It’s time to get back to Gampel Pavilion for some UConn men’s basketball action as the Huskies prepare for an exciting showdown with the Providence Friars on Wednesday.
Both programs are coming into this matchup on massive highs. After Providence got revenge against former head coach Ed Cooley in a blockbuster matchup against Georgetown at Amica Mutual Pavilion, they will head into Storrs with plenty of momentum. While this team sits near the bottom of the Big East conference, it’s not time to sleep on coach Kim English.
You can’t speak about this program without mentioning Devin Carter. Currently averaging a whopping 18.6 points per contest, the South Carolina transfer has been playing like a First-Team All-Big East player. After losing star Bryce Hopkins for the entire season, English has needed someone to step up in his absence and Carter has certainly done so, plus more. He leads the Friars in points, rebounds, assists and steals ahead of this contest. While the Miami native has been an important member of this team since his arrival via the transfer portal last season, his game has evolved and he’s going to give this Huskies roster plenty of issues on both sides of the ball.
Then there’s Josh Oduro, the man in the middle for Providence. The 6-foot-9 senior has also played a big part in helping to fill the absence of Hopkins in the front court with a team-leading 1.6 blocks per game. On the offensive end, he’s picked up 14.8 points per game and is the second-leading rebounder behind Carter in the starting lineup. Expect him to create some problems in the paint for Connecticut.
Both Jayden Pierre and Davonte “Ticket” Gaines have remained mainstays in the starting lineup and each have been massively important pieces of this Providence squad.
Throughout the season, the Friars have not done the best with shooting from beyond the arc, so nearly 50% of their points come from 2-pointers. That’s been one of the biggest strengths in their offense, as the program owns the 19th-highest 2-point percentage in college basketball. However, the biggest asset with this team is their defense, and their defensive efficiency rating of 93.8 certainly proves that, good for the ninth-best mark in the country.
A top offense and defense going at each other makes a great college basketball matchup. While the odds certainly aren’t in the favor of the away team with the way that this Huskies team operates inside of Gampel Pavilion, English and his squad are certainly not going to make it easy for Dan Hurley. While the Friars have certainly had their struggles, they have been able to take down teams like Seton Hall at home without Kadary Richmond and have stayed competitive with teams like St. John’s on the road.
In year one of the English era in Friartown, it should certainly be an exciting matchup to watch with Connecticut hosting their Bleed Blue game. While it may not be $2 Beer Night like last season’s matchup or feature famous Ed Cooley quotes, the modern rivalry between these two teams should still serve fans with an exciting game.
If you can’t make it to Storrs for the 8:30 tip, you can catch the game on Fox Sports 1.