H/T @mhopkins8587
ESPN (AP): Providence 72, UConn 70
“There’s not a shot LaDontae doesn’t like,” Providence coach Ed Cooley said of Henton’s buzzer-beater. “That mentality is great at some points, and he’s always ready to shoot.”
Friars.com: Men’s Basketball Ends Home Season With A Victory Over Connecticut, 72-70
The Providence College men’s basketball team (15-15, 4-13 BIG EAST) defeated the Connecticut Huskies (17-12, 7-10 BIG EAST) by the score of 72-70, in its final home game of the season on Tuesday, February 28, at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Three Friars scored in double digits in the victory. Sophomore guard Bryce Cotton (Tucson, Ariz.) scored 22 points while freshman forward LaDontae Henton (Lansing, Mich.) registered 18 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Gerard Coleman (Boston, Mass.) added 13 points. Junior guard Vincent Council (Brooklyn, N.Y.) contributed nine points and 11 assists and sophomore forward Kadeem Batts (Powder Springs, Ga.) grabbed 13 rebounds.
StatSheet.com: Boxscore
Hartford Courant: Providence Upsets UConn, 72-70
Bryce Cotton (22 points) was let loose for a couple of three-point shots to pull the Friars (15-15, 4-13) within striking distance. Then came several terrible, rushed three-point attempts from the Huskies and a turnover, and the crowed became a major factor.
“All hell broke loose,” Napier said.
Pawtucket Times: Friars deliver in home finale, top Huskies, 72-70
The message from the coach: “I told the team prior to our walkthrough that we’ve come a long way as a program. Against Assumption, we were immature. In our last game against DePaul, our execution, our precision down the stretch, paying attention to detail – it might not reflect in our record but I think our program grew from Assumption to DePaul.”
The Day: Post-game breakdown, video: Providence
Freshman LaDontae Henton (18 points) delivered two of the game’s biggest shots, burying back-to-back three-pointers. His second one just beat the shot clock, handing PC a 69-61 lead with one minute left.
“I had my hand in his face and he knocked the shot down,” Drummond said. “That’s a big time shot right there.”
The Day: Friars are on the rise
Let me just say this: If you have some money burning a hole in your wallet, invest in Providence season tickets now and avoid the inevitable bandwagon. The Friars are a comin’.
This much we know, however: UConn better milk all it can from the moment. You can make a decent case that after this season, Providence will make the NCAA tournament before UConn does. UConn fans will hate that. Sorry. But an energetic coach has his whole team back plus two of the best high school players in the country. UConn has a 70-year-old coach with a bad back, two players who might leave for the pros and the specter of NCAA ineligibility.
Friar Basketball: Looking to Finish Strong, Sharpshooting Friars Knock Off Connecticut
It was a season that looked as though it would close much in the same manner of many others in recent PC history, but with a buzzer-beating jumper by Henton on Saturday and a 26-5 blitz of a stunned Connecticut group, Providence has turned the tide in February – and they have a chance to close the season on a high note similar to the one Rutgers finished with at this time a year ago.
GoLocalProv: Providence 2nd half comeback stuns UConn, 72-70
But in this unlikely scenario, with the game on the line and the outcome hanging in the balance, it was Providence making the plays in the final minutes that UConn is used to making. But in this game, the Huskies were the team left wondering what happened at the end. Behind an incredible 26-5 run during an eight minute stretch in the second half, PC came from behind to beat UConn 72-70 at the Dunkin Donuts Center Tuesday night.
New Haven Register: Right Now, This is Not an NCAA Tournament Team. Sorry.
I don’t care what Joey Brackets says. I don’t care what their RPI is, or whether they (somehow) still have the nation’s No. 1 strength of schedule. I don’t care if the ol’ “last 10 games” aren’t supposed to matter much, if at all.
They should matter. The Huskies have lost nine of their last 12 games. Their only three wins over the past 1 1/2 months came against a Herb Pope-less Seton Hall, last-place DePaul and 14th-place Villanova.
Hartford Courant: Huskies’ Bubble May Have Burst In Providence
The Huskies lost by falling apart defensively in the second half just when it looked as if they were in control of the game. They blew a 14-point lead with under 13 minutes left. They lost once again by allowing far too many three-pointers, 10 this time. They lost with some rushed threes, like the one by Niels Giffey that turned into a Bryce Cotton three-pointer where the lead went from 11 to eight and so went a chunk of momentum. They lost late after Jeremy Lamb took a three-pointer of 30 feet that looked as if it would have needed radar guidance only for him to get the ball back, turn and chuck another three-point miss. He said he thought they were good looks and, hey, he’s The Shooter.
Connecticut News: Three Months After UCF Loss, Not Much Has Changed For Huskies
As you all know, Shabazz Napier has no problem speaking his mind. And I respect that – it’s definitely refreshing to hear something that isn’t pre-meditated media talk. Here’s his take from Tuesday.
“No disrespect to them, but this is one of the games you put a ‘W’ by before you even play,” Napier said.
Only problem is, against Providence, it’s not always an easy ‘W.’ In fact, the Friars have nipped the Huskies in five of the past seven meetings.
The players, past, current and future
Kiwi Gardner (@KiwiLoveThaKids): Big shot BILLUPS = BIG BIG SHOT BUCKETS
LaDontae Henton (@HentonBuckets23): It feels good to be a friar!!!
Lee Goldsbrough (@GeordieFriar): Can’t really complain with that result!!!
Brice Kofane (@BFL_Brice13: Great team effort tonight.
Bryce Cotton (@b_cotton11): What a way to end the last home game of the year..
Austin Croshere (@AustinCroshere): Big win for PC over the Huskies. Always love beating the Huskies.
Marshon Brooks (@Marshon2): #FRIARTOWN baby, we on our way!!! Favorite this tweet #incooleywetrust
Kris Dunn (@ShowTime_Dunn): #Friartown was rockin tonight, fans was wild, cooley sweatin, Ladonte(Buckets) knocking 3′a but respect to my bro Andre, pointed to the kid
Fans
@RichSlate: Given the stakes for UConn & the fact they were up 14 in the 2nd half, it was easily the best win of the season for PC. #pcbb #uconn
@TonyRBranco: Great win tonight by the Providence College Friars over UConn. The future is bright for Ed Cooley and his program.
@jlock5: PC takes down UCONN’s NCAA hopes I could not have asked for a better game. Priceless. Hopefully uconn rebuilds for 2014 season.
@FriarTruck: Way to go Friars and a hat tip to the Friar fans who still believed when they were down by 14. Friar fans are LOYAL! #pcbb
@SiptheCool_Aid: “The Dunk, where ranked teams come to die.” -Doug Gottlieb on ESPNU College Basketball Live. #pcbb
@PCDen: Lost my voice tonight. Worth every second. This is why I’m a Friar Fanatic #pcbb #icwt
@Jake_Finan21: Second best game I have been to, only one better was when @Marshon2 dropped 52 in a game before my eyes #beastmode #pcbb
@MattOliveira21: 1 thing I loved seeing about #PCBB this year:They grew up and became men.These players needed Ed Cooley.Council,Cotton,Batts took huge steps
@TMerc3: What a way to close out the season @ the #Dunk #Friars beat their biggest rival #UConn on senior night! This team never gives up! #pcbb
@FriarFrenzy: Great crowd. Great energy. Great student presence. Great win. Go Friars! #pcbb
