Providence was hoping Bryce Hopkins would return from a torn ACL but erred on the side of caution and held out the star on Wednesday.
While Hopkins is getting close to returning from the injury he suffered last January, the Friars remain uncertain if he will suit up Thursday night against Davidson in the consolation round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Before Providence (5-1) started the tournament with a 79-77 loss to Oklahoma on Wednesday, Hopkins was a game-time decision in the return from his knee injury. After Jayden Pierre missed a 3-pointer right before the horn, coach Kim English remained coy about Hopkins returning.
“It’s probably me more than him, honestly,” English said. “It’s me making sure he’s right. I can look in his eyes and tell when he’s ready.
“He’s been great in practice. He’s getting close. We want to make sure everything is right. And if we are a couple of games or halves too late, I think that’s OK.”
Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 17 points and Pierre and Bensley Joseph each added 16 for the Friars. Providence, however, surrendered 23 points off 16 turnovers, allowed Oklahoma to shoot 51 percent from the field, and was unable to overcome a nine-point deficit in the final minute.
Davidson (4-1) hopes to avoid a second straight dismal showing after starting the tournament with a 104-71 loss to No. 24 Arizona on Wednesday. Davidson took a quick seven-point lead but could not keep pace and trailed by 12 at halftime before getting outscored 55-34 in the second half.
Connor Kochera scored 20 points and Bobby Durkin had 15, but the Wildcats were pushed around in the paint by a 50-28 margin and were outrebounded 47-31.
“We were spinning in circles defensively,” Davidson coach Matt McKillop said in his postgame radio interview.
The schools are meeting in a multi-team event for the second time in five seasons. Providence held on for a 63-62 victory in the 2020 Maui Invitational when it nearly squandered a 19-point lead.
–Field Level Media
