(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
When we last saw Providence: 19-14 last year.
Keno Davis' first season as Providence coach resulted in an appearance in the NIT tournament, where they were beat in the first round by Miami, 78-66.
Among the season's highlights were victories over two ranked Big East opponents, including a 100-94 win over then No. 15 Syracuse at home.
The second was the Friars first win over a No. 1 ranked team in 33 years, when they took down Pitt 81-73.
With five starters lost to graduation and seven newcomers, Davis now is filling his squad with players even more suited to his coaching style.
Fast, up-tempo offense, sprinkled with some suffocating pressure defense should be the calling card for this season's Friars.
Backcourt:
Of the few returnees of note, the most experienced players reside in the backcourt.
Shauraud Curry, the 5'10" point guard, should serve as the leader and the heart and soul of the squad. As he has developed, Curry has cut down his turnovers in leading the Friars attack.
A nice three point stroke is complemented by his ability to have big games against the Friars better opponents.
Joining Curry as a starting guard is one of it's defensive stoppers, 6'4" Brian McKenzie. His blend of height and quickness should give the Friars an advantage defensively along with the experience he brings to the table as the other senior on the team.
Marshon Brooks, a 6'5" junior, looks to build on the success. He had as a breakout sophomore last year, when he averaged 10 points a game.
A summer of intense workouts could translate into Brooks taking over as one of the main scorers for the Friars this season. Davis is expected to use Brooks more at small forward if needed.
JuCo transfer Kyle Wright could find himself in the mix as a three-point specialist off the bench, and like Brooks, is a tweener who will be used at the three as well.
Three freshmen, who bring in a lot of speed and shooting ability, will battle it out for minutes through preseason workouts.
Johnnie Lacy and Vincent Council are two point guards who have no problems setting a fast tempo up the court and creating in transition. Whoever shines, at least defensively should get the bulk of the minutes backing up Curry.
Duke Mondy is another speedy guard (from Michigan) who was a top-10 scorer in the state as a high school senior.
Frontcourt:
The frontcourt is littered with newbies, but they should be good fits for Davis' plans.
Jamine Peterson returns this year after sitting out last season. At 6'6", Peterson brings explosive athleticism and a nose for scoring close to the basket. Peterson is an efficient scorer, who will tough it out in the paint to pull down rebounds, while being versatile enough to play in the backcourt if the situation calls for it.
Bilal Dixon didn't play for the Friars last year either, but practiced with the team throughout their 2008-09 campaign.
In a Big East conference that generally is dominated by bigger players, the 6'8" Dixon should feel right at home banging with the big boys.
At worst, Dixon should lead the Friars in rebounding and blocked shots, but as the season goes on, his offensive skills in the paint should come to light.
JuCo transfer junior Russ Permenter has the skills to get up and down the court in the Friars up-tempo offense. Permenter has decent range on his jumper and the hops to block his share of shots getting back on defense.
Freshmen James Still and Kadeem Betts round out the frontcourt depth.
Still runs the floor well and is adept at blocking shots. Betts brings some polished inside scoring ability, not to mention decent skills getting and securing rebounds.
Outlook:
The Friars should have some time to get their main rotation determined before Big East play.
A trip to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama and a home game versus Boston College should serve as good, early litmus tests for the team.
The toughest Big East road matchups will be the opener at Notre Dame, Syracuse, Villanova, and Pitt. South Florida and Marquette are the only conference teams the Friars play twice.
Coach Davis could be on to something with this young Friars squad. He is starting to get "his" players in Providence.
The experience he has in the backcourt could help the new players' transitions to the rigors of the Big East play that much easier.
The only question is how that experience translates in the win column this year. If Curry can set the pace offensively and the defensive pressure catches opponents off guard a return at least, to the NIT should be in the works.
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