Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big East Basketball: Buy or sell Butler, St. John’s and other bubble teams

By Eddie Herz

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 14: A general view during the championship game of the Big East basketball tournament between the Villanova Wildcats and the Xavier Musketeers at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 14: A general view during the championship game of the Big East basketball tournament between the Villanova Wildcats and the Xavier Musketeers at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 8
Next
CINCINNATI, OH – FEBRUARY 28: Head coach Ed Cooley of the Providence Friars argues with referee Jeff Clark in the second half of a game against the Xavier Musketeers at Cintas Center on February 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Xavier won 84-74 to claim the Big East Conference regular season title. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – FEBRUARY 28: Head coach Ed Cooley of the Providence Friars argues with referee Jeff Clark in the second half of a game against the Xavier Musketeers at Cintas Center on February 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Xavier won 84-74 to claim the Big East Conference regular season title. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Providence Friars – Sell

Despite losing leading-scorer Randy Bullock, junior guard Alpha Diallo set the stage for what was supposed to be a successful year for the Friars.

Diallo has played as well as advertised, but his supporting cast hasn’t risen to the occasion this season. Inconsistency from A.J. Reeves and an unexpected minuscule impact provided by Makai Ashton-Langford has made it hard for Providence to put up points.

Currently, the Friars score the least points in the conference (71.2 per game) and only have the NIT to play for considering they hold a 14-12 (4-9) overall record.

Earning two consecutive victories over Xavier and Depaul a few weeks ago kept hope alive in Friartown. Since then, the struggling Friars have dropped five out of six contests, which most likely has spelled the end for Providence.

The Friars would need to miraculously win all five of its remaining regular season games to make any sort of a case for an at-large bid. Considering Providence has yet to play St. Johns and Marquette at home, as well as Butler on the road, the chances of that are doubtful.

The future is bright for Providence, but the 2018-’19 season will go down as a lost one for Ed Cooley and company.

Home/Bracketology