley needs to put his money where his mouth is and let our horses RUN in this game. Providence does not have the athletes to keep up anywhere on the court.

Agreed. We go a legit 8 or 9 deep with Martin back. No reason we can't tire out a Providence team that lacks depth. Get this game over 70 and I really like our chances.

 

[MJKI]

I'm so sick of Reeves, he's one of those guys that feels like he's been in college forever. Believe he was down to UConn or Providence in high school if I'm remembering correctly. Regardless this is going to be a tough matchup. We were able to contain Watson in our win against them last year but in the loss Watson and Horschler dominated us down low. Having Sanogo back, or at least having Martin back to help the interior defending/rebounding would be huge

 

[Captbluefin]

1. Slow down Watson 1b. Keep Whaley out of
foul trouble.
2. We must shoot well. This is a game one of
either Polley or Hawkins needs to be hot.

 

[elmcityboy]

martin back. sounds like a no-go on sanogo.

 

[Get a Job]

martin back. sounds like a no-go on sanogo.

In Hurleyese, this means Martin is out for 4 more weeks and Sanogo is being given a job as Student Assistant Coach :-(

 

[HooperScooper]

Who better to talk about this year’s version of both Providence and the Big East than Kevin McNamara, who’s been on the Friars’ beat for more than 30 years. McNamara covered PC and URI for the Providence Journal for many years and is still covering the Friars for his website, kevinmcsports.com.

We spoke with him about what has vaulted PC to a 10-1 record thus far and on the precipice of a national ranking; can UConn-Providence be a truly spicy Big East rivalry for years to come; how many teams the league could get in this year’s NCAA tournament; and, of course, a look back to the infamous “Ryan Gomes game” in 2004 when Jim Calhoun launched a postgame rant for the ages.

UConn Report podcast: Kevin McNamara talks Providence, Big East

Kevin McNamara has been covering Providence College men’s basketball for over 30 years,...

www.nhregister.com

 

[Luckyhusky81]

Why didn’t Calhoun recruit Ryan Gomes?

 

[elmcityboy]

Why didn’t Calhoun recruit Ryan Gomes?

he took emeka okafor and caron butler. they're not bad.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Nate Watson nice to UConn but shots fired to URI:

 

[Luckyhusky81]

he took emeka okafor and caron butler. they're not bad.

I was joking! Calhoun used to get pissed about that question lol.