Providence College basketball preview: Davis is hoping patience, hard work pay off

His team may not be ready for prime time now, but the goal is to get there by the first week of January, or the start of the Big East season. Even more important is to be a tough out by the time March and the postseason comes into view.

The moment of truth is near for Providence College

Many Big East teams already own marquee victories that have helped catapult them into the Top 25. Providence, despite a 13-6 overall record and 5-2 mark in the Big East, is not one of them; not just yet, anyway.

The Friars may be off to a fine start in league play but they’re set to enter one of two demanding stretches left on their schedule. Beginning with a home game against Syracuse on Wednesday, PC plays four straight games (the game against the Orange, followed by games at UConn, vs. Villanova at home and at West Virginia) against teams that were ranked in the polls at some time this month.

The moment of truth is on Wednesday.  If they can’t show they can beat these better teams on their own court, the next three will be that much more pressure packed and must win status — if the Friars want to prove that they do not belong in the bottom tier of the league..

In a Projo.com online survey from today:

What can the PC Friars do to improve on defense?

Some responses from those clever folks!

• “Put more pressure on the ball. Oh yea…get John Linehan back.”
  • Since he looked about 40 when he played here, he must look what, 50 now?
• “Schedule more game with Broawn URI. They are easy to beat.”
  • ..and Brown is easy to spell.
• “Stop the opposing team from putting the ball into the peach basket.”
  • Hmm, and how can I improve my weight loss? Stop fucking eating?
• “Don’t you love Fr. Shanley’s new game of Keno? Should have put the $$$ in education, where it belongs!”
  • Oh, Keno the gambling game! I see what you did there.
• “Play all division 2 schools. That way they can look good all the time.”
  • Or they can just play ugly teams all the time
• “Bring back Marvin Barnes …. and give him his old tire iron!”
  • don’t forget to give him coke too!
• “Stop the other teams from scoring more points than they do”
  • Hmm, do you know peach basket guy?
• “Bring back Tim Welsh”
  • Can you say, honeymoon over?