PROVIDENCE - With an eye towards Rhode Island's struggling economy, Providence College has announced that it is offering $5 tickets for all non-Big East home games this season.

The first game the $5 tickets will be available is next Saturday's doubleheader at the Dunkin' Donuts Center featuring PC vs. Bucknell and Bryant vs. Mercer.

PC is also offering a limited number of season tickets for $99. "In these tough economic times, we want to make it possible for all fans to enjoy Friar basketball at the Dunk," said PC athletic director Bob Driscoll. "With these discounted ticket opportunities, our fans can enjoy top-notch college basketball at a fraction of the price of other entertainment options in the area."

Former Brown coach Craig Robinson has swooped into New Jersey and squired away one of that state's top prospects for his new program out at Oregon State.

Robinson has gained a verbal commitment from Devon Collier, a 6-8 forward at St. Anthony's High in Jersey City, NJ. Collier's other finalists were Providence, Seton Hall and St. John's. Collier was PC's main focus on the recruiting trail over the last month.

After returning from his official visit to Oregon State last month, Collier told the Zagsblog.com that he felt comfortable with Robinson. "[Robinson] is a cool person. He's fun to talk to. He has a good sense of humor. He's smart. It's not because he's the President's brother-in-law. He's a good person in general. The staff that's around him, they're good, too."

After missing out on Collier, expect the Friars to sign three players in the early signing period next week. They are highly-rated guard Gerard Coleman of Boston, forward Ron Giplaye of Delaware and shooter Joseph Young of Houston.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - classroom, character, community and competition. The lists of 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of classroom, character, community and competition.

URI's Jimmy Baron was a finalist for the award last year. Among the top candidates this season are Matt Bouldin of Gonzaga; Da'Sean Butler of West Virginia University; Devan Downey of South Carolina; Luke Harangody of Notre Dame; Damion James of Texas; Scottie Reynolds of Villanova University and Jon Scheyer of Duke.

A great example of that came Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome when D-2 Le Moyne, a small school that sits about five miles away from the Dome, came across town and shocked the Syracuse Orange, 82-79.

Syracuse played many of its newcomers most of the game but that is no excuse. Those new players are always among the most recruited in the nation.

Read about the Day of the Dolphin here.

BARRINGTON - Michael Carter-Williams, a 6-5 guard now in his junior year at St. Andrews in Barrington, has given a verbal commitment to play at Syracuse in the fall of 2011.
Carter-Williams picked Syracuse over Providence, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Villanova and Miami, according to St. Andrews coach Mike Hart.

"Syracuse wound up being the perfect fit for Michael athletically and academically," Hart said. "Our whole team went up there in August and Michael fell in love with Syracuse."

Carter-Williams has expressed a desire to study communications. SU has one of the strongest programs in the country in the field. Hart said Carter-Williams, who is from Hamilton, Mass., has grown nearly two inches in the last year and expanded his game as well. He averaged 13 points and 6 rebounds as a sophomore last year.

"His best days are ahead of him," said Hart. "He came here as a scoring guard but I think he'll end up as a point guard in college. He'll play both guard spots for us this year."

The decision is a loss for Providence. Keno Davis and his staff recruited Carter-Williams all summer and into the fall as well. Coaches from PC, Notre Dame, Virginia and other schools all came to St. Andrews this fall to watch Carter-Williams play pickup ball with his Saints teammates. Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins was among the visitors and he ended up winning this recruiting battle.

Carter-Williams is the latest in a long line of St. Andrews players heading for big-time colleges. He joins Tony Robertson (UConn), Demetris Nichols (Syracuse), Jonathan Kale (PC) and Rakim Sanders (Boston College) as the headliners in the program's successful recent history.

PROVIDENCE - The Providence Friars have just finished polishing off the Warriors of Merrimack College, 97-74, at Alumni Hall.

Marshon Brooks led the Friars with 33 points. Sharaud Curry added 15 and 6 assists and Bilal Dixon looked sharp inside with 16 points and 15 rebounds.

PC led 48-39 at the half despite committing 19 fouls and letting the Warriors score 19 free throws. The Friars played a better second half and tore away for the win.

The game attracted 2,017 fans.

PROVIDENCE - It's hot - very hot and humid - here at Alumni Hall and the Providence Friars are in the process of putting away Merrimack College in a men's basketball exhibition game.
The Friars jumped out to a 48-39 halftime lead despite letting the visitors score 19 points from the free throw line. Marshon Brooks has 30 points to lead all scorers.
It's 76-61 with 7:50 to play. More when the game is over.

Judge Eddie Rodriguez Jr. said Dulin must serve 90 days of the 51/2 year sentence he imposed Friday, with the balance served on probation.

The judge previously ruled that Dulin, of Milford, violated probation by punching a restaurant patron in September and refusing to submit to sex offender treatment.

Dulin had asked to be spared prison, saying he was coming to terms with an alcohol problem caused by depression after he couldn't find work following his April release from prison.
Dulin, who played at UConn from 1979 to 1981, served 18 months for having sex with a 17-year-old girl he coached in a summer basketball program.

Jim Baron: Hello everyone - just settling down at my desk and I look forward to chatting with you soon.

chapram: With all the athletism you have been bringing in to URI, the offence has been outstanding. However, it seems as though defense has been left by the wayside. What specific things are you doing this year to improve your defense?

Jim Baron: I'm not sure our defense has been by the wayside - we're still outscoring our opponents by 7 points last year. Defense has always been one of my trademarks as a coach and I think this year, with Marquis Jones - we have one of the best on-the-balll defenders in the league. There's no question we have to continue to focus on our defense - and focus on being more consistent with our positioning on the floor. Especially because we like to run and press the basketball. We constantly preach to the team that our offense is dependent on our defense. We can't score if we don't have the ball. Sometimes when you try to run and uptempo it, you leave yourself vulnerable from the defensive standpoint.

Sudden Sam: Coach, who would you say is the most improved player on this year's squad?

Jim Baron: Alright Sam, we have a couple of guys on the team who fit that category. Delroy James, even though he was a large part of our rotation as sixth man, has improved his game and his physique and decision-making on the floor. Lamonte Ulmer has made tremendous strides with his workouts - he added about 15 pounds of muscle and his bench press has gone up 70 pounds from last year to this year. Ben Eaves and Will Martelll are both guys who put in significant time working out over the summer and it has showed so far in our practices. Collectively, the entire team has stepped up and moved ahead of last year.

Rhody Fan: Why wasn't Orion Outerbridge redshirted last year and Martell the year before that? To the average fan, it looks like we wasted a year of elgibility for each player.

Jim Baron: Will Martell made a huge jump from his freshman to sophomore year, in every facet of the game. And we think Orion Outerbridge can do the same this year. Both guys were raw when they came on campus - they worked very hard on their game, worked very hard in the weightroom, and those gains are evident. Both guys made huge improvements. As for redshirting them, we want to have our best players available to us and in college basketball, anything can happen. We're looking forward to Will and O's progression this year.

MJ Danis: Coach. Over the years as players have graduated others have become more of a scoring option. Who will replace the scoring from Jimmy Baron and Kaheim Seawright?

Jim Baron: That's going to be an important question to answer. We've lost 31 points from last year's 79 points with Jimmy and Kah. Almost 3,000 career points there as well. But last year, Keith stepped up his game and was a double-figure scorer in the league. Delroy did as well. Who is the guy who will do that this year? My coaches and I want that answer too. And I think Lamonte Ulmer and Delroy James have that ability. We also need quality minutes from Ben Eaves and Marquis Jones - even though he's our playmaker.

matt: Coach, I understand URI was a possible last minute fill in for Isiah Thomas' team in an early season tournament. With a relatively young club why did you not pursue and early season or mid season tournament to get some extra games?

Jim Baron: We've done it the last few years with some in-season tournaments - last year with the Philly Hoop Group tournament - and strategically, you try to give yourself the best opportunity to play good teams and earn some good wins. We definitely do pursue those opportunities and are working on some exempt tournaments in the next few years. One thing with tournaments like the Philly Classic is that it limits your practice time - for 3-4 games, you're in scouting and workthrough modes, as well as the travel. Without a tournament this year, and with a young team, we gain more practice time which early on can be invaluable.

ukramfan: You mentioned John Calipari on media day - what was it about the way Coach Calipari ran his program that you admired or emulated?

Jim Baron: I have always had a very good relationship with Coach Calipari and have always admired the way that he gets his teams to play so hard, compete, and play together. He's an excellent coach, X's and O's, and he's told me that he really enjoyed watching Jimmy develop over his four years. I know he has a son who he hopes could possibly play for him one day.

URI Grad 00: Coach, speaking of Jimmy how is he doing in Turkey?

Jim Baron: It's been quite an adjustment for him. I think it's a good first step to work himself into the professional ranks. His team loves to shoot the basketball and push the tempo up the floor. But the challenges he has living in a foreign country for the first time, it's an adjustment. I had a chance to visit him in Turkey and came away very impressed with the way his organization, the coaches and players, and how they approach the game.

ryan: Coach Baron Akeem Richmond comes in as a bigtime scorer out of high school, with the lost of Jimmy ,you going to need scoring from Richmond. What will his role be? Is Richmond going to be call on to score, or is he going to sit like freshman in the past. And how has Richmond came along so far? Do you think he can score like he did in High school or has he shown the ability to be able to score in A10

Jim Baron: We've had some very good freshman for us in recent history - Keith Cothran and Lamonte Ulmer both made big impacts in their first year. For Akeem, his role is going to be to score the basketball. And I think we need Nikola Malesevic and Ryan Brooks to do the same. And they have the ability to do that. Like all freshmen who come to the Division I level, there are ups and down. Everything's going 100 mph for them - living away from home, in some cases in a new country, and the demands of doing their work in the classroom. But all of our freshman are adjusting well.

Tiger: Any World Series predictions after two games?

Jim Baron: Being from Brooklyn, I grew up a few boroughs over from the Bronx and have been a big Yankee fan my whole life. So I'm pulling for championship #27. There have been two good games so far - should be interesting when it gets to Philly. But I've spent some time with the great "Yankee Dan" on the field of the old Yankee Stadium.

1 celtic: hello coach & good luck this year.lamont ulmer is a unique tallent.how do you see his role defined this year ?

Jim Baron: Lamonte is one of the leaders on this team. I think he had one of the best summers of any of the guys. He's gotten bigger and stronger and is going to be a very important part of this year's team. He's one of the best athletes in the league and has the ability to score and defend. He plays with a high motor when he's on the court.

Rhody Rams: Besides Cain and your son, what type of player are you looking to fill that last schlorship for next season?

Jim Baron: Because of NCAA rules, I can't comment specifically about recruits until we receive their NLI during the signing period. But overall for our recruiting, we're looking for size & strength, athleticism and scoring ability and players who can come in and make an immediate impact on the team.

RamFan: Dayton returns a lot of talent from a strong team last season. Are they the team to beat heading into the season? Where do you see URI stacking up against the A-10 competition?

Jim Baron: Last year's game versus Dayton was one of the most exciting games I've ever been a part of - and it ranks up there as one of the best in the history of the Ryan Center. Dayton's picked to win it and they have one of the best players in the A-10 and in the country in Chris Wright. Brian Gregory does a great job with their program and they should be one of the teams who will compete for the league title in Atlantic City.

URI Grad 00: Coach, what are your thoughts on the non-conference portion of your schedule?

Jim Baron: I think our non-conference schedule is one of our toughest and most challenging that we have faced in a while. We go on the road to face NCAA teams like VCU, Akron, and Boston College. We've got another NCAA team in Oklahoma State coming to Mohegan Sun. We go to Davidson and they won 27 games last year. Add in Northeastern and Holy Cross who were near the top of their leagues last year and opening at Brown and we feel we have a schedule that should prepare us for the A-10 season and beyond.

URIFAN: What advice would you give to any father who is planning to coach his son? Obviously this is something I plan to be doing in the very near future.

Jim Baron: It is one of the most unbelievable experiences that a father and a son can have. But I think there are a lot of challenges that go in it and surround the experience. Your son has to be passionate about being a great student-athlete. He has to want to be coached and challenged. You have to keep asking "what can I do to help you get better?" Along the way, the entire family has to be on-board with then entire situation. If you ever want to talk further about it, please reach out to me and I'd be happy to speak with you in further detail.

twisted3829: Jim, being a student and member of "the mob" what do you hope to see from the students here on campus this year?

Jim Baron: The Rhody Rally was tremendous and I commended Anthony Aiudi on the job that he and his staff did. Cathy Inglese - our new women's basketball coach - really enjoyed having our teams participate in such an exciting environment. We have one of the best student bodies in the country in terms of support for our team and I can't wait to have them loud and enthusiastic at the Ryan Center in just a few more weeks. And that carries over to Cathy's team and the programs she's building right now. We need all of our fans to get out and catch a women's basketball game this year. She and her staff are doing a great job and there is a lot of excitement surrounding URI women's hoops this year.

Crusader: Coach with the growing trend of many local kids moving from the high schools to prep schools, are you glad your sons stayed at their high schools and then moved to prep school after graduation.

Jim Baron: Both Cindy and myself felt it was very important for both Jimmy and Billy to get their full high school experience - especially at Bishop Hendricken. They made friends and have memories that will last a lifetime. For them to have four years and then advance to post-grad helps them with academics, with basketball and it helps them grow.

ukramfan: inal possession, five second on the clock, must win game - the one guy you have coached in your career who you want with the ball?

Jim Baron: Hard question to narrow it down to. At Notre Dame, I'd say John Paxson. From St. Francis Pa., Mike Iuzzolino was the guy. JR Bremer got the call when I was at Bonnies. As for URI, we've had a lot of buzzer-beaters here at the Ryan Center the few years. Dawan Robinson, Dustin Hellenga, Will Daniels, Jimmy Baron, Marquis Jones all made the game-winner for us. I'm hoping we can add a couple more names to that list with the guys we have from this year's team.

URI Grad 00: Coach, what are your thoughts on the new A-10 Championship format?

Jim Baron: I'm very excited for the tournament to be in Atlantic City and even with the new format, the goals of the program haven't changed - we want to be in that top 4 seeding and get a bye in the first round. It will be very important and exciting for the league to have the championship game on CBS national, right before the selection show.

Bill: How good do you think Keith Cothran can be this season?

Jim Baron: Keith being one of our senior leaders, I'm looking for him to lead us on the offensive and defensive ends, along with our other upperclassmen. He made a big jump from his sophomore to junior year and we're looking for him to continue to progress.

Jim Baron: Thanks everyone for joining in today - we have time for one more question.

alltime3ptking: Dad, although it was tough at times, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything! Love you and miss you and best of luck to you guys this season! You da man!

Jim Baron: Jimmy - I can't tell you how much we miss you - Mom, Billy, myself - as well as the guys on the team and everyone at URI. You have been an outstanding role model, a leader, and it was great spending a week over in Turkey with you as you prepare for your new adventure. Just know that you will always be loved, missed, and I can't be more proud of you - not only as one of my former players but also as my son. Go Mercin and Go Rams!

Here is the poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final 2008-09 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote; last year's final ranking:

1. Kansas (55);27-8;1,612;14
2. Michigan St. (5);31-7;1,515;8
3. Texas (1);23-12;1,397; not ranked
4. Kentucky (3);22-14;1,372; not ranked
5. Villanova;30-8;1,347;11
6. North Carolina (1);34-4;1,320;2
7. Purdue;27-10;1,284;17
8. West Virginia;23-12;1,115;not ranked
9. Duke;30-7;1,064;6
10. Tennessee;21-13;897;not ranked
11. Butler;26-6;864;22
12. Connecticut;31-5;844;5
13. California;22-11;800;not ranked
14. Washington;26-9;776;15
15. Michigan;21-14;578; not ranked
16. Ohio St.;22-11;465;not ranked
17. Oklahoma;30-6;410;7
18. Mississippi St.;23-13;393;not ranked
19. Louisville;31-6;335;1
20. Georgetown;16-15;326;not ranked
21. Dayton;27-8;318;not ranked
22. Georgia Tech;12-19;301;not ranked
23. Illinois;24-10;282;not ranked
24. Clemson;23-9;217;24
25. Minnesota;22-11;172;not ranked.

Others receiving votes: Maryland 171, Siena 112, Notre Dame 107, Florida St. 92, Vanderbilt 90, Syracuse 83, Oklahoma St. 65, UCLA 63, Florida 53, Wake Forest 50, Xavier 42, Gonzaga 37, South Carolina 28, Kansas St. 24, BYU 21, N. Iowa 16, Tulsa 16, Mississippi 15, Texas A&M 10, Missouri 8, Boston College 6, Pittsburgh 4, Utah St. 2, Va. Commonwealth 2, W. Kentucky 2, Holy Cross 1, Old Dominion 1.

PCFANATIC: Coach, if some of the predictions that have the Friars finishing 15th and even 16th come to pass, it will mean some losses. Most of the new players come from winning programs and aren't used to losing. How do you deal with it, keeping the kids upbeat and motivated, if the losses pile up.

Keno Davis: Through a winning or losing streak it is important to not get too high or low as a team. We must focus on improving from game to game individually and as a team. The wins usually take care of themselves.

FriarJoe: Hello Keno

I think it's accurate to say that the recruitng by you and your staff has been great since you arrived on campus in the spring of 08 seeing how far behind the 8-Ball you were especially for the 2009 class. That being said can you give us a little head start by letting us know which newcomers are impressing you the most ? I must admit the physique of Kadeem Batts is impressive at his young age.

Good luck in 09/10 and keep up the great work.

Go Friars ! !

Keno Davis: I appreciate your kind words and our staff is working very hard on the recruiting trail. Every day a new player shows us improvement. At this point our incoming freshmen Johnnie Lacy and Vincent Council have given us a new dimension with a faster brand of basketball.

friarblog.com: What is one aspect of the team you think could be a big surprise this season?

Keno Davis: I think our depth this year is something that our opponents will have trouble preparing for especially in an uptempo game. Our defensive pressure must improve for us to be successful.

Captain: Having been here over a year now, how do you like life in Rhode Island? What are some of your favorite things to do in Providence?

Keno Davis: I have always considered this area of the country home and it is great to be in Rhode Island.

sting56901: whats the biggest difference do you see so far from last year to this year?

Keno Davis: We have a deeper team and therefore more competition during practice and for playing time.

anthonyk: Hey Keno hows it going? I was wondering if James "Greedy" Peterson will have a bigger role on the team this year?

Keno Davis: Jamine Peterson has been a bright spot in practice this year. He has been our best rebounder and brings a great amount of energy to the court. He was able to show great improvement during his red shirt year and our fans will be excited to see him play.

friar1981: Hey Coach, as a season tix holder I'm excited about this season as you try to integrate all the new recruits. With all these bodies, are you going to make the press a staple of your defense? Thanks

Keno Davis: We will use different forms of pressure defense this season because of our depth and quickness. We can utilize our talents in the full court and the half court to minimize any size disadvantage we might have in the Big East.

friarblog.com: Coach, In the offseason you've really gone full steam ahead into the world of social media (Twitter, Facebook, your website) -- Was this something that was highly encouraged by the school for all coaches, or something that you thought personally was just very important to get off the ground to build enthusiasm over the program? How do you plan to use social media during the season, and what do you see are the biggest positives and negatives about it?

Keno Davis: I have always believed that we need to be ahead of the curve in recruiting to get us to the top. CoachKenoDavis.com is a way for our fans to get information on a daily basis and promote Providence College across the world.

Sec 124: Keno, thanks for the time. Last year you redshirted two Friars. Admittedly, it's a different situation, but do you foresee any current players going the red shirt route?

Keno Davis: I could see us not redshirting anyone this year or up to two players. If a player can help us win games this season we would not red shirt unless there was a medical concern.

redcollfan: coach does the program have any plans to play in maui?

Keno Davis: We are looking at annual tournaments across the country and have expressed an interest in playing in the Maui Invitational among other prestigious events.

Captain: Since your arrival, the improvement to facilities has been remarkable...Calabria Hallway, Canavan Sports Medicine, Alumni Hall improvements, etc. Are any more on the horizon? What else is part of your "long-term" plan to be successful at Providence?

Keno Davis: In response to Captain -- There have been some great improvements on the PC campus and I believe we will see more in the near future. The renovation of Alumni Hall is something that will help us in the recruiting battles.

Jeff 99: Is Marshon Brooks ready to step his game up to another level this year?

Keno Davis: We have high hopes for Marshon Brooks not only as a scorer this year but someone who can make an impact on both ends of the court. He is a gifted talent who has unlimited potential.

mt.may08: Hi Coach. How's Dr. Tom doing nowadays? And do you seek his counsel from time to time?

Keno Davis: My father, Dr. Tom, is doing well, thank you. I use his knowledge of basketball and experience of issues surrounding basketball on a daily basis.

T-timeradioshow: We know last year you cosistently played eight players who got a significant amout of playing time, do you foresee the same thing with all of these young players?

Keno Davis: We have not yet determined the quantity of players in this year's rotation. I would guess that we will have a rotation of 9-10 players that will see significant time.

Darrin: Ray Hall has not played in 2 years, what can we expect from the Big Senior this season?

Keno Davis: Ray has obviously had a run of bad luck medically the last two years. I don't know what the future will hold for him, but I know he is working extremely hard in the classroom and physically to attempt to be healthy. I wish him the best as he is an incredible young man.

dherr07: Hey Coach, I must say I'm very excited about this season despite the predicted 13th place finish. Having been able to recruit most of the current roster, do you feel you can better run the type of system you are most comfortable with?

Keno Davis: We have an opportunity to be a better team in many different areas this season. What we lack in experience hopefully we can make up for in hard work and attitude. I would expect our fans to see a team that they will be proud of following.

voice: Coach - could you speak to the strategy of scheduling this year, in hopes of gaining the young kids experience?

Keno Davis: We are behind in scheduling as we must work ahead to acquire the best schedule possible depending on talent and experience. We have some challenging games in our non-conference that should prepare us for the always tough Big East.

FriarHistory: The level of recruitment of better players has picked up for the Class of 2010. Do you forsee a further effort to get commitments of an even higher caliber of player as a regular strategy?

Keno Davis: We are always going to try and raise the bar of the caliber of student athletes that we recruit at PC. My assistants are out working other staffs much like we expect of our players on the court.

djfox: How much do you expect Curry to play the 2? And how will it take him to adapt to not having the ball in his hands as much?

Keno Davis: Even when we have a smaller guard lineup on the court Curry is still a point guard. We just might two point guards on the court at the same time. Hopefully by releiving some of the pressure from him will allow him more offensive opportunities.

paul: Hi Coach, Do you think you will be using more man to man defense this year and do you think this team will be a good foul shooting team ?

Keno Davis: I think we will be using more man to man defense especially in the early part of the season. The key to foul shooting is to get your good shooters to the line much like Weyinmi did at the end of the season.

jeremy: Coach what made you he coach you are today where and how did you learn the most about coaching?

Keno Davis: Having a father as a coach gave me great insight to the profession and also opened many doors for me. Every coach is always learning and trying to improve their skills every year.

Friarso8: Coach, what are the focus positions on the trail for 2011?

Keno Davis: The best talent and fit for Providence College regardless of position on the court.

Laffinthedark: Are your current players aware of the PC legacy: all the great players that wore the Friar colors before them such as Jimmy Walker, Ernie D., Kevin, Marvin, and Billy D.?

Keno Davis: Our Joe Calabria Hallway of Legends is a great opportunity for our student-athletes to learn about the legacy of past Friars. We see it every day before practice and it motivates us to do our best.

Chickenhead: Who are you starting on Sat?

Keno Davis: Do you have any suggestions, Chicken Head?

djfox: Coach...some of your responses remind me of Bill Belichick. What other coaches have influenced you?

Keno Davis: I enjoyed reading Education of a Coach but that is probably the only connection I have with Coach.

PCFANATIC: The consensus seems to be that our backcourt will be our strength this year, in terms of experience, with the frontcourt being the most inexperienced. How do you think our forwards and centers stack up against most of the Big East schools? It seems like most of the really imposing big men...eg. Thabeet, Blair have graduated. Could the Big East, in general, be less imposing this year, giving us a better chance with our new kids?

Keno Davis: We will not be as big as some of the Big East schools such as Pittsburgh, or Syracuse but hopefully they will have as much trouble matching up with our speed as we will with their size.

Jeff99: Do you expect a bounce-back year from Brian McKenzie?

Keno Davis: Brian struggled with his outside shot last season but has improved in many areas entering this year. I expect him to be a leader on the court and in the lockerroom.

friarso8: Coach, a school could have a very successful recruiting class without leaving New England in 2011, and 2012. Is it a focus to keep that talent home?

Keno Davis: In recruiting to PC we must recruit nationally but also recognize that we must not be outworked in our own back yard.

T-timeradioshow: Is it harder to recruit top talent to the New England area especially since PC is a small school compared to the rest of the Big East schools that have whole buildings just designated for the basketball team and other better facilities.

Keno Davis: We have things to overcome at PC much like at any school trying to get to the top of their conference. The important thing is that we must improve all areas of our program annually to eventually reach our goal.

voice: Other than PC...who is your favorite to win the Big East this year? And nationally, what programs impress you the most?

Keno Davis: I agree with the preseason rankings that have given attention to Villanova and West Virginia. However, it will not surprise me for there to be a team from the middle of the pack to make a jump this year.

Chickenhead: I would reward Bilal and Greedy for working so hard in their redshirt year.

Keno Davis: Chicken Head, I will take that into consideration.

collegehoops: Coach I have heard great things about your coaching staff. With all the turnover in the industry to you see yourself being able to keep your staff in tact for the next 4-5 years?

Keno Davis: I think it is doubtful for me to be able to keep our staff together for that length of time. My staff has aspirations of being head coaches and I encourage them to look for those opportunities. Hopefully, they will stay intact until such an opportunity presents itself.

bigeastbooster: Coach: Do you think that PC will ever host their own tourney again which would draw "national" opponents (much like the bank-sponsored event when the Friars upset #1 Michigan)?

Keno Davis: If you have any contacts at Michigan or other powerhouses that you can influence to come to Providence for a weekend feel free to inquire about their interest.

Jeff99: What do you expect from the center position this year? Are Dixon, Permenter and Still ready for the challenge?

Keno Davis: Right now we have several inside players that feel they are ready for the challenge of the Big East. Fortunately, the Big East does not start for a couple months.

pc2010: Keno, last year the Big East as an entire conference was being heralded as a wrecking force coming into the season. Players left, players stayed, and players came. They first coaches poll for 2009-2010 has six teams in the top 25 from the BE. What do you think is the main difference in the conference this year? GO PC!

Keno Davis: I believe that although the conference may not be as strong at top there is more parity and more improvement from the second half than there has been in recent memory.

Mikedav92: How Does It feel To not have Weyinmi Or Geoff

Keno Davis: We will definitely miss the experience of last year's team, especially at the end of games. Hopefully, our young players will play with the confidence at the end of games as they do at the start.

coachjay: Hi coach, I have enjoyed working your summer camps since you've been at Providence and just wanted to say good luck on the season. I had one question. I recently moved to Boston and I'm looking forward to catching the team play at Northeastern on 12/1. I thinkn it is going to be a tough game and not too many people realize that. they have a very good team coming back... what do you think?

Keno Davis: I think you need to make sure you wear your Providence shirt to the game. I know we won't overlook a highly regarded, experienced Northeastern team.

yankeefriar: Coach, I know that you can not discuss specific players until they sign their letter of intent, that being said, are we still expecting three letters of intent to arrive next month?

Keno Davis: We are always hopeful to receive letters of intent. I can't say more as the NCAA is following this live chat!

gohardfriar: Coach, preseason polls aren't showing much love to the Friars because of the relative youth of the team and the loss of 5 seniors. Do you feel its an advantage to be under the radar and does it motivate the players to eclipse expectations?

Keno Davis: I think with a veteran team the disrespect card would be played more often. Our young players are just excited about seeing another team on the court after some intense preseason workouts and practices.

Sec 124: Coach Davis, are the student-athletes excited for an exhibition at Alumni Hall as the fans are? Are you showing clips from the halcyon days of the Hall?

Keno Davis: Around the country players are always excited about the tip off of the season. The anticipation of playing in Alumni Hall should increase the quality of the atmosphere surrounding an exhibition game.

Darrin: With almost half your roster comprised of freshman, which of the 7 freshman players are you expecting an immediate impact from?

Keno Davis: I am not expecting an immediate impact from anyone specifically but hoping for an impact from all seven as the season progresses. I will take one more question as we have reached 1 p.m.

redcollfan: coach keno what ideas do you have for a strong home court advantage?

Keno Davis: Our home court advantage is tied in to the size of our crowds and the noise that they can create. Our fans can have an impact when we having success on the court but also can help us during tough stretches. I think you will also enjoy watching our students this season as they impact the game. Thanks for everyone that joined us today.

At least those are the conclusions if the league's pre-season vote is accurate.

All teams in the conference play each other at least once. To get to 16 games, each school is paired with three others it meets twice. Only one team, George Washington, has been paired with three teams picked to finish in the top half of the conference.

GW meets Richmond (picked to finish third), La Salle (fourth) and Charlotte (seventh) for a total of 14. Richmond on the other hand must play Charlotte, GW and Saint Louis (12th) for a total of 32.

URI's opponents are Temple (tied for fifth), UMass (ninth) and Fordham (14th) for a total of 28.

Here are the totals for each team with degree of difficulty listed first.

1. GW 14
2-3 Saint Louis and Charlotte 18
4. Dayton 19
5. Fordham 21
6-7-8 UMass, Temple, Xavier, all 22.
9. Duquesne 24
10. Saint Joseph's 25
11. La Salle 27
12. URI 28
13. St. Bonaventure 29
14. Richmond 32

If the Big East's coach's poll holds true to form, the schedule maker was pretty kind to the Providence Friars.

Using the coach's poll as a guide, the Friars have the second-easiest conference schedule. The major determining factor is the three teams assigned as double opponents in league play. The Friars will play Syracuse (picked sixth), Marquette (12th) and South Florida (14th) twice each and every other Big East school once, for a total of 18 games. The combined number of the repeat foes (32) is the second highest in the league.

The Big East attempts to divide its 16 teams into three rough tiers when it sets out to determine the repeat opponents. Within reason - and after listening to the wishes of their TV partners at CBS and ESPN - the league assigns every team a repeat opponent from each tier. PC, for example, plays an upper tier team in Syracuse; a middle team in Marquette; and a lower tier team in South Florida.

Speaking of the Bulls, they seem to be the team that did not make out too well in the process. While USF does not play an upper tier team (Notre Dame, Cincinnati, PC) its combined strength number ranks 11th overall. That's a bit of a swing from the 14th position the Bulls were pegged by the Big East's coaches.

Here is the complete ranking of schedule strength, according to the above formula:

T 1. Villanova
T 1. UConn
T 3. West Virginia
T 3. Louisville
T 5. Georgetown
T 5. Syracuse
7. Pittsburgh
8. Notre Dame
9. Cincinnati
10. Seton Hall
11. South Florida
12. St. John's
13. Marquette
14. Rutgers
15. PROVIDENCE
16. DePaul

League officials held a conference call Wednesday to discuss the season and reported that defending champion Cornell is a strong choice to win again. The Big Red received all 16 first-place votes for 128 points.

Princeton is picked second with 96 points, followed by Glen Miller's Penn team with 92, Harvard 86, Yale 59, Columbia 55, Brown 41 and Dartmouth 19.

Cornell (21-10, 11-3) returns all five starters, including three all-Ivy choices.

``It's a great group to coach,'' said Big Red coach Steve Donahue. ``There's very little maintenance.''

Brown (9-19, 3-11) will rely on forward Matt Mullery, who was fourth in the conference in both scoring (16.1) and rebounding (6.5) last season.

``Anything that goes with Brown basketball right now starts and ends with Matt Mullery,'' said second-year Brown coach Jesse Agel. ``He's our focal point. We look to get him the ball.''

PROVIDENCE - Just back from the Mal Brown scrimmage held this afternoon at Providence College.

First off, Sharaud Curry and sophomore forward Jamine Peterson were held out of the scrimmage due to minor injuries. There is no reason to panic here. Both practiced and looked good on Friday afternoon. Peterson dominated the offensive boards, in fact, and has easily been the most productive frontcourt player. If the Friars had a real game today, both Curry and Peterson would've played and started.

Marshon Brooks led the Black team to a 43-32 win over the Silver team. Brooks scored 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting and also grabbed 5 rebounds. He basically did whatever he wanted to off the dribble and also ran the court very well.

After Brooks, finding many offensive highlights would be a challenge. Duke Mondy, a guard from Grand Rapids, Mich., led the Silver team with 11 points, including three 3-pointers. He looks like the most confident shooter of any of the freshmen guards.

Vincent Council (1-of-7) struggled with his shot but pushed the tempo nicely....James Still (1-of-8) likes to get off shots quickly...Russ Permenter didn't look at the hoop until the final five minutes. That's when he made his three shots...More on the scrimmage and a feature on Brian McKenzie in Sunday's Journal.