Friars Ride into Red StormMen's hoops squad has won four of last five against St. John's.
January 19, 1999
FRIARS VERSUS RED STORM...Tonight's game is the 81st meeting between the two schools with the Friars trailing in the all-time series, 30-50. In regular season BIG EAST play, the Friars are just 12-23 against the Red Storm. At Providence, the Friars are just one game under .500 all-time with a 16-17 record. St. John's snapped a PC four-game winning streak in the series with a 63-56 win at the Providence Civic Center in the only meeting last season. PC has won four of the last five in the series while the two teams have split the last ten meetings since February 9, 1993. The two teams will play again on Monday, February 15th at St. John's Alumni Hall.
PROBABLE STARTERS
OFF THE BENCH FRIARS VERSUS TOP TEAMS...For the third time this season the Friars will face ranked teams in back-to-back games. St. John's comes into today's game ranked #8/#9 while Saturday's opponent, Arkansas is #22/#21. The last time PC played back-to-back ranked teams was December 27 vs. #9/#8 Purdue (87-82) and at #23/#23 Pittsburgh (83-68). PC won both those games. The Friars also started the season with games against #24/#25 TCU (77-79) and #23/#25 Rhode Island (87-63). The Friars have now won four in a row against ranked teams and are 4-1 overall against the top teams in the country. THREE FOR JAMEL...PC's All-BIG EAST and All-America candidate, Jamel Thomas has been named the BIG EAST's Player of the Week for his play in two Friar wins last week. Versus Syracuse on January 12th, Thomas had his sixth double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds in the 67-58 upset of Syracuse. On Sunday, January 17th, Thomas scored 27 and added eight rebounds in the Friars 89-77 win at Boston College. This is the third time this season that PC's go-to-guy has been named Player of the Week. NUMBERS GAME...After starting the season 0-2 (the worst start since 1932-33), the Friars have now won six of their last seven games and 12 of their last 15. The last time PC was better than 12-5 after 17 games was the 1988-89 season when that PC team was 15-2 on the way to an 18-11 season. The 1996-97 team (Elite Eight year) was also 12-5 after 17 games. HOG HEAVEN...The Friars make their first ever visit to the University of Arkansas on Saturday, January 23rd to face the #24/#21 Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. The game can be seen on CBS (WPRI-TV Channel 12) with Tim Brando and Al McGuire calling the shots. The game can also be heard on WPRO Radio with John Rooke and Joe Hassett calling the shots.
TONIGHT IN THE BIG EAST
PC ON THE AIR
HEAD COACH TIM WELSH
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT:
BIG EAST GAMES: 5-3
NON-LEAGUE GAMES: 7-2
VERSUS ST. JOHN'S: 1-0 (while at Iona)
NCAA TOURNAMENT: 0-1 (1997-98)
NIT: 0-2 (1995-96, 1996-97)
1998-99 (12-5/5-3)...Won first game as a Friars' head coach upsetting #23 Rhode Island, 87-63...Coached 100th career game against Brown University (12/5)...Upset #9 Purdue, 87-82...Won first BIG EAST game at #23/#23 Pittsburgh, 83-68...Upset #18 Syracuse, 67-58... 1997-98 (27-6/10-4)...Led Iona to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship...Coached Iona to first NCAA appearance since 1985...MAAC Coach of the Year...Metropolitan Area's Division I Coach of the Year...Jack Bruen Award as New York State Coach of the Year...Team won school record 27 games... 1996-97 (22-8/11-3)...Led Iona to first place finish in MAAC...Made second consecutive NIT appearance...MAAC Coach of the Year...NABC District II Coach of the Year... 1995-96 (21-8/15-3)...Won first of three MAAC regular season titles...Took Iona to first NIT appearance since 1983...Winner of Peter A. Carlesimo Award as Metropolitan Area Division I Coach of the Year...
The Welsh Facts File
Birthdate
Birthplace
Family
High School
College
Coaching Experience
Coaching Honors
FRIARS VS. RANKED TEAMS...The Friars recorded their fourth straight win over a ranked team on January 12th when they defeated #18/#18 Syracuse, 67-58. PC is now 4-1 against ranked teams this season. The Friars were just 1-7 against ranked teams a year ago.
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE BASKETBALL
PROVIDENCE IN BIG EAST...124-188 in regular season and 138-206 overall in 20 seasons ... Eighth all-time in wins and percentage. TOUGH SCHEDULE...Friars' head coach, Tim Welsh has a tough schedule in his first season as PC's basketball bench boss. Sixteen of the team's 28 games come against teams that played in postseason tournaments a year ago. 12 games come against NCAA Tournament teams (TCU, URI, North Carolina State, Purdue, Connecticut, Syracuse, Miami and two each against West Virginia and St. John's). The other four are against teams that saw NIT action - Vanderbilt, Seton Hall and two with Georgetown. HOME COOKING...The Friars are now 8-1 at home this season. Over the last six-plus seasons PC is 80-27 (.748) at the Civic Center. The Friars are 41-5 (.870) in their last 46 non-conference home games in Providence dating back to the start of the 1992-93 season. The back-to-back losses against Vanderbilt and TCU are considered neutral site losses since the Friars were not a home team in the CoSIDA CLASSIC. The last time PC lost back-to-back non-league games at the Civic Center was the 1984-85 season when the Friars dropped home games to Assumption and Dayton on November 29 and December 1. NAIL BITERS...Saturday's 75-70 loss to Georgetown drops the Friars to 2-4 in "close" games this season "Close" games are games decided by five points or less. The Friars were 5-3 last season in "close" games. MONTH BY MONTH...The Friars are 4-1 in January through five games this month. PC was 5-2 in November and 3-2 in December. CIVIC CENTER RECORD...PC owns a 333-128 (.722) record at the Providence Civic Center since the building opened in 1972. The Friars recorded their 300th win on January 8, 1996 against Canisius (91-63). FRIARS IN SEASON OPENERS...With the season opening loss to Vanderbilt, the Friars' all-time record in season opening games goes to 63-9. When that season opening game is at home, PC is 49-4. When the first game is on the road, the Friars are 14-5. In home openers, the Friars are 66-6 all-time. The Vanderbilt loss snapped a four-year streak of wins in season openers and a string of 13 straight home openers dating back to November 29, 1984 when the Friars lost a 70-67 decision to Assumption at the Civic Center. PC's last season opening loss came on November 26, 1993 - a 113-102 overtime loss at Oklahoma State. BIG EAST OPENERS...The Friars' 83-80 loss to Notre Dame on December 8th extended their BIG EAST season opener's losing streak to nine straight. PC's last win to open the BIG EAST schedule came in December of 1989 against Boston College at home. The Friars are now 3-17 in BIG EAST season openers and 8-12 in their first league contest at home.
FRIARS IN THE NBA...Providence College had eight players and one coach in the NBA last season. They are:
Also, Atlanta Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens, is one of Providence College's all-time greatest players. FAMOUS RELATIVES...Senior standout Jamel Thomas is the cousin of the Minnesota Timberwolves' Stephon Marbury. NEW HOOP STAFF...Joining Tim Welsh at Providence College are three new assistant coaches. Steve DeMeo joined Welsh on April 2nd after the two worked together at Iona. King Rice, a former standout point guard at North Carolina joins the staff after spending five years at Illinois State as an assistant. Bob Walsh comes to Providence after a year at the University of San Diego. He had served as a graduate assistant to Welsh at Iona for two years prior to taking an assistants job in San Diego. Vince Cautero takes over as the administrative assistant. He has been an assistant coach at Florida State (1988-1992) and Florida International (1992-1998). KENDRICK MOORE SELECTED...Providence College senior guard Kendrick Moore (Hartford, Conn.) has been selected to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 1998-99 school year. The SAAC is made up of dedicated, hard working student-athletes who are the voice of their fellow student-athletes within the NCAA. The committee meets three times a year in January, March and August. Moore's appointment began on September 1st. TWO YEAR SENIORS...Two key members to the 1998-99 Friars are seniors Kendrick Moore and Justin Farley. Both close out PC careers this season after transferring two years ago from Missouri. Moore, who graduated in the spring and is currently a graduate student working on his MBA led the Friars with 3.3 assists per game last year and was third in scoring with 9.2 points per game. Moore is like a coach on the floor and can play either guard spot. Farley joined the Friars before Christmas last season after transferring from Evansville. The 6-6, 205-pound forward worked his way into a starting role in January and was second on the team with 9.5 points per game. In his last eight games of the season he averaged 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Both players are excellent students and are candidates for Academic All-America honors this season.
1,000 POINT CLUB...Jamel Thomas continues his assault on the Providence College record book. On January 5th, he moved into seventh on PC's all-time scoring list passing Otis Thorpe (1,625). The talented scorer now has 1,697 career points and leads the BIG EAST in scoring with a 22.8 points per game average. Here are the Top 10 scorers in PC history:
DOUBLE FIGURES...Jamel Thomas has now scored in double figures in 50 consecutive games dating back to the final four games of his sophomore year.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES...Thomas has recorded six double-doubles this season including two in a row against Maine (11/30) and Brown (12/5) and Georgetown (1/9) and Syracuse (1/12)
BIG EAST SCORING...Jamel Thomas is second on the Friars' all-time BIG EAST scoring list with 935 points in 62 league games. Here's the list and who is ahead of him:
BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK...PART III...Jamel Thomas was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week for the week ending January 17th. This marks the third time this season that the Friars' go-to-guy has recorded this honor and the fifth time in his career. Jamel had 19 pts/14 rebounds in upset win at Syracuse and 27 pts/8rebs against Boston College. He was also chosen for the honor on November 18th and on December 7th. RECORDS WATCH...Thomas became PC's all-time leader in three point field goals made with three at Georgetown. For his career, he now has 176, passing Eric Murdock who had 169 in his career. Thomas is also the all-time leader in three-point attempts with 501 in his career.
1998-99 GAME-BY-GAME...
JAMEL THOMAS -
1998-99 PRESEASON HONORS FOR JAMEL THOMAS
SUPERPESTS...Keep an eye on Friar guards John Linehan and Corey Wright. Despite their size (5-9 and 5-8 respectively), they have a way of getting under their opponents skin. The duo combined for 105 steals last season with Linehan getting 50 and Wright 55. Linehan set a BIG EAST freshman record with nine steals in a game against Pittsburgh. With seven steals in the Vanderbilt and TCU games, Corey Wright moved into ninth on the Friars' all-time steals list with 135 in 67 games.
PRESEASON PICKS...The Friars were picked to finish 10th in the BIG EAST this season in voting done by the league's coaches. Senior Jamel Thomas was selected to the Preseason First All-BIG EAST team by the coaches. Here's a look at both polls:
BIG EAST COACHES' POLL
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG EAST...
SECOND TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CO-ROOKIES OF THE YEAR
FRIARS VERSUS 1998-99 FOES...
DOUBLE-DOUBLES....Friars with double-doubles this season:
HALFTIME LEADS...The Friars have led at halftime in 12 of their first 17 games this season. Only Maine (35-32), Notre Dame (39-31), West Virginia (34-28), Georgetown (37-36) and Syracuse (36-27) have led against the Friars at the intermission. PC is 9-3 when the Friars lead at halftime and 3-2 when they trail.
BOARD GAMES...Despite the Friars lack of size (one player over 6-7), PC is now 10-7 in winning the battle of the boards through 17 games. PC pulled down a season high 51 rebounds in the win at Syracuse with Jamel Thomas getting 14 and Erron Maxey 12. Through the first 17 games of the season, the Friars have been outrebounded by a 615-602 margin.
MORE WRIGHT...Senior guard Corey Wright has become a scoring threat for the Friars this season. Through 17 games, Wright has scored 97 points, 26 more than all of last year. As a sophomore he scored 117 points in 36 games. He is averaging 5.7 points per game on the year. In the November 24th win over North Carolina State, Wright poured in a career high 14 points going 3-4 from the floor with a career high seven free throws in a career high eight attempts. He also had a career high seven assists in the win with three steals. For the season, Wright is shooting 50.8% (30-59). He came into the season shooting just 31.1% for his career.
MAD MAX...Sophomore center Erron Maxey continues to be a force on the boards for the Friars. He collected his third double-double of the season in the win at Syracuse with 14 points and 12 rebounds. It was the fourth double-double of his career. At Rutgers in December, Maxey pulled down a career high 13 rebounds in his second double-double of the year.
FAST STARTS...The Friars' pressure defense and running offense have helped Providence get out to big leads in nine of the first 15 games this season. Here's the list of fast starts:
The Friars used a fast second half start against SETON HALL to break that game open. Leading 26-23 at the half, PC opened the second half with an 8-0 run in the first 1:31 on the way to a 21-4 run over the first 6:54 for a 47-27 lead. At Syracuse, the Friars used an 11-2 run over the first 4:45 of the second half to erase a nine-point halftime deficit on the way to a 67-58 win. NEW FRIARS...The Friars have received national letters of intent from three players for the 1999-2000 season:
##Leon Brisport F 6-9, 220
Mark Jarrell-Wright G/F 6-5, 180 Fr.
David Murray F 6-9, 220 Jr.
##Brisport is eligible to play in second semester of 1998-99 season. Also joining the Friars' roster as a transfer from Florida State is Karim Shabazz. He will be eligible in the second semester of the 1999-2000 season.
Karim Shabazz C 7-2, 230 Jr.
Shabazz enrolled at Providence for the second semester and is eligible for the second semester of the 1999-2000 season. He has 1-1/2 years of eligibility ROSTER ADDITION...Junior forward Leon Brisport (6-9, 225 lbs., Brooklyn, N.Y.) has joined the Friars' roster for the second semester. Brisport was signed in the November signing period after playing two seasons at Los Angeles Valley Community College. An All-California JC selection last season, Brisport averaged 22.5 points and eight rebounds per game last year. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS GAME... Purdue shot 57.1% from the floor, outrebounded the Friars by 18 (43-25) yet lost the game, 87-82. The Boilermakers shot 71.4% (15-21) in the first half yet trailed, 46-43. PC forced 27 turnovers and took 18 more shots in the game.
STARTERS VS. BENCH...The Friars use ten players in their regular rotation. Here's a breakdown through 17 games:
REBOUNDING MARKS...Jamel Thomas' 14 rebounds at Syracuse were his career best in a a BIG EAST game. The 51 rebounds recorded by the Friars against the Orange was a season best for PC. THE LAST TIME...The last time PC won back-to-back games against ranked teams came late in the 1994-95 season when the Friars beat #4 Connecticut (Feb. 27) and #11 Villanova (3/4) to end the regular season. They went on to defeat #21 Syracuse in the BIG EAST Tournament before falling to #13 Villanova in the semi-finals giving them four games against ranked teams in 13 days. "FOUL" SHOOTING...The Friars were just 17-34 (.500) from the charity stripe in the win over Syracuse. PC was 9-10 in the first half, but just 8-24 in the second half and still won the game. Syracuse was just 8-22 (.364) from the line for the entire game. FARLEY TIME....Senior forward Justin Farley has found his role in the Friars offense. In the last four games, Farley has provided a spark off the bench scoring season highs of 12 points against Georgetown and Syracuse. Over the last four games, Farley has scored 45 points (11.3 ppg) and had nine rebounds (2.5 rpg) in 25 minutes per game. He played a season-high 27 minutes at Boston College and is averaging 6.6 ppg and 2.9 rpg over the first 17 games this season.
HIGH SCORERS....West Virginia guard Jarett Kearse joined Notre Dame freshman Troy Murphy, Cleveland State's James Madison and TCU's Lee Nailon as players that have scored 30 or more points against the Friars this season.
Madison is the first player to score 33 or more points on the Friars since December 21, 1995 when Reggie Freeman lit the PC up for 37 points in a 92-83 loss at Texas. BIG EAST STARTS...The Friars have started the BIG EAST schedule with an 0-2 mark in three of the last four seasons. PC was 0-3 in the league last year before winning in the fourth league game. The Friars have started the BIG EAST schedule with an 0-2 record or worse in 14 of the BIG EAST's 20 seasons. PC has won five of its last six league games after the 0-2 start. TOUGH PLACES....The Friars win at the Fitzgerald Field House at Pittsburgh was just the Friars third against Pittsburgh on the Panthers home court. PC is now 3-13 at Pitt. The Friars are just 3-15 at Georgetown and 3-15 at Syracuse after winning their last two games at the Carrier Dome. OVERTIME BLUES...The Friars overtime win against West Virginia snapped a five-game overtime losing streak for the Friars that dated back to 3/19/95 (PC defeated Syracuse 71-69 at the BIG EAST Tournament). The Friars were 0-2 in 1995-96 and 0-3 in 1996-97 in the extra stanza. The West Virginia win evened the Friars' all-time record in overtime to 42-42. WILD WEST VIRGINIA...PC and West Virginia set several BIG EAST records in the 90-87 overtime win on January 5th. The 59 free throws taken by the Friars is a BIG EAST and Providence College record. The previous record for the Friars was 55 set against Alaska-Fairbanks in the 1996 Top of the World Classic. West Virginia's 41 fouls was a BIG EAST record as were the 39 overtime points that the two teams combined for. The Mountaineers had six players foul out while the Friars had two. Providence was 16-21 from the free throw line in overtime. 50 OR BETTER...PC shot over 50% (50.8%) in the win over Boston College on January 17. That marked the fourth time this season that PC has shot 50% or better in a game. The Friars are 4-0 when they hit half their shots or more. CHANGING TIMES...Please note the following time changes on the Friars' schedule.
February 15 at St. John's - Originally a 7:00 p.m. game, this game will be moved to 7:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN2.
FRIAR LEADS AND DEFICITS
BIGGEST DEFICIT: 15 (24-39/1:47 left in first half) vs. NOTRE DAME
Biggest deficit overcome: 12 (11-23/7:55 left in first half) at Syracuse
BIGGEST RUN: 24 (40-16 /18:39 - from start of game to 1:21 left in first half) vs. BROWN
BIGGEST RUN ALLOWED: 27 (5-32 - 10:42 /12:39 left in first half to 1:57 left in first half) vs. NOTRE DAME
COMEBACKS AND LOST LEADS
FRIARS' FOUL SHOOTING
FRIAR GAME KEYS: 8-5 in games shooting under 50% 4-0 in games shooting over 50% 4-1 when PC has better FG% 4-3 when PC is outrebounded 1-2 when committing more turnovers 7-3 when opponent held to 75 or less 9-3 when PC leads at the half
FRIARS BY THE NUMBERS....
BIG EAST HOME
WIN STREAK: 2
LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 2 Twice
WHEN LEADING AT HALFTIME: 9-3
AWAY: 3-1
HOME: 6-0
NEUTRAL: 0-2
WHEN TRAILING AT HALFTIME: 3-2
HOME: 2-1
AWAY: 1-1
NEUTRAL: 0-0
RECORD AFTER 17 GAMES
IN 1997-98: 8-9/3-5
1998-99 PROVIDENCE COLLEGE WINS AND LOSSES
FRIARS WHEN AHEAD, TIED AND TRAILING....
STARTING LINEUPS RECORDS:
GAMES LOST - INJURY/ILLNESS/ACADEMICS (16)
GAMES LED PC IN:
FRIARS' MARGIN DIFFERENTIAL
Average Win: (139): 11.6 Average Loss: (21): 4.20 Overall: (+118): +6.9
PROVIDENCE - ST. JOHN'S
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
SERIES NOTES
Notes:
FRIARS CAREER STATS VS. ST. JOHN'S
5 Camah First Meeting
10 Wright 3 2.3 1.7 4.0
Career Best - 1/2/97 - 5 pts./3 rebs./6 asts.
12 Linehan 1 13.0 4.0 5.0
Career Best - 1/17/98 - 13 pts./4 rebs/5 asts
15 F-Marcellino Has Not Played
21 Hayletts - First Meeting
22 Connolly First Meeting
24 Maxey 1 1.0 1.0 0.0
25 Perkins 1 0.0 1.0 0.0
32 Brisport First Meeting
33 Thomas 5 12.8 3.6 1.6
Career Best -1/17/98 - 21 pts./5 rebs./2 asts.
40 Farley 1 5.0 1.0 0.0
Career Best - 1/17/98 - 5 pts./1 rebs.
42 Cole 2 4.5 1.0 0.0
Career Best - 1/17/98 - 6 pts./2 rebs.
THIS WEEK IN THE BIG EAST
Monday, January 18
Syracuse at Rutgers 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 19
West Virginia at Georgetown 7:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Villanova 7:00 p.m.
Seton Hall at Notre Dame 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 20
Connecticut at Miami 7:00 p.m.
St. John's at Providence 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 21
Boston College at Syracuse 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 23
Rutgers at Notre Dame Noon
Providence at Arkansas 1:30 pm
Villanova at West Virginia 4:00 pm
Georgetown at Pittsburgh 7:30 pm
Seton Hall at Connecticut 8:00 pm
Sunday, January 24
Duke at St. John's Noon
Miami at Boston College 1:00 pm
South Carolina at Syracuse 2:00 pm
1998-99 BIG EAST HONORS
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK (Jan. 18)
FRIAR STATISTICAL LEADERS
INDIVIDUAL
TEAM
CAREER SCORING
SEASON SCORING AVERAGE
CAREER FIELD GOALS
CAREER FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS
CAREER 3 POINT FIELD GOALS
CAREER 3 PT FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS
CAREER FREE THROWS
CAREER FREE THROW ATTEMPTS
CAREER OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS
CAREER ASSIST-TO RATIO
CAREER STEALS
CAREER STEALS AVERAGE
BIG EAST CAREER SCORING
BIG EAST CAREER FIELD GOALS
BIG EAST CAREER FIELD GOAL ATT
BIG EAST CAREER 3 POINT FG
BIG EAST CAREER 3 POINT FG ATT
BIG EAST CAREER FREE THROWS
BIG EAST CAREER FREE THROW ATT.
BIG EAST CAREER MINUTES
BIG EAST CAREER STEALS
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