It’s a brand new era of basketball at Providence with the introduction of Bryan Hodgson as head coach. The Friars did plenty of winning and were prominent in the Big East throughout Ed Cooley’s time with the program before bolting for Georgetown, though that same success didn’t follow in these last three years under Kim English. Providence fell short of the NCAA Tournament in each of his three campaigns and weren’t even above .500 in recent years.
Last year’s finish was particularly disappointing with the talent assembled, as the Friars ended up just 15-18 and tied for 7th in the conference. While it was improvement from a 12-win performance the season prior, Providence clearly wasn’t in the desire position and a change was made. In comes Hodgson, who’s been a great success across his coaching career, aiding Nate Oats at Buffalo and Alabama before his own work helming Arkansas State and South Florida.
Different look for Friars
With a head coaching change and a new direction for the program, it should come as no surprise that the Friars are replacing a ton of talent from last season. There was certainly an exodus into the transfer portal while seniors like Jason Edwards and Jaylin Sellers are out of eligibility regardless. Hodgson has made a name for himself as a recruiter and program builder in recent years and hopes that this initial haul has Providence trending in a better direction.
There are no assurances and we’ll just have to see how the Friars perform on the court in the months ahead. It’s something of a patchwork lineup with a flurry of transfer additions and a couple young pieces and we’ll be sure to breakdown each of their impact on this team. Fresh off a trip to the NCAA Tournament in his only season at South Florida, can Hodgson recreate that quick magic in Rhode Island?
Projected Starters
Guard – Malik Mack (Senior)
A talented point guard with Big East experience, Mack joins the Friars after playing important minutes for Harvard and Georgetown. A starter for two years with the Hoyas, Mack put up 13.6 points and 4.1 assists per game as a junior and should be just as vital in this backcourt. He’s a very solid outside shooter and great facilitator whose veteran leadership will be just as important as his scoring ability.
Guard – Devin Vanterpool (Junior)
The reigning Most Improved Player in the American Conference, Vanterpool took an enormous leap as a sophomore while at Florida Atlantic. Year two with the Owls saw 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Maryland native who made 35% of his 3-pointers. Now he’s an underclassman hoping to become a big part of the offense for Providence, with really solid potential on the boards and on defense too.
Guard – Miles Byrd (Senior)
After spending parts of four seasons at San Diego State, Byrd joins the Friars and should play a significant role on both ends of the court. A 6-7 wing from Stockton, he averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game, becoming Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. Even while his offense was disappointing at times, Byrd brought the energy on the other end and is a very important new veteran piece for the Friars.
Forward – Ryan Mela (Junior)
Whether or not he’s a starter again, Mela is the only returning player from last season and figures to get decent run in year three. Last year he averaged 9.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game largely in that starting lineup and was more known for his work in the interior. He’s got decent size and shot-making ability along with positional versatility and will almost certainly carve out a significant role in this lineup.
Forward – Arrinten Page (Senior)
Year four brings school number four for Page, who previously emerged at USC, Cincinnati, and Northwestern and now lands in the Big East. His best efforts came last year with the Wildcats, putting up 10.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks a game. A former Top 60 prospect, Page hasn’t lived up to that billing early in his career but is a great post presence looking to develop into an even more dynamic scorer and defender around the rim.
Key Reserves
Guard – Dink Pate (Freshman)
A 6-8 combo guard from Dallas, Pate would be a fantastic asset to this lineup if he’s eventually ruled eligible. He’s got great versatility and athleticism and can put the ball in the basket from all over the court. However, he’s played several years in the G-League and it’s unknown if he’ll actually be able to play college basketball this season, though he’s probably in the starting five if he’s available.
Guard – Ryan Sabol (Senior)
The last three years have seen Sabol develop into a really great backcourt weapon while playing at Buffalo. A 6-2 guard from Washington DC, he’s fresh off a junior year where he averaged 18.8 points and 3.3 assists and was one of the MAC’s most productive players. Sabol made 40% of his 3-pointers and led that league in outside shots and could become a deadly sharpshooter off the bench for the Friars as a senior.
Forward – Javon Bardwell (Freshman)
Don’t sleep on Bardwell, even if he’s the only true freshman prospect we expect to play notable minutes this season. A 4-star wing from New York, he’s highly-touted because of the energy he brings and the athleticism he shows all over the court. Bardwell can defend multiple positions, can score in bunches, and looks like a future starter if he’s still in Providence in the years ahead.
Guard – Gavin Hightower (Sophomore)
We did not see a ton of his game last season, but Hightower followed Hodgson and company over from South Florida and hopes to take the next steps in his career with these Friars. A bench piece as a freshman, Hightower averaged just 4.1 points and 1.7 assists per game, but the staff loves his work ethic, his size, and his potential to develop into a great facilitator in this backcourt.
Forward – Jacob Bannarbie (Junior)
A 6-9 forward originally from Alaska, Bannarbie bounced around at the high school level before beginning his college career with UNLV. We didn’t see a ton of him during that time with the Runnin’ Rebels, including last year’s 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds a night. Regardless of past production, Bannarbie has the size to be a physical athlete even in the Big East and should see important depth minutes at both the 4 and the 5 this year.
Center – Samson Aletan (Senior)
A 6-10 big man from Dallas, Aletan makes the short trip over from Yale where he spent his first three collegiate seasons. A full-time starter the last two years, Aletan averaged 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game last season. He was the best offensive rebounder in the Ivy League last season and is a solid shot blocker who brings experience and physical talent to this frontcourt.
Guard – Joseph Pinion (Senior)
Another player with very questionable eligibility, Pinion hopes for a fifth collegiate season and the Friars could really use his experience in this lineup. After two years on the bench at Arkansas, Pinion starred under Hodgson at both Arkansas State and South Florida, putting up 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists with the Bulls last year. He’s a great outside shooter (38% as a senior) and having that kind of veteran weapon would be a massive win if the courts go Providence’s way.
Schedule Outlook
There shouldn’t be much drama with the season opener against Maine, but the Friars have an early test against Nebraska in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off in Connecticut on November 7th. They’ll be back at home for a few more games after that, including a home date against Colorado on the 14th. Excitement then comes at the Maui Invitational, with Providence taking on VCU, then Arizona or Colorado State and later a third opponent during that event in Hawaii.
There really isn’t much left in the nonconference slate, though an intriguing first road test against rival Rhode Island beckons on December 5th. Big East play starts a week later, though there’s one more nonconference game squeezed in, with the Friars playing rival Syracuse in Boston on December 19th, a few days before a tough trip to Villanova really kicks off conference play.
With two looks at each of the ten other teams in the Big East, it’s hard to say that the Friars have been helped or harmed by the schedule, but they really need to figure things out quickly. The first month or so is very difficult and includes both games with St. John’s, their home date with UConn and a ton of tough road environments. The back half is a little easier, albeit with challenges throughout, before Senior Night against Creighton ends the season on March 6th.
Season Outlook
From a sheer talent perspective, there’s a lot to like about what Hodgson and his new staff have done building things here with the Friars. Obviously a lot depends on the eligibility of a few of those players, but there are still safeguards in place and plenty of new talent in this lineup. The question is if Providence has done enough to take that step forward and get back into the Big Dance.
There are certainly some things to really like about the backcourt. Mack is a fantastic point guard with Big East experience while Vanterpool is a developed scorer looking to make a splash. Sabol could be an absolute steal with his sharpshooting potential. If Pate is ruled eligible, then the roles likely shift a bit and there’ll be even more to love about this level of talent.
If they can make successful transitions, new faces like Byrd and Page could be forces for the Friars. Byrd is a fantastic defender who’ll make the team better as a whole while Page has finally started realizing his potential and hopes to be the lockdown center that this team really needs. Even if Pinion is unavailable, there are some great options both in the paint and on the wing, including the returning Mela as well as a spirited piece like Aletan.
Instead of waxing poetic on these individual players, let’s try to figure out how it all comes together. The Friars should have a variety of scoring options, some great shooters, and physicality on both ends of the court. Hodgson has proven to be a great recruiter and game coach early in his career, but can he handle this big jump to a Big East team trying to reverse a recent nosedive? Additionally, will the Friars get some good news on the eligibility front in the coming days?
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