Providence seeks its fourth straight win to open the season when it hosts Green Bay on Saturday.
The Friars are still without standout Bryce Hopkins, who suffered a torn ACL in January against Seton Hall. Hopkins has averaged 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds during the past two years with Providence.
Friars coach Kim English was not pleased with his team’s latest performance against Hampton. Providence trailed by eight at halftime and shot only 50 percent from the free-throw line in its 60-51 win.
“I thought Hampton did a real good job showing toughness and us, lacking toughness,” English said. “I won’t tolerate that at all. We will play our toughest players and live with the outcome.”
Senior Bensley Joseph had 13 points in the win over Hampton and is averaging a team-best 13.7 points. Wesley Cardet Jr. is averaging another 10 points.
“Five (guys) that’s all we need,” English said. “Five guys that are tough enough. We are incredibly deep. We have a lot of players, but if there’s no separation between guys playing hard in all that depth, the rotation will shrink.”
The Friars are 3-0 for the fourth straight year and 8-0 against teams currently in the Horizon League, home of the Phoenix.
Green Bay made one of the biggest splashes in the college basketball offseason by hiring first-time coach and part-time radio show host Doug Gottlieb as head coach in May.
The Phoenix (1-2) opened the season against Gottlieb’s alma mater, Oklahoma State, and lost 89-76 after getting outrebounded 43-25. They are coming off a win Wednesday night over Western Illinois on the road, 87-73.
Gottlieb detailed the postgame victory celebration on his Fox Sports radio show.
“The buzzer sounds and you’re like, ‘What do I do? Where do I go,'” Gottlieb said. “I knew I was going to get a water shower and they got me … and then they had the Gatorade jug full and I got completely dumped on.”
The Phoenix are led by 2023-24 NAIA All-American Anthony Roy, who is averaging 28.7 points after transferring from NAIA school Langston. He had a career-high 35 in the win over Western Illinois.
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
–Field Level Media
