Providence at Wichita State: 2018-19 game preview, storylines to watch

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Alpha Diallo #11 of the Providence Friars reacts after a play against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 16: Head coach Cooley of Providence Friars. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Will the freshmen immediately dominate?

For Providence…

Even though the Friars will largely rely on returning talent this season, quite possibly the two most important players on the roster will be freshmen this season. David Duke (No. 47 recruit) and A.J. Reeves (No. 48) are both highly-regarded incoming guards who will be tasked with filling out the Providence backcourt this season. And considering this also means working to replace star graduate Kyron Cartwright, their play will be under a microscope this season.

In the season opener on Nov. 6 against Siena, Duke was held scoreless in 20 minutes but Reeves absolutely lit up the scoreboard. He shot a blistering 7-for-9 from beyond the arc on his way to a game-high 29 points in that contest. And while these two performances were on the opposite spectrum compared to each other, if this duo can combine for ~30 points per game on solid shooting from three, PC is going to be in for a big season.

For Wichita State…

Quite simply, Wichita State absolutely needs its freshmen to be great this season in order to replicate the success of some recent seasons. The Shockers waved goodbye to just about their entire rotation this offseason and will thus need to see immediate contributions from the youngsters on the roster. This is in regards to just about every facet of the game as well considering the Shockers have to replace scorers, creators, and rebounders.

Wichita State dropped their season opener on Nov. 6 to Louisiana Tech and although the result was disappointing, some freshmen showed signs of promise. Perhaps most notably, guard prospects Jamarius Burton (6p/5a) and Dexter Dennis (10p/4r) posted strong debuts. The team is still going to need far more production from their freshmen, though, in order to consistently win games this year.