On Feb. 22, 2023, then-No. 20 UConn hosted then-No. 18 Providence at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. Since then, the two programs have gone in opposite directions—with Providence’s downfall beginning with former head coach Ed Cooley’s departure for conference rival Georgetown.
Now, UConn (19-1, 9-0 Big East) is ranked No. 2 in this week’s AP Poll, and sits atop the Big East with a one-game lead over St. John’s. Providence (9-11, 2-7 Big East) is in 10th place in an 11-team conference and comes into the game losing seven of the last nine games. The Friars have not won back-to-back games since home wins over in-state rivals Rhode Island and Brown and have lost back-to-back games coming into Tuesday’s matchup against the Huskies.
For Providence, head coach Kim English’s seat gets hotter by the minute in the eyes of the fans. The Friars are not necessarily a bad team, but their record is tarnished by some inexplicable losses.
First, it was a double-overtime loss at Butler after leading by eight points in the second half. Then it was a 5-point loss at home to Seton Hall. Things looked to turn in the right direction after a thrilling 77-71 win at St. John’s, but Connecticut overcame adversity and beat Providence in overtime at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. A 13-point loss at Xavier and a four-point loss at home to Villanova followed. The Friars’ last win came at home on Jan. 16, upsetting Creighton 93-88.
Since then, Providence has lost back-to-back games. Both of which were winnable. The first of which came at last-place Marquette, where the Friars blew a 3-point lead with the ball in the final seconds. That resulted in a 105-104 loss to the Golden Eagles in overtime. The most recent game may have been the most inconceivable. Against Cooley, public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of Friartown, Providence blew a 21-point lead in the second half to lose at home to Georgetown for the first time in the post-Cooley era.
So, you can see how the unrest has grown in the Ocean State to the point of calling for the school to fire English immediately. After a promising first year, where he had the pleasure of coaching the Big East Player of the Year in Devin Carter, the Friars have not found the same level of success that the program saw under Cooley.
On paper, it is not hard to find talent on the current roster. Jamier Jones should be penciled into the Big East All-Freshman Team, averaging 12.4 points per game this season. Also expected to be on that team is Stefan Vaaks, who averages 15.3 points per contest and scored 11 points in the last meeting against Connecticut.
Jason Edwards is one of the best scorers in the league, averaging 17.2 points per game. However, he has sat out in the last four games due to a foot injury. His status will not be known until 4:30 p.m.
Jaylin Sellers is not far behind Edwards in scoring, averaging 16 points per game, and has carried the scoring load in Edwards’s absence.
On the other hand, Dan Hurley and the Huskies cannot afford to look past this game. UConn may be 19-1, unbeaten in conference play and are ranked No. 2 in the country, but there is a lot to fix if this stairway to seven will have a happy ending.
Four of the last five games for UConn have been nail-biters. The Huskies could have very well been coming into this game with five losses and in danger of falling out of the AP Poll, like what happened in January 2023. However, the team’s resilience and toughness have made them perfect since the lone hiccup against Arizona in November.
Regardless of whether Providence is having a good season or not, expect a raucous crowd at Gampel Pavilion. On Monday afternoon, it was announced that classes would be cancelled for students due to the ongoing clean-up from Sunday’s massive snowstorm. No classes, plus the annual $2 Miller Lite promotion, and it is almost certain that at least a portion of the crowd will be quite inebriated.
The Huskies will have to overcome the potential absence of freshman star Braylon Mullins, who went into the concussion protocol after being on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow from Villanova’s Acaden Lewis as both dove for a loose ball. Like Edwards, the status of Mullins will be determined around 4:30 p.m.
Providence’s offensive efficiency ranks higher than UConn, 27th to Connecticut’s 38th. However, the Friars’ defense has been atrocious, ranking outside the top –200 in terms of efficiency on KenPom.
The roads and sidewalks may be slippery outside, but Connecticut cannot slip as it has come close to doing in four of the past five games.
UConn has taken each of the last seven meetings in the rivalry, which is the longest winning streak for either side since the series started in 1928. Overall, the Huskies hold a 52-31 lead against the Friars.
Tip-off from the Basketball Capital of the World is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on TNT and truTV.