Big East conference play gets underway on Wednesday with a pair of games, including an exciting nightcap between the No. 6 ranked Golden Eagles of Marquette and the Providence Friars, a battle between a pair of 9-2 programs.
Marquette has drawn a ton of media attention as a borderline Top 5 team and with massive wins over then No. 1 Kansas and Texas.
However, Providence has quietly had an excellent season under new head coach Kim English, who came over from George Mason to replace Ed Cooley after he left for Georgetown.
The Friars may have the same record as Marquette, but outside of a big win over Wisconsin, their resume doesn’t carry a ton of weight, with an overtime loss to a struggling Kansas State squad and a blowout loss on the road at Oklahoma.
Still, Providence is a team that is flying more under the radar than they probably should be, and it’s thanks in large part to their stellar work on the defensive end of the floor.
The Friars are 21st in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom, and third in the Big East behind UConn and Marquette. Guard Devin Carter is a big reason why, averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals along with 15.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists as one of the best stat stuffers in all of college basketball.
Coach English’s defensive focused club looks capable of beating just about anyone, and while they haven’t had many chances to prove themselves it would not be a surprise to see them give Marquette all sorts of trouble on Wednesday at home.
A matchup between Carter and All-American point guard Tyler Kolek will be the headliner, but this game could be won on the block between Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro and Providence’s Josh Oduro, who are both having stellar seasons.
The Big East is always chalk full of high level competition, and getting the season started with this matchup sets the table for another fantastic season.