Basketball
Battle 4 Atlantis highlights Providence basketball’s nonconference schedule
Providence opens its men’s basketball season on Nov. 4, but the real business of attempting to move the NCAA Tournament needle doesn’t begin until nearly a month later.
That’s when the Friars will take part in the Battle 4 Atlantis. They’ll play three games in the Bahamas against a stacked field over Thanksgiving, and their performance in paradise could go a long way toward determining whether or not they dance in March.
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Central Connecticut State, Stonehill, Hampton, Green Bay and Delaware State all visit Amica Mutual Pavilion prior to the holiday. Providence also will host BYU on Dec. 3 as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle and face off with St. Bonaventure on a neutral floor at Mohegan Sun on Dec. 14. The Friars play one true road game prior to league play — the annual Dec. 7 grudge match against the University of Rhode Island at the Ryan Center.
Arizona, Davidson, Gonzaga, Indiana, Louisville, Oklahoma and West Virginia could all provide the opposition at Atlantis. Matchups and games times have yet to be determined, but all games will be shown via ESPN networks or streaming. The western version of the Wildcats, the Bulldogs and the Sooners all finished inside the national top 50 last season, according to KenPom.com, while the Hoosiers edged into the top 100.
The Cougars will visit off an NCAA Tournament bid but with a new coach. Mark Pope departed for his alma mater at Kentucky after an extended search – BYU hired Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young to replace him. Young filled out his staff this week by hiring John Linehan as one of his assistants, bringing on arguably the best defensive guard in Providence history during his playing career from 1997-2002.
The Bonnies feature another familiar local face — former Bishop Feehan and Boston College standout Mark Schmidt, who is entering his 18th season in Olean. The Friars were initially scheduled to play an event at the casino with the Eagles, Temple and Massachusetts. They received a late call from Atlantis to replace Creighton and now will compete as the headliner in a doubleheader that also includes a game between Bryant and Fordham.
Providence has won three straight and 11 of its last 13 against the Rams, including an 88-74 victory in its last visit to Kingston. The Friars cruised to an 84-69 triumph over URI last season, with Bryce Hopkins totaling 24 points and Devin Carter collecting a double-double. Providence was on a three-game road winning streak in the series until Dan Hurley authored his lone success, a 75-68 win in 2017.
The Friars will be looking to fatten up their NET and KenPom ratings against their other opponents. The Blue Devils didn’t beat a top-150 KenPom team last year and the Hornets didn’t beat a top-200 KenPom team. The Skyhawks totaled four wins against Army, Hartford, Wagner and Saint Francis (Pa.).
The Pirates and Phoenix both will have Providence program and local connections in their respective travel parties. Ivan Thomas is entering his first year as head coach at Hampton after time on staff under Ed Cooley with the Friars and at Georgetown. Green Bay will feature a pair of noteworthy transfers — Pawtucket native Isaiah Miranda (Oklahoma State) and Donovan Santoro, who spent a lone season with Providence in 2023-24.
The Friars ranked 230th in nonconference strength of schedule, according to the NET last season. Their toughest road or neutral game was at Oklahoma, and the No. 46 finisher in the NET scored a 72-51 victory. Providence recorded six Quadrant 1 victories over conference foes but couldn’t sway the selection committee, finishing a 21-14 season in the NIT.
All games time and broadcast information will be finalized at a later date.
On X: @BillKoch25
Providence Friars nonconference schedule
Nov. 4 — Central Connecticut StateNov. 9 — StonehillNov. 12 — HamptonNov. 16 — Wisconsin-Green BayNov. 19 — Delaware StateNov. 27-29 — Battle 4 Atlantis, BahamasDec. 3 — Brigham YoungDec. 7 — at Rhode IslandDec. 14 — St. Bonaventure, at Mohegan Sun
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