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Providence basketball has not lost at home this season; can it continue that streak?

bill koch, the providence journal
·3 min read

PROVIDENCE — What’s the secret?

Ed Croswell could only offer a smile when asked on Monday afternoon. No. 20 Providence’s mastery of just about all who enter Amica Mutual Pavilion over the last two seasons must come with some hidden magic, right?

The Friars have been all but unbeatable in their downtown home since returning to full capacity after the COVID-19 pandemic. Villanova is the only visitor to taste success and needed 40 full minutes of drama to secure an 89-84 victory late in the 2021-22 campaign. Nobody has been as fortunate this season.

With the seats in the Amica Mutual Pavilion filled to capacity, PC's Ed Croswell takes a shot over a Creighton player during a game last month. The Friars, undefeated at home this season, host Xavier on Wednesday night.
With the seats in the Amica Mutual Pavilion filled to capacity, PC's Ed Croswell takes a shot over a Creighton player during a game last month. The Friars, undefeated at home this season, host Xavier on Wednesday night.

Head coach Ed Cooley has presided over one of the Big East’s premier programs since vacating Alumni Hall, an on-campus venue dotted with cardboard cutouts of fans while college basketball resumed in 2020-21. Providence was a disappointing 13-13 overall in that peculiar season — fortunes have certainly changed for the better entering Wednesday’s showdown with No. 19 Xavier.

“Those kids are crazy,” Croswell said, referring to his fellow students. “They come, they’re amped up, they’re juiced up; they're ready all day to come down there and yell for us.

“The alumni and everybody out there supporting us — the energy is different. It’s the house that Coach Cooley built. He just brought that energy down there.”

More:Providence basketball cruises by Georgetown, has school record in sight

Providence center Ed Croswell Isays the AMP is "the house that Coach Cooley built. He just brought that energy down there.”
Providence center Ed Croswell Isays the AMP is "the house that Coach Cooley built. He just brought that energy down there.”

The Friars are one of just 13 teams remaining with perfect home marks this season. The rest include the likes of Duke, UCLA and Alabama. Providence is 31-1 in the last two years and has dropped just one of its last 37. Six sellouts and 10 crowds of 10,000 patrons or more reflect record numbers among two groups of season-ticket holders — students and the general public.

Certainly, there are noteworthy locations elsewhere in the sport that don't play host to similar success. So, what separates this 50-year-old structure from the rest? Croswell is one of 10 guys on the floor most nights — let's defer to him.

“It’s just great energy and a great basketball environment,” Croswell said. “Our arena is top-tier in college basketball. You can’t get any better than that.”

More:Here's how Ed Cooley's Providence Friars are surprising the college basketball world — again

The Friars (21-8, 13-5 Big East) also happen to be firmly in a sweet spot under Cooley. Player development has turned unpolished diamonds like Croswell into serious factors in a tough league. Targeting and seamlessly integrating the likes of Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter from the transfer portal has maintained the required talent base across the roster.

Providence has certainly survived some close shaves. Its home meeting last year with the Musketeers (21-8, 13-5) was one for the record books — a 99-92 victory in triple overtime during which Alyn Breed made a key late contribution, Jared Bynum fought off cramps just long enough to drill a clutch 3-pointer and Xavier continued a slide that ended in the NIT. The Friars brushed Creighton aside three nights later to secure a first conference championship in program history.

Providence head coach Ed Cooley watches as his Friars play against Villanova at the Amica Mutual Pavilion February. He has led PC to a 31-1 record at the AMP over the last two seasons.
Providence head coach Ed Cooley watches as his Friars play against Villanova at the Amica Mutual Pavilion February. He has led PC to a 31-1 record at the AMP over the last two seasons.

Overtime with DePaul last season, two overtimes apiece with Marquette and Creighton this season — those were three more nights when Providence had just enough to send its fans into the surrounding streets on a high. Doing so twice more this week would make the Friars no worse than the No. 2 seed at the upcoming conference tournament. Senior Day awaits on Saturday with Seton Hall, but Croswell will save that celebration for after this latest important bit of business.

“Unbelievable program here,” Croswell said. “Great city. I’m really going to miss it. I’m really going to take pride in these last couple of games that I have.”

bkoch@providencejournal.com 

On Twitter: @BillKoch25 

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence basketball has not lost at home all season. Will it continue?