PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Thursday night was a missed opportunity for Providence. The Friars had a lot of those on the evening, actually, but that’s what the 82-79 overtime loss to Connecticut amounted to as a result.
It was a missed opportunity to get back above .500 overall and simultaneously send Connecticut below .500 in the Big East. It was an opportunity to stop a two-game losing streak and to do so against their rivals from one state away, at a time when they are very beatable. And most of all, it was an opportunity to win a game where effort wasn’t the biggest issue.
Providence won in the biggest effort statistic of the game, and emphatically so. The Friars out-rebounded Connecticut 55-24, which tied a Big East record for rebounding margin in a conference game. The most telling stat, in more ways than one, is that Providence out-rebounded Connecticut solely on account of 28 offensive boards. It’s a great stat for the Friars at first glance, but also tells you something else: they didn’t shoot well. They shot below 34 percent.
And on a team where defense has been a concern since they ran out to an 8-2 start, the Friars forced just 11 turnovers and allowed the Huskies to shoot 50 percent from the field.
Providence head coach Ed Cooley shook up the starting lineup because of defense. At the start of the game, senior point guard Vincent Council and sophomore forward LaDontae Henton, the latter of whom Cooley has been very critical of defensively, were on the bench. Lee Goldsbrough, who plays limited minutes, and walk-on Ted Bancroft started in place of them.
Council came in and made an instant impact offensively, and for a lot of the game he did a good job on Shabazz Napier. But foul trouble mounted, and five seconds into overtime Council was done after scoring 15 points and handing out 10 assists. Napier went on to have a big overtime as the Huskies stole one. For his part, Henton had a game-high 13 rebounds.
Providence had a lot of opportunities in this one. Thanks to the 28 offensive rebounds, they had a big possession advantage despite 17 turnovers. They took 11 more shots than the Huskies from the field and went to the free throw line 12 more times. They actually shot well at the line, going 32-39, but couldn’t make shots from the field.
While the Friars had a big rebounding edge, they turned those 28 offensive rebounds into just 18 second-chance points. That, ultimately, is where this game was lost.
Think about how vulnerable Connecticut is. The Huskies lack depth, especially up front, and that’s with a healthy Tyler Olander as he battled flu-like symptoms and wasn’t a factor in 12 minutes before fouling out. Bancroft, a guard, had eight rebounds, more than Olander and 7’1″ big man Enosch Wolf combined and more than anyone on Connecticut’s team. The Huskies aren’t nearly as talented as they have been. That happens when you’re ineligible for postseason play, as players will bolt in search of a team that can get there.
And Providence had not lost to the Huskies in that building in seven years. Last year, they might have sealed Connecticut’s NCAA Tournament fate with a win there.
The game played out the way you could hope if you’re a Friar fan. Providence seemed to want the game more, as evidenced by the rebounding numbers. Rebounding is the ultimate effort stat, as teams often win if they win the rebounding battle. Not always, but it happens often enough unless a team has a big edge in another key statistical category.
In addition, it looked like the game would go their way from how it played out. Connecticut ran out to a 25-10 lead, but Providence got within one at the half and took their first lead early in the second. At times they had a lot of momentum, and with all the extra chances they got you had a feeling they would ultimately pull this out. They would make Connecticut pay for surrendering that early lead.
It didn’t happen.
Providence isn’t going to the NCAA Tournament unless they go on a miraculous run in New York in the Big East Tournament. In light of that, Thursday night wasn’t a missed opportunity for a resume-building win. It was a missed opportunity to get a win to get the team going again. Considering they missed opportunities all night long, it seems a fitting end.
