PROVIDENCE, R.I. – This was just what Providence needed. Not just the game, although the Friars will gladly take the easy 79-45 win over Colgate on Tuesday night. But much more than that, for once the Friars were not a team badly in need of more bodies, and they hope it’s the beginning of a trend.
“This may be the first time since I’ve coached here that we’ve had some balanced minutes,” said head coach Ed Cooley.
Tuesday night was the long-awaited debut for freshman guard Kris Dunn and forward Sidiki Johnson. Dunn had missed time with a shoulder injury that required surgery several months ago, delaying his debut, while Johnson was sitting out after transferring from Arizona. Both figured to help the team, but circumstances dictated that they would be more helpful right away than first thought as the Friars have been hit hard with injuries and eligibility issues.
Dunn checked in a little over three minutes into the game to a warm ovation, then wasted little time scoring his first collegiate points on a stickback. Johnson checked in shortly after that when Colgate got hot early and Cooley called a quick timeout. Both left their mark in the final box score, Dunn more so than Johnson as he would grab six rebounds and hand out 13 assists with four turnovers, overshadowing his struggles shooting the ball (3-13 from the field). Johnson had eight rebounds in 16 minutes.
“I didn’t like his shooting, his shooting was somewhat gross,” Cooley said of Dunn’s shooting on the evening. “I like how he ran the team, he was able to get other guys shots and he created offense with his speed and athleticism.”
Dunn’s impact went beyond his own stats. While you can’t attribute this entirely to him, the Friars posted an impressive 25 assists on 32 made field goals with just 12 turnovers. The assists total is a season high, and with Vincent Council potentially not far from returning, it bodes well because this team will have to move the ball and find each other for baskets.
“Obviously, as you saw, Kris is a very unselfish point guard, which benefits everybody on our team,” said guard Bryce Cotton, who has had to play out of position at the point at times. “He also brings a lot of defensive energy.”
The Friars have unquestionably needed Dunn more than Johnson since the personnel issues have disproportionately affected the backcourt. The Friars have had to play a walk-on significant minutes because of it, while they have the luxury of working Johnson into the rotation at whatever pace Cooley feels will work. Kadeem Batts has emerged inside and LaDontae Henton was already a solid known quantity, and there’s enough production they can put on the floor at a given time that they aren’t hurt if they play Lee Goldsbrough for appreciable minutes.
Dunn was expected to give this team a boost right away, although not to the degree that Ricardo Ledo was. Part of that is because the Friars have a three-year starter at the point in Council, who has been out since the middle of November with a hamstring injury. When Council went down, then Cotton got hurt a couple of times, there were probably many Friar faithful who were hoping Dunn’s shoulder would heal a little faster.
Leading up to the game, Dunn said he was eager to play and had a lot of jitters as the game started. The early basket helped him greatly, and he certainly looked more settled after that.
“I was definitely having trouble sleeping,” said the freshman guard. “I was just thinking about the game before it happened, I was excited all day because I had people coming from back home to the game.”
So now this team will have more players available, and in theory that will help. Providence has put up an 8-2 mark largely having to play five or six scholarship players, and have done so largely with defensive effort. This team still has flaws offensively, as they aren’t a good shooting team from deep and aren’t loaded with post scorers inside. They also haven’t exactly played a schedule of world-beaters, and neither of the two teams left before Big East play begins will be in the NCAA Tournament barring a miracle.
It all comes at a good time for the Friars, as non-conference play is winding down. All that is left is a trip to Boston College on Saturday and a trip across town to Brown a week from Friday, then they open Big East play with a big challenge at Louisville. While the Friars have managed with fewer bodies, they are happy to be closer to having their full team available.
“I’d rather manage 13 (players), but it’s been good,” Cooley said with a smile.
Tuesday night was the beginning of that, they hope. They also hope it’s the beginning of many benefits that Johnson and (especially) Dunn will bring now that they can play.
