The eighth-ranked Providence Friars host the Marquette Golden Eagles tonight at 6:00 PM CT on Fox Sports 1 in a duel between dynamic duos. The Friars boast the best player in the nation, Kris Dunn, and arguably the nation's most improved player, Ben Bentil. The Golden Eagles own one of the nation's finest frontcourts in freshman Henry Ellenson and junior Luke Fischer. The two teams are talented and for achievement in the BIG EAST conference but only the Friars so far have met expectations. Providence is 14-1 overall, 2-0 in the BIG EAST, and the winner of high-quality matchups with Arizona and Butler. Marquette started the BIG EAST schedule with two losses -- the first being a 20-point trouncing by Seton Hall -- in which its youth was exposed. The Golden Eagles will look to avoid their first 0-3 start to conference play since the 1998-99 season, and the Friars will attempt to continue their conquest of college basketball.
To preview the Providence-Marquette matchup, the author asked three Friars bloggers to answer five questions in a roundtable-like format. Welcome, Mike Hopkins of pcbb1917.com, Big East Coast Bias, and ScoutFriars.com, Daniel "The Warrior Friar" James of CoxHub.com and FriarBlog.com, and Undercover Friar of ScoutFriars.com! Let's get started. The author's questions are in bold, and each answer is preceded by the blogger's Twitter account.
Providence was picked to finish fifth in the preseason coach’s poll. The narrative was “Kris Dunn and no one else,” as you know. So, tell me: What the hell happened?
@pcbb1917: Well, that narrative was a cute one that got dismissed from the season opener against Harvard. Kris Dunn had a massive game with a career-high 32 points, but that Harvard game also gave fans their first look at Rodney Bullock. Bullock, who had been suspended for the 2013-14 season and missed the 2014-15 season with a torn ACL, went off for 20 points and 6 rebounds in the win. After the game, I asked Ed Cooley if he expected Dunn and Bullock, the two players accompanying him at the postgame press conference, to be the two players with him after most games for these pressers. He barely let me finish before saying "No. It's a team game. Other guys will be up here." He was right. The answer to your question is that guys have stepped up and played beyond expectations. Bullock is averaging 14.3 ppg and 7.7 rpg in his first season, while Ben Bentil has broken out to lead the Big East in scoring at 18.9 ppg. Bentil is also leading the Friars in rebounding and is one of the most improved players in the country to this point in the season. Jalen Lindsey has also had his share of good games and freshman Ryan Fazekas was very good before going down with mono after the Rhode Island game on December 5th.
@TheWarriorFriar: Haha, pretty surprising right? I think that a lot of Friar fans thought we'd be better than what we were getting credit for, but nobody anticipated this. To break it down though it all comes back to two things: potential, and unseen talent. There was a ton of potential in Ben Bentil and Jalen Lindsey, but their freshman seasons weren't anything above and beyond, so both got a couple of mentions but nothing to the extent of the game-changing performances they can offer (Bentil's being obvious, and Lindsey is starting to come around as he gets more confident in his offense. His defense was already on par.) And that's before you factor in the growth that Junior Lomomba showed, which honestly even I didn't see coming and I usually overrate every single player on the roster. The other aspect was unseen talent. We knew we had a great player in Rodney Bullock, and all the reports out of practice had people singing his praises, but having not seen him play (and going two years without playing a real game) it was hard to say for certain just how much of an impact he'd have. Then you have the freshmen like Drew Edwards and Ryan Fazekas, both of whom aren't playing like freshmen right now. Fazekas came in and hit big shots to get the offense going when we needed it early in the season, but Drew Edwards did a great job of that these past few games -- an even more impressive feat when you consider that he didn't play for most of the nonconference. Without Edwards, we don't win at Butler.
So really it wasn't so much what happened because the potential was always there, it just went unaccounted for. And honestly, that's okay -- how can you account for players that have never played in a collegiate game, or didn't have a strong season the previous year? It's understandable.
@UndercoverFriar: Providence being fifth in the preseason poll was respectable. Every Big East coach and player knew about Kris Dunn, as he's the reigning BIg East Player of the Year and Big East Defensive Player of the Year. When KD announced his decision to come back to school, the whole team was ready to get to work. Most of the team stayed or arrived in the early summer in Providence, as the chemistry was formed early. The "Big 3" in Dunn, Bentil, and Bullock has been remarkable thus far and things are just getting started for this young team.
Friartown has a lengthy, successful history in basketball. It seems, however, things have not been this awesome in a long time. Has it ever been more fun to be a Friars fan than now?
@pcbb1917: I would suspect the 60's and 70's had their share of good times for Friar fans. The 1987 run to the Final Four, the 1994 Big East Tournament Championship and the 1997 run to the Elite Eight were also exciting times to be a Friar fan. After the dark times of the end of the Tim Welsh era and the entire Keno Davis experience, Providence fans deserve the excitement surrounding the Friar program.
@TheWarriorFriar: For me this has pretty much been the pinnacle of fun. I know I suffered through a lot of bad teams to get here, but these past few years have made watching this program all worth it. But having talked to some more seasoned fans they feel the same. The 73 Final Four, 87 Final Four, the Big East run in 94 and Elite Eight in 97 were all amazing seasons in their own right, and I think older fans still remember those fondly, but everyone I've spoken to seem to see this season asthe season. A lot of that though, at least in my opinion, has to do with the high amount of media coverage we're getting. There's just so much buzz going around this program you'd think we were the Providence Bumblebees (#jokes). I mean the other day I saw an article about the top 10 programs who were most likely to win it all this season and Providence was the first sleeper pick. There are articles about the potential of Providence being a Final Four contender. Gary Parrish just went to bat for us because some people didn't vote us high enough. That's insane! But I think it all contributes to how much fun this team is. So to answer your question: yes.
@UndercoverFriar: As a life-long fan, this is amazing. Today Providence is ranked in the top 10 in both polls, which is a first in my lifetime. Seeing a player in Kris Dunn is an opportunity of a lifetime. The buzz around PC is unfathomable. It was just announced also a new $30 million basketball facility is being built on campus. It truly is a great time to be a Friar fan.
Is this the best Providence team ever?
@pcbb1917: No. This is a good team and fun to watch with a possible National Player of the Year, but the best Providence team is likely one of the NIT-winning teams of the 60's or the 1974 team that was on their way to playing in the NCAA Tourament Finals before Marvin Barnes hurt his knee in the National Semi's against Memphis State.
@TheWarriorFriar: I do, but I think the jury is still out for a couple of reasons. First one being I'm not sure if this team has hit its full potential yet. I think there's still some room to grow and there's still some players who could develop into contributors or contributors who can find new ways to impact the game. I think a lot will depend on how this team does overall in the season - a top 10 ranking is cool, but what's it going to mean come April when the season is over? I'd argue that it's probably the best team in my lifetime, but I'm sure there's someone out there who will say a team from the 60s was better, or that no team can compare to 73. They might be right, but I was still recovering from Woodstock by the time 73 so my memory was hazy (also I wasn't alive in 73 and wouldn't be for another 15 years). Regardless though, I'm advocating that this team has the potential to be the best Friars team ever.
@UndercoverFriar: Someone recently asked me if this was the best Providence team ever. Yes, yes, it (arguably) is. We have two future NBA pros in Kris Dunn & Ben Bentil and another force in Rodney Bullock. Coach Cooley has been high on Bullock since the beginning of the year and he's been on fire as of late. The craziest thing is, imagine if Paschal Chukwu didn't transfer to Syracuse this year.
Kris Dunn is projected as a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Who does he compare to in the NBA? How good will he be?
@pcbb1917: John Wall is a comparison that you hear a lot. Dunn certainly has great athleticism and is a blur with the ball in his hands. He also has some Rajon Rondo qualities, specifically passing the ball and he has moments where he takes things over like Russell Westbrook. Dunn is not a finished product, which is one of the reasons he returned to school, but there's little doubt he has star potential at the next level.
@TheWarriorFriar: Haha, shit! I'm so bad at these compare questions. I'm gonna leech off of what a few others have said so far this season and say he's probably most comparable to John Wall, but I'd also add he's a bit similar in ways to Rajon Rondo since he's pretty dynamic on offense (both at creating for himself and for others) but has a quirky jumpshot that - admittedly - has gotten much better. I think he's better than Rondo on defense, but I also think Dunn is a special type of player on defense that has a level of awareness that few others have. I think he'll be fantastic. Right now his biggest struggle is going to be his shooting, but that is improving. I'd love to see him end up on a team like the Chicago Bulls because I think he'd be a perfect fit for a team with plenty of offensive weapons and a good culture. Plus I just want to see him around Chicago.
@UndercoverFriar: Sky's the limit for Kris. To me, he reminds me of John Wall and Russell Westbrook in different ways. His athleticism, quickness, & speed are breathtaking... Especially in person. Kris controls the game on both sides of the floor, from start to finish. As I sat next to an NBA scout Saturday as PC faced off St. John's, he told me "Kris is one of the best young players I've seen in a long time." Kris has been working with the legendary God Shammgod everyday in practice, as he'll continue to help KD improve for the next level. As good as a player Kris is, he's an even better person who deserves the best.
Take away Dunn and Ben Bentil. Who are the next three threats to opponents, in order? And to what degree are they threats?
@pcbb1917: I would say Bullock, Fazekas and either Lindsey or Junior Lomomba. Bullock is a legit scoring threat. He led Providence with 25 points in the Big East opener on the road at Butler. He has shown he can take over games for stretches and he's just getting started. Fazekas is a flat-out shooter. He has that shooter's mentality and can get in a can't-miss mode. Lindsey is a more dangerous scoring option but he has been streaky as a shooter and inconsistent in his effort. Lomomba is the ultimate glue guy and has shown an improved offense game, though his jumper his still one of the uglier motions you'll see.
@TheWarriorFriar: In no order:
Ryan Fazekas: An outside shooter who has a knack for knocking down the three. Fairly threatening on offense.
Jalen Lindsey: A should-be outside shooter who's found his groove outside but actually seems better off on offense when he takes it to the rim. Can be very streaky, so not as much of a threat on offense. However, he's a lock down defender and can cause some fits for guys, so watch out for him there.
Rodney Bullock: Dynamic forward who can sniff out boards and hit shots from all over. Plays best with Dunn though.
(I don't know why but this whole time I was trying to find a way to make a "Threat Level: Midnight" joke from The Office but it just never happened. I felt I should mention that to you.)
@UndercoverFriar: The next 3 threats in order: Rodney Bullock, Drew Edwards, Jalen Lindsey (Honorable Mention: Ryan Fazekas). Bullock is playing like an All Big East player right now. He can post up, shoot the long-ball, and be a total mismatch for the defender. Drew Edwards and Jalen Lindsey are two gritty defenders who can also make big shots when needed. With freshman Ryan Fazekas still out sick due to Mono, Edwards and Lindsey have equally contributed in many ways. With Marquette having the size advantage, Ed Cooley could play a lot of zone. Look for Edwards and Lindsey to be a factor on the defensive end for the Friars.
Prediction for Providence-Marquette? It’s okay if you predict a Marquette loss -- so do I.
@pcbb1917: Providence by 7.
@TheWarriorFriar: Marquette scares me. I don't know why - probably past traumas of seeing the Friars get trounced by them - but I'm nervous for this game. I think Providence wins this, but I'm a bit nervous it'll be closer than what I would consider comfortable. Friars win this 77-69.
@UndercoverFriar: Providence is one of the hottest teams in the country with the best player in the country playing lights out and the Friars will continue to roll. Providence 71, Marquette 60.