Inside Slant
The Friars were a halfway-decent team in 2009-10. Unfortunately for Keno Davis, his Providence team was also halfway-pathetic.
Providence was one of the best offensive teams in the country, fourth in Division I at 82.4 points per game. It discovered some new offensive threats in Jamine Peterson, Vincent Council and Bilal Dixon, and had the ability to put up points in bunches.
The problem was that the Friars always surrendered points like defense was a chore to be endured in order to get the ball back. Of the 334 teams in Division I, it was 333rd in scoring defense and 320th in field goal percentage defense. That led to a 4-14 Big East record, and an 11-game losing streak to end the regular season.
Though not much was expected from the Friars, the disappointing part of the year was how the team finished. It came close to pulling off a couple of late wins, like against Pittsburgh in the regular season and in the Big East tournament against Seton Hall, but when the Friars suffered through bad stretches, they were really terrible. A South Florida team that had trouble scoring all season had 109 points the first time the teams met and 99 the second, the two highest point totals for the Bulls all season.
Looking for optimism? Most of the roster is back. Peterson was snubbed by the All-Big East selectors, but averaged a double-double and is one of the most explosive players in the Big East. Marshon Brooks can score, and Dixon emerged from his redshirt season to capably man the paint. Vincent Council and Duke Mondy highlighted an effective freshman class.
Looking for pessimism? None of that will mean anything if the Friars don't figure out how to guard people before the 2010-11 season begins.FINAL RECORD: 12-19, 4-14, 15th in the Big East.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Providence found a core of players that looks more than capable of leading the program to bigger things in the future.
After sitting out last season as a redshirt, Jamine Peterson was one of the top scorers in the conference in 2009-10, leading the Friars with 19.6 points per game and averaging a double-double with 10.2 rebounds. Bilal Dixon also emerged as a force in the paint, and the redshirt freshman should only get better with another year of development.
Also contributing was a strong initial Keno Davis recruiting class. The star was a bit of a surprise, as Vincent Council stole the spotlight on his way to making the Big East All-Rookie team. He averaged 5.3 assists in Big East play, two more than any of his classmates in the league. Duke Mondy also looks like a player, while Johnnie Lacy may be ready to break out next year with Sharaud Curry graduating.
Speaking of Curry, though the fifth-year senior's career didn't end as he would have liked, he did have a strong campaign and finished his time in Providence in 10th place on the school's all-time scoring list, right behind Otis Thorpe.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The Friars didn't guard anyone all year, and faded badly over the final six weeks of the season. For a fanbase that is already frustrated at the team's lack of recent success, this was not appreciated.
Providence did not handle that stretch particularly well. At one point, Keno Davis seemed to throw his players under the bus before walking his comments back shortly thereafter, but the second-year coach still doesn't have all the players he needs to run his system. That fact was painfully apparent in 2009-10.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I've really enjoyed being able to coach this group and see them improve. Even if we haven't seen it on the scoreboard, we've been very competitive this year. I think you have to learn how to win and you have to learn how to keep getting better. But I think we have a good nucleus of players and I think we'll be a team that people will have to watch next year." Providence coach Keno Davis told the Providence Journal.THE GOOD NEWS: If you believe in Keno Davis, the good news is that he's now another year into a process of bringing in the players he needs and teaching them the system that has worked well for him in his (admittedly brief) head coaching career.
Though Sharaud Curry in particular will be missed, the Friars have the rest of their core back in 2010-11. A team with Vincent Council at the point, Marshon Brooks on the wing, Bilal Dixon in the paint and Jamine Peterson everywhere is not going to be one that opposing coaches enjoy trying to match up with.
THE BAD NEWS: The Friars often looked like they had no interest in playing defense at all. Part of the issue with the team seemed to be technique and strategy related, but it was exacerbated by mental mistakes like not getting back on defense and allowing fast breaks and points in transition. Providence could score points in a hurry, but it gave up points even faster. It's not just a matter of getting his team to do things like keep their hands up and box out Keno Davis will have to change his team's entire mentality on that end of the court.
KEY RETURNEES: With the exception of Sharaud Curry, the big Providence scorers next year should pretty much be the same guys who did the job this year. Four of the top five scorers return, led by Jamine Peterson, who averaged a double-double as a redshirt sophomore. Vincent Council and swingman Marshon Brooks return on the perimeter, with Bilal Dixon in the paint. Another key name to remember is Johnnie Lacy, who didn't get to play much as a freshman but should have a bigger role in his sophomore season.
ROSTER REPORT:
G Vincent Council didn't take long to make an impact with the Friars this season. The Big East All-Rookie selection led the team with 5.3 assists per game in conference play.
G Sharaud Curry graduates as the school's all-time free throw percentage leader. He made 339 of his 388 attempts in his college career, good for an 87.4% clip.
One of the recruits coming in next year that is particularly exciting for Providence fans is Gerald Coleman. The Boston-area guard is another explosive scorer who had 43 points in the National Prep Championships.
