Big East Basketball: 10 key questions looming for 2021-22 season

7. Will Providence return back to the top of the Big East?

The Providence Friars have had a rough last couple of seasons with head coach Ed Cooley. Last season was the first time since the 2011-12 season that the Friars finished with a record of .500 or below, as they completed 2020-21 with a record of 13-13 and 9-10 in Big East basketball action.

The Friars have made five consecutive NCAA Tournament from 2014-18 under Cooley in his 10 seasons of work, but the last few seasons have been something to forget.  Providence has fielded a record of 28-27 across the past three years in conference action and this season, they’ll need to turn things around.

Aljami Durham (Indiana) and Justin Minaya (South Carolina) are two prospects looking to change those odds on the wing. Durham turned into a starter in his four-year career with the Hoosiers from 2017-21. He averaged 11.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 2.6 apg and shot 38 percent from the arc in 2020-21.

Minaya is another player that had a four-year career to emerge as a starter and is finishing up elsewhere. He posted 7.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 1.8 apg in 2020-21 with the Gamecocks. While he’s not exactly a perimeter threat, his size at 6-foot-6 gives the Friars a versatile option in the rotation.

With some experience in the backcourt and on the boards, the Friars will look to make noise in the Big East. Look for point guard Jared Bynum to step up at the point guard spot as well after producing 5.8 ppg, 3.6 apg, and 1.0 spg through 13 games (11 starts) this past season.