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Big East Basketball: Providence vs. Creighton preview, prediction, TV schedule

By Lukas Harkins

Jan 7, 2017; Providence, RI, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Justin Patton (23) blocks a shot from Providence Friars forward Emmitt Holt (15) during the second half at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The Bluejays won 78-64. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2017; Providence, RI, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Justin Patton (23) blocks a shot from Providence Friars forward Emmitt Holt (15) during the second half at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The Bluejays won 78-64. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports /
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Creighton is definitely a tournament team, but Providence is on the rise looking for another at-large bid for Big East basketball.

TV Schedule: Wednesday, February 22, 9:00 p.m. ET on NO TV

Arena: CenturyLink Center, Omaha, Nebraska

The Creighton Bluejays are a lock to go to the tournament this year, but the same cannot be said about Providence. The Friars have had a unique season and are now very much in the bubble conversation for the rest of the season, especially if they could manage to snag this road win. For Creighton, it was a heartbreaker when Maurice Watson Jr. got hurt earlier in the year, but they have seemed to stabilize since then and are still a power in the conference.

As the season grinds to a close, Creighton have four more games left to play, starting at home against Providence. After their game with the Friars, the Bluejays play Villanova (road), St. John’s (home), and Marquette (road). Although this is not the most difficult closing schedule, it could be much easier. If they can finish strong, finding the four line is not out of the question for the Jays.

Providence, on the other hand, need some help to make the Big Dance. As of Monday morning, the Friars were my third team OUT of the tournament field. This is the closest the team has been to the cutline all season and it comes in response to their back-to-back wins over Butler and Xavier. This game against Creighton rounds out a very tough stretch of games for them, but a win would likely put them in the projected field. After the Creighton game, however, things get much easier, as they then finish with Marquette (home), DePaul (home), and St. John’s (road).

In the first meeting between these two teams, Creighton came out on top in Rhode Island, 78-64, although Mo Watson Jr. was available for that game. Watson had 11 points and 14 assists in that game, but the high man was Justin Patton with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting. On the Providence end of things, Emmitt Holt dropped in 17 to lead the way. Both teams are 3-2 in their last five games, but that is about to change on Wednesday night, so stay tuned.

Prediction: Creighton 82, Providence, 74

Next: View the updated bracket

Providence are still looking at the NCAA Tournament field from the outside-looking-in according to Monday’s Bracketology, but that could all change with this game.

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