Projo College Hoops

PC Needs to Shake Slump

1:49 PM Mon, Feb 09, 2009 |
Kevin McNamara    Email


By KEVIN McNAMARA


Is this a slump, a dip or a dose of reality for the Providence College Friars? We'll see.

There is certainly no crime in losing at top-ranked Connecticut, at home to Villanova or at West Virginia. But the way the Friars have gone about their season-high, three-game losing skid was eye-opening. When you lose two of the three games by 33 and 27 points, it is not good. When all three teams shred your defense, you must be very, very concerned.

``The thing that frustrates you the most is that I think against Syracuse (Jonny) Flynn and (Eric) Devendorf just made some really difficult shots and made tough plays,'' Keno Davis said today from Tampa where the Friars are preparing to play South Florida Tuesday. ``Against Villanova and West Virginia, it was the open looks. We can't have breakdowns like that.''

After watching a replay - sometimes frame-by-frame - of the West Virginia game, it seems to me that Davis has a growing problem on his hands. First, Marshon Brooks (ankle) did not play and his absence is a big one. He hopes to suit up at USF but his sprain is a troublesome one. We'll see if he can get back on the court.

More importantly, it looked like general fatigue is setting in. How else to explain not closing out on shooters, not finding offensive rebounders directly under the hoop and not ever making the extra pass on offense? Geoff McDermott has broken down physically in each of the last two seasons at about this time. Is he hurting again now? He's pounding the glass and fighting but the first step quickness on offense is long gone.

With a rotation of only 8 players (7 without Brooks), the Friars are handcuffed. They cannot give guys who are banged up a bit any breaks. The team's post-season chances - either NCAA or NIT - are hanging in the balance.

PC fans had better not sniff at lowly South Florida. The Bulls were playing teams tough even before they stunned Marquette last Friday. Last time we checked, the Friars failed to pull off a similar upset.

Here is the link to the game story of the Bulls' win over Marquette. Coach Stan Heath called it the biggest of his coaching career.

How special was the Marquette win? USF improved to just 9-79 against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.

The nine wins:
Date Opponent Rank Score

Friday Marquette 8 57-56

2-3-07 Notre Dame 21 69-63

3-4-06 Georgetown 20 63-56

3-10-05 Cincinnati 21 80-68 *

3-5-05 Charlotte 18 85-73

2-24-92 Tulane 15 81-76

2-15-92 Charlotte 22 70-63

12-28-91 Iowa 23 85-78

2-12-81 South Alabama 18 70-52


One other thing. Yesterday's Seton Hall win at Rutgers was a huge one for ex-PC assistant coach Bobby Gonzalez. That gives Seton Hall a season sweep over Rutgers Now the heat is on three-year RU coach Fred Hill who has yet to prove he can win in this league.


social bookmarking

Comments

Jim T said:

It's hard to blame these past 3 games on any one thing but I think Keno is doing a lousy job working with this upper class lineup.
Mainly seniors who have played together for a few yrs.
We should be better than we are palying.
I,m tired of the dribble dribble playground moves these guys seem to do-bench them if they won't make passes.
You watch the good teams in the Big East and they work the ball around look for the open shooter, take it to the rack.
Mcdermott and Kale should never handle the ball outside of the free throw line, they lead the team in turnovers, get under the basket and work the offensive boards, we don't shoot wll enough from the floor to win w/out an inside game.
HANKE 70% FROM THE FLOOR HOW ABOUT GIVING HIM 15 SHOTS A GAME AND SEE WHERE THAT TAKES US.
wE NEED AN INSIDE GAME, LIKE THE cUSE GAME BUCKETS INSIDE LED TO BASKETS OUTSIDE.
Keno the honeymoon is over work with what you have and coach, after all they are seniors and you have changed nothing up all year except play Kale a third of the time more than Hanke look at their no.s and you will see Hanke is the more productive player from the floor and the free throw line.
Also play some freaking DEFENSE and you might have a shot.



Jim T said:

It's hard to blame these past 3 games on any one thing but I think Keno is doing a lousy job working with this upper class lineup.
Mainly seniors who have played together for a few yrs.
We should be better than we are palying.
I,m tired of the dribble dribble playground moves these guys seem to do-bench them if they won't make passes.
You watch the good teams in the Big East and they work the ball around look for the open shooter, take it to the rack.
Mcdermott and Kale should never handle the ball outside of the free throw line, they lead the team in turnovers, get under the basket and work the offensive boards, we don't shoot wll enough from the floor to win w/out an inside game.
HANKE 70% FROM THE FLOOR HOW ABOUT GIVING HIM 15 SHOTS A GAME AND SEE WHERE THAT TAKES US.
wE NEED AN INSIDE GAME, LIKE THE cUSE GAME BUCKETS INSIDE LED TO BASKETS OUTSIDE.
Keno the honeymoon is over work with what you have and coach, after all they are seniors and you have changed nothing up all year except play Kale a third of the time more than Hanke look at their no.s and you will see Hanke is the more productive player from the floor and the free throw line.
Also play some freaking DEFENSE and you might have a shot.



mike m. said:

this team is completely soft and has no heart.no effort on defense----doesn't matter who the coach is.good riddance to this graduating class.hopefully keno can recruit or they'll be no more glory days for friars.



harold said:

With the one exception 36 years ago when the Friars made the Final Four there never have been any glory days. Imagine, the team makes the Final Four 36 years ago and the sportscasters keep bringing it up on a regular basis all this time later as if PC is a glory team. PC lost in that Final Four and has never been close to a repeat performance, never. PC Friars are a 3rd rate team with a performance to match. No, they won't get a bid to the NCAA Tourney, in my opinion. They never seem to attract the caliber couching or players that are needed to get them there and are forever relegated to the memories of 1973. RIP PC Friars, 1973 comes but once.



tcfriar68 said:

Harold - They recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 1987 Final Four team. I realize that was a long time ago too. 1973 came twice.




Leave a comment





Type the characters you see in the picture above.