Providence basketball expecting tougher tests in coming days. 3 takeaways from Columbia matchup
PROVIDENCE ā The degree of difficulty ramps up from here for Providence College.
Trips to TCU and the University of Rhode Island are up next following this two-game breather at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The Friars dispatched Merrimack in relatively easy fashion on Wednesday night and took care of Columbia on Saturday afternoon.
Ed Cooleyās group is something shy of a well-oiled machine through seven games, but maximum efficiency wasn't required against the Lions. Providence played a strong final six minutes in the opening half and pulled away late in the second for a 78-64 triumph.
āWeāre going to need a lot more than what weāre doing right now to compete in the Big East,ā Cooley said. āIf we think weāre going to come out with this lackluster energy over 40 minutes, weāre going to find ourselves in trouble. Itās something we can work on.ā
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The Friars dished out a season-high 21 assists and enjoyed a 33-13 advantage in points off the bench. Jayden Pierre matched Ed Croswell with a career-high 13 points in his reserve role and Alyn Breed added nine in just 12 minutes. Those two guards helped support Jared Bynum and his game-high eight assists in just 23 minutes.
āWeāre ready to play as a collective,ā Pierre said. āIt just makes us better.ā
Providence built a 19-point lead with 8:36 to play on a Bryce Hopkins 3-pointer from the left wing. The Friars enjoyed a 64-45 cushion and the 9,215 fans on hand could have headed for the exits without fear. Columbiaās two wins coming in were against Delaware State and SUNY-Maritime. There was no way back for them in this one.
What can Providence carry from this matchup into that Big East-Big 12 Battle date with the Horned Frogs? Letās take a look.
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Bynum is dishing out
Bynum had totaled 14 assists in his last two games.
Only once in his Friars career has he produced more in a two-game spanā he had 16 in games against TCU and Seton Hall in December 2020, when he dished out eight apiece.
āHeās trying to learn a new role in which today I think he settled into,ā Cooley said. āHe needs to be a threat and he also needs to be a facilitator.ā
Bynum was just 2-for-8 from the field and missed all five of his 3-point attempts. Heās been cold from the perimeter thus far ā 17.9% after connecting at 41.3% in a breakout 2021-22. The preseason all-conference selection is a targeted man on opposing scouting reports and could use help from players like Pierre, Breed, Devin Carter and Noah Locke to find his rhythm outside.
āWhen you come in off the bench, you can kind of get a feel for the game,ā Breed said. āYou can see whatās going on. You can see things that some of the players and the team together need to pick up on.ā
Freshman Pierre finding his groove
Pierre was a perfect 3-for-3 from deep while playing 22 minutes.
The freshman managed just two shot attempts in defeats last weekend against Miami and Saint Louis, as Providence went winless at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. Pierre added two assists and didnāt commit a turnover against a defense that entered among the national bottom five in points allowed per possession, according to KenPom.com.
āThe first couple of games it was a little bit of an adjustment,ā Pierre said. āBut now my coaches are giving me confidence. My teammates are giving me confidence.ā
Pierreās control of the offense allowed Cooley to rest Bynum over the final 12:01. Carter (right shoulder) was also held out over the last 10:43 and received treatment on the bench.
āHis shoulder, it popped out,ā Cooley said. āWeāll see. Heās a tough kid. Heāll be fine.ā
Friars start slow, then find their footing
The Friars (5-2) were locked in a 20-20 tie with 6:01 left in the first half.
Providence opened 4-for-17 from the field and connected on just one of its first seven 3-point tries. The hosts were content to settle in against the zone defense deployed by the Lions (2-6).
āI have to definitely admit itās been tough given youāre seeing so many different mistakes,ā Cooley said. āThatās something we tried to work on today ā my positive energy. Normally I am, but itās been rough seeing what Iām seeing out there.
āItās something I have to work on. Iām not just going to talk to the players. I have to talk to myself.ā
The following 15-2 run gave the Friars some breathing room into halftime, and a similar burst ended the suspense for good midway through the second half. Breedās jumper from the right elbow capped an 8-0 spurt and Providence had its lead into double figures for good.
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
COLUMBIA (64): Bedri 5-13 0-0 11, Odunowo 5-7 1-3 11, Thompson 1-8 6-6 8, Brown 2-10 0-0 4, De La Rosa 6-10 3-3 17, Noland 1-3 0-1 2, McLean 1-2 0-0 3, Tavroff 1-4 0-0 2, Stankard 2-4 0-0 6, Cooper 0-1 0-0 0; totals 24-62 10-13 64. PROVIDENCE (78): Croswell 5-7 3-4 13, Hopkins 3-9 0-0 7, Bynum 2-8 3-3 7, Carter 3-6 0-0 8, Locke 3-10 1-2 10, Moore 4-6 0-0 8, Pierre 5-8 0-0 13, Castro 1-5 1-2 3, Breed 4-6 0-0 9, Floyd 0-3 0-0 0; totals 30-68 8-11 78.
Halftime ā Providence 38-28. 3-Point Goals ā Columbia 6-18 (Stankard 2-3, De La Rosa 2-4, McLean 1-1, Bedri 1-2, Cooper 0-1, Noland 0-1, Brown 0-3, Thompson 0-3), Providence 10-28 (Pierre 3-3, Locke 3-9, Carter 2-3, Breed 1-2, Hopkins 1-2, Castro 0-2, Floyd 0-2, Bynum 0-5). Rebounds ā Columbia 34 (De La Rosa 10), Providence 37 (Hopkins 7). Assists ā Columbia 8 (De La Rosa 2), Providence 21 (Bynum 8). Total Fouls ā Columbia 14, Providence 14. A ā 9,215 (12,410).
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence basketball knows tougher tests lie ahead this week