The Providence Friars men's basketball team represents

Providence College Providence College is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, local diocese, it offers 47 undergradua ...

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

competition. They were a founding member of the original Big East Conference from 1979 until 2013, and are now a member of the current Big East Conference. They play their home games at the

Amica Mutual Pavilion The Amica Mutual Pavilion (originally Providence Civic Center and formerly Dunkin' Donuts Center ("The Dunk")) is an indoor arena located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1972, as a home court for the Providence College Fr ...

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

. Since 2011, the head coach is Ed Cooley. The Friars have made two Final Four appearances in the

NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as NCAA March Madness and commonly called March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 college basketball teams from ...

, in 1973 and 1987. Four former players or coaches —

Dave Gavitt David Roy Gavitt (October 26, 1937 – September 16, 2011) was an American college basketball coach and athletic director at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. He was also well known as the first commissioner of the Big East Conference ...

John Thompson John Thompson may refer to: Academics * J. A. Thompson (1913–2002), Australian biblical scholar * John D. Thompson (1917–1992), nurse and professor at the Yale School of Public Health * John G. Thompson (born 1932), American mathematician * ...

, Rick Pitino, and Lenny Wilkens — are enshrined in the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

. In addition, two-time

champion, current Chicago Bulls head coach

Billy Donovan William John Donovan Jr. (born May 30, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He has served as head coach of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since September 2020 after previously coa ...

, helped lead the Friars (as a player) to the Final Four in 1987.

History

Early years: 1921-1955

Providence Friars basketball can be traced back to 1921, when the four-year-old school fielded its first basketball team on an informal basis. This first team only lasted two years, however, and did not return until the 1926–27 season when Archie Golembeski, the school's football coach, led to the team to a win over St. John's before devoting his time to football the next year. He was replaced by Al McClellan, who coached the team to four New England championships — 1929, 1930, 1932, and 1935 — and had an overall winning percentage over .700. In 1938, McClellan left and was replaced by Ed Crotty, who led the team to a 15–5 record in 1942–43 before the team suspended play the next year after the outbreak of World War II. After the war, the NCAA divided its teams into two divisions, the University Division and the College Division; with a smaller enrollment and no home court (the team played in an on-campus auditorium and then local high school gyms), the Friars were placed into the College Division and no longer faced the opponents they once played.

Mullaney era: 1955-1969

In 1949, Vin Cuddy was hired as the team's head coach, leading the team to a 14–9 record in his first season and qualified for the NAIB regional tournament in 1951, behind the school's first 1,000-point scorer, Jim Schlimm. By 1955, Cuddy's record fell to 9–12 and he was replaced by Joe Mullaney; at the same time, the school opened its first on-campus gym, Alumni Hall. In 1959, Mullaney and the Friars defeated ranked Villanova on the road, leading to their first-ever

National Invitational Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York City ...

bid. The Friars reached the NIT Finals in 1960 with future hall-of-famer Lenny Wilkens being named MVP in his senior season before winning the tournament in 1961 behind Vin Ernst, John Egan, and Jim Hadnot. Two years later, led by another future hall of famer,

, as well as future Boston Mayor

Ray Flynn Raymond Leo Flynn (born July 22, 1939) is an American politician who served as 52nd Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1984 until 1993. He also served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See from 1993–1997. Flynn was an All-American c ...

, the Friars won their second NIT title. With a 24–2 record in 1964–65, the number four ranked Friars reached the Elite Eight of the

. In 1966–67, Jimmy Walker led the nation in scoring and became the school's first 2,000-point scorer as well as the first

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

player selected first overall in the NBA draft. That season also marked the last in Mullaney's run of nine consecutive 20-win seasons. Two years later, Mullaney was hired as the head coach of the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

of the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

Gavitt era: 1969-1979

Following Mullaney's departure,

, an assistant under Mullaney who then became head coach at

Dartmouth Dartmouth may refer to: Places * Dartmouth, Devon, England ** Dartmouth Harbour * Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States * Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada * Dartmouth, Victoria, Australia Institutions * Dartmouth College, Ivy League university i ...

, took over as the Friars' head coach in 1969. In his second year, Gavitt began a string of eight consecutive 20-win seasons. For the 1972–73 season, the team began playing in downtown Providence at the brand-new 12,000-seat arena, the

Providence Civic Center The Amica Mutual Pavilion (originally Providence Civic Center and formerly Dunkin' Donuts Center) is an indoor arena located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1972, as a home court for the emerging Providence College men's ba ...

(renamed the

Dunkin' Donuts Dunkin' Donuts LLC, also known as Dunkin' and by the initials DD, is an American multinational coffee and doughnut company, as well as a quick service restaurant. It was founded by Bill Rosenberg (1916–2002) in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 195 ...

Center in 2001). That season was the Friars' best to date; led by

Ernie DiGregorio Ernest DiGregorio (born January 15, 1951), also known as "Ernie D.", is an American former professional basketball player. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1973–74 season and shares the NBA rookie record for assists in a single game w ...

and the troubled center Marvin Barnes, the team went on a 17-team game winning streak that ended in a Final Four loss to

Memphis State } The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students. The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering, the Center for Ea ...

. The next year, the Friars posted a 28–4 record and made their second straight Sweet Sixteen appearance. The team continued its top-flight status with back-to-back 20-win seasons in 1976–77 and 1977–78, earning NCAA Tournament bids each year, one coming after defeating top-ranked

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

in 1976. After a 10–16 season in 1978–79, Gavitt left Providence to become the first commissioner of the Providence-based Big East Conference. He finished his 10-year career at Providence with a 209–84 (.713) record.

Mullaney returns: 1979-1985

After spending the first six decades of their existence as an independent, the Friars joined the Big East in its inaugural season, 1979–80. The conference originally consisted of Providence,

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...

, Georgetown, St. John's, Seton Hall,

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

, and

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

. New head coach

Gary Walters Gary D. Walters is an American former basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head men's basketball coach at Middlebury College in 1969–70, Union College in Schenectady, New York from 1973 to 1975, Dartmouth Col ...

led the team to an 11–16 record in 1979–80, and was replaced by Mullaney in 1981. His next stint with the Friars would not be as successful, and consisted of only one winning season (1983–84, behind

Otis Thorpe Otis Henry Thorpe (born August 5, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was an NBA All-Star in 1992 and won an NBA championship with the Houston ...

) against three losing.

Pitino era: 1985-1987

In 1985,

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

assistant coach Rick Pitino was hired as the latest Friars head coach. In his first season the Friars compiled a 17–14 record and made their first NIT appearance in a decade. The next year, 1986–87, the Friars posted a 25–9 record behind

and made their second-ever Final Four appearance in the

1987 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The 1987 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championsh ...

. After losing to Syracuse, Pitino left the school and re-joined the Knicks as their head coach in 1987. The Friars have not returned to the Final Four since Pitino's departure.

Chiesa, Barnes, Gillen: 1987-1998

In 1987–88, the Friars posted a losing record under new head coach Gordie Chiesa, who was replaced by Rick Barnes after the season. Behind Barnes and 2,000-point scorer

Eric Murdock Eric Lloyd Murdock (born June 14, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Utah Jazz in the first round (21st pick overall) of the 1991 NBA draft. Biography Murdock grew up in Bridgewater Township, New ...

, the Friars made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1989 and 1990, as well as an NIT bid in 1991. Following Murdock's departure and a losing season in 1991–92, the team had an NIT semifinal appearance in 1993 and an NCAA tournament appearance in 1994, while also capturing the school's first Big East Tournament title. Following back-to-back 20-win seasons, Barnes left to become the head coach at Clemson in 1994. He was replaced by

Pete Gillen Peter Joseph Gillen (born June 20, 1947) is an American former college basketball head coach of the Division I, Providence Friars and Virginia Cavaliers and is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. Gillen is currently a college b ...

. Led by Eric Williams, the Friars made consecutive NIT appearances in 1995 and 1996. In 1996–97, the Friars posted a 24–12 record, led by

Austin Croshere Austin Nathan Croshere (born May 1, 1975) is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs throughout his 12-year career in the N ...

and

Jamel Thomas Jamel Thomas (born July 19, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a guard/ forward. Thomas was born in Brooklyn, New York. He played collegiately for Provide ...

. After defeating

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

in the

1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the champion ...

, the Friars reached the Elite Eight before losing, in overtime, to eventual champion

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. Following a losing season in 1997–98, Gillen departed to become the head coach at

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Welsh era: 1998-2008

Gillen was replaced by

Iona Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...

head coach

Tim Welsh Tim Welsh (born October 4, 1960) is an American college basketball Coach (sport), coach and the former head basketball coach at Providence College. Previously, he served as the head coach at Iona College (New York), Iona College. He also served ...

in 1998. Led by Thomas, the Friars made an NIT bid in 1999. The team returned to the NCAA tournament two years later, posting a 21–10 record behind John Linehan. While the Friars posted a losing record in Linehan's senior season in 2001–02, the guard broke

Allen Iverson Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Answer", he played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the shooting guard and point guard positions. Iver ...

's single-season Big East steals record of 67 as well as Murdock's NCAA career steals record of 377. Led by

Ryan Gomes Ryan Anthony Gomes (born September 1, 1982) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Cold Hearts of Overtime Elite (OTE). He was named a First Team All-American power forward at Providence Coll ...

, the Friars returned to the NIT with an 18–14 record in 2002–03 and made another NCAA appearance in 2003–04 with a 20–9 record. However, Welsh's next four teams, without Gomes after 2004–05, recorded one winning season, and Welsh was fired following the 2007–08 season.

Davis era: 2008-2011

In 2008, the Friars hired

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...

head coach

Keno Davis Keno Emlen Davis (born March 10, 1972) an American basketball coach who is the head coach for the Flint United. He was most recently the men's basketball head coach at Central Michigan University. Davis was previously head coach at Drake Universi ...

, who won the National Coach of the Year Award in his first and only season as Drake's head coach. Davis' team posted a 19–14 record, including a win at home over top-ranked

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, in 2008–09 en route to an NIT appearance. In 2009–10, Davis' team lost their final 11 games to finish 15th in the Big East. The Friars averaged 82 points per game, the fourth highest in Division I, while also surrendering 85 points per conference game, the worst statistical performance in Big East history. In Davis' third season,

2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

, the Friars finished 14th in the conference despite having Division I's second-leading scorer in

Marshon Brooks MarShon Scitif Brooks (born January 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Standing at , he plays at shooting guard and small forward positions. Origi ...

. Davis was fired after the 2010–11 season.

Cooley era: 2011-present

On March 22, 2011, the Friars hired Fairfield head coach Ed Cooley, as the 15th head coach in program history. A Providence native, Cooley brought a reinvigorated energy surrounding the program and recruited six consensus Top 100 recruits in his first three years.

2011–12 Season

In his first season at Providence, Cooley led the Friars to a 15–17 mark overall, posting an 11–3 mark (8–0 at home) in non-conference action and going 4–14 in the Big East. That season, point guard Vincent Council was named All-Big East Third Team and forward

LaDontae Henton LaDontae Henton (born January 6, 1992) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Providence before playing professionally in Spain, the Philippines, NBA G League, Hungary and Israel. He is currently a ...

earned Big East All-Rookie Team accolades.

2012–13 Season — NIT Quarterfinals

In his second season, Cooley led the Friars to a 19–15 record overall and a 9–9 mark in league play. Included in the 9–9 Big East record in 2012–13 was a 7–2 mark over the last nine games of the conference season, marking the second best turnaround over second half of the season in Big East history. The Friars played the season with a short roster with transfers Carson Desrosier and Tyler Harris having to sit out the year per NCAA transfer rules, five star Freshman shooting guard and Providence native

Ricky Ledo Ricardo Julio Ledo (born September 10, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for Semt77 Yalovaspor of the Turkish Basketball League (TBL). He committed to play for the Providence Friars, but the National Collegiate Athletic Associat ...

sitting our per NCAA eligibility issues, and five star Freshman point guard

Kris Dunn Kristofer Michael Dunn (born March 18, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League. He played four seasons of college basketball for the Providence Friars before being drafted with the fifth ...

sitting out the first semester with a shoulder injury. Friars Freshman guard Josh Fortune, was the only incoming player in 2012–2013 season eligible to compete. Cooley guided the Friars to the NIT where the squad posted a 2–1 record, beating

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

and Robert Morris before losing in the quarterfinals to eventual NIT Champion Baylor. That season, combo guard

Bryce Cotton Bryce Jiron Cotton (born August 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Providence Friars, where he was a two-time first-team Al ...

was named All-Big East First Team and Kadeem Batts was recognized as a co-winner of the league's Most Improved Award and earned All-Big East Honorable Mention accolades. After spending one year at Providence without being able to play, Ledo declared for the 2013 NBA Draft and was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, eventually being traded to the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...

2013–14 Season — Big East tournament champions / NCAA tournament 1st round

In his third season at Providence, Cooley led the Friars to a 10–8 mark in the Big East Conference and finished tied for 3rd with Xavier and St. John's. Transfers, Junior forward Carson Desrosiers and Sophomore forward Tyler Harris, were eligible to play their first season in black and white, having sat out the NCAA-enforced one-year period. However, in addition to former Senior point guard Vincent Council's graduation and

entering the draft, Sophomore point guard Kris Dunn faced another shoulder injury and had to sit out almost the entire year as a medical

redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Entertainment * ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi * Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after b ...

, Cleveland State transfer Sophomore guard Junior Lamomba had to sit out the NCAA-enforced one-year period, and incoming Freshmen Brandon Austin and

Rodney Bullock Rodney Bullock Jr. (born 3 June 1994) is an American professional basketball player for Prishtina of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague. He competed in college basketball for Providence. High school career Bullock attended Kecoughtan High School w ...

were suspended for the entire season due to an unspecified violation of team rules. The Friars finished the season at 23–12 overall, the most wins in a season since 1996–1997. Two players received regular season honors, Senior point guard

was named All-Big East First Team and Senior forward Kadeem Batts earned All-Big East Second Team accolades. Entering the Big East Tournament, the Friars played as the 4th seed due to losing the tie-breaker with Xavier. They defeated St. John's in the Quarterfinals, Seton Hall in the semifinals, and Creighton in the thrilling final at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

, claiming PC's second tournament title in Big East history. By winning the Big East Tournament the team earned an automatic bid, removing any "bubble" fears. On their way to making history as the first tournament champion of the reconfigured league, Junior forward Ladontae Henton was named to the All-Tournament Team and Senior guard

was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Player. On selection Sunday, the Friars were given the 11th seed in the

2014 NCAA tournament The 2014 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2014, and concluded with the ...

East Regional and faced the

UNC UNC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to: Education * University of Northern California (disambiguation), which may refer to: ** University of Northern California (Santa Rosa), in Petaluma, California, United States ** University of Nor ...

. The Friars lost 77–79, but en route

scored a career high 36 points, making him the 4th all-time leading scorer in Providence College basketball history. Despite the loss, the season marked yet another major step forward by Ed Cooley & Co. in rebuilding the PC basketball program.

2021–2022 Season — Big East regular season champions / NCAA tournament

After a disappointing campaign the previous season marred by a Covid-19 shortened schedule and no fans, Ed Cooley led the Friars to their first regular season championship in Big East History with an overall record of 24-4 and 14-3 within the conference. The Friars clinched the title at home in front of a sold out Dunkin Donut's Center crowd. The Friars spent most of this season ranked in the AP and Coaches top 25 Polls reaching as high as 8/9 on Feb 14, 2022.

Current team

Roster

Coaching Staff

Season-by-season

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Friars have appeared in the NCAA tournament 21 times. Their combined record is 17–22.

NIT results

The Friars have appeared in the

National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York City ...

(NIT) 20 times. Their combined record is 32–21. They are two time NIT Champions (1961, 1963).

NAIA tournament results

The Friars have appeared in the NAIA Tournament once. Their record is 0–1.

Former Friars

NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans

NBA

, Chicago Bulls *G

, Chicago Bulls * G

David Duke Jr. David Duke Jr. (born October 13, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on a two-way contract with the Austin Spurs of the NBA G League. He played college basketb ...

Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...

NBA G League

*G Brandon Austin,

Reno Bighorns Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

— G League affiliate of Sacramento Kings *G

Agua Caliente Clippers The Ontario Clippers, formerly known as the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Ontario, California, and are affiliated with the Los Angeles Clippers. The team began play in ...

— G League affiliate of Los Angeles Clippers *F Tyler Harris,

Windy City Bulls The Windy City Bulls are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and are affiliated with the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls play their home games at Now Arena, from Chicago. It became the thirte ...

— G League affiliate of Chicago Bulls *G Ricardo Ledo,

Wisconsin Herd The Wisconsin Herd are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and are affiliated with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Herd play their home games at Oshkosh Arena. History On June 29, 2016, it was anno ...

— G League affiliate of

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...

Duke Mondy Murray Deshawn "Duke" Mondy (born December 2, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies where he led the National Collegiate At ...

, Texas Legends — G League affiliate of

Playing abroad

Ben Bentil Benjamin Bentil (born March 29, 1995) is a Ghanaian professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. He played two seasons of college basketball for Providence before being drafted 51st overall by the ...

, Bilbao Basket *G

, Perth Wildcats *G

Vincent Council Vincent Council (born October 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Levickí Patrioti. He is a 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) tall Point guard. High school career Council played high school basketball at The Patt ...

BC Nokia BC Nokia is a professional basketball club based in Nokia, Finland. The team currently plays in the top level Korisliiga. History In the 2014–15 season, Nokia won the Finnish First Division and was promoted to the Korisliiga. The team finished i ...

Sharaud Curry Morris Sharaud Curry (born May 16, 1987) is an American professional basketball point guard who last played for MZT Skopje of the Macedonian League. Curry graduated from Joseph Wheeler High School in Georgia, where his team won basketball state c ...

Poitiers Basket 86 Poitiers Basket 86, also known as PB86 or simply Poitiers, is a French professional basketball team located in the city of Poitiers, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France. It competes in the French Pro B league. The club's home games are play ...

*G Josh Fortune, SZTE-Szedeák *F Lee Goldsbrough,

Manchester Magic The Manchester Magic are an English basketball club from the city of Manchester in the northwest of England. For the 2019-20 season, the Magic will compete in the National Basketball League Division 2 North. They play their home games at the ...

*F Herbert Hill, Nishinomiya Storks *F

Tuukka Kotti Tuukka Kotti (born 18 March 1981) is a Finnish professional basketball player for the Helsinki Seagulls. Kotti attended Providence College in the United States, where he played college basketball between 2001 and 2005. He left Finland as a poi ...

Helsinki Seagulls Helsinki Seagulls is a professional basketball team, based in Helsinki, Finland. The club is playing in the Korisliiga, the highest tier of basketball in Finland. The Seagulls were founded in 2013 and made its debut in the Korisliiga in 2014, aft ...

*G Junior Lomomba,

APOP Paphos B.C. APOP Paphos (in Greek: ΑΠΟΠ Πάφου), is a Cypriot professional basketball club based in Paphos, Cyprus. The club competes in the Cypriot League The Cypriot First Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας) is the to ...

*G Donnie McGrath, CB Sevilla *G

Jeff Xavier Jeffrey G. Xavier (born 7 September 1985) is a Cape Verdean basketball player who plays for UJAP Quimper 29 in LNB Pro B. He is a 2009 graduate of Providence College. Xavier transferred to Providence after two years at Manhattan College. Xavier ...

, UJAP Quimper 29 Alpha Diallo. Monaco Basket

All-time NBA draft

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

, Round 1, Pick 6: Lenny Wilkens ( St. Louis Hawks) *

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 ...

, Round 2, Pick 12:

Johnny Egan John Egan may refer to: Sports *John Egan (basketball), basketball player who participated on Loyola University Chicago's 1963 championship team *John Egan (Dublin GAA) (1951–2007), former Dublin GAA County Chairman *John Egan (footballer, born 1 ...

( Detroit Pistons) *

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...

, Round 3, Pick 25: Jim Hadnot (

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

) *

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

, Round 4, Pick 33:

Raymond Flynn Raymond Leo Flynn (born July 22, 1939) is an American politician who served as 52nd Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1984 until 1993. He also served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See from 1993–1997. Flynn was an All-American c ...

( Syracuse Nats) *1963, Round 6, Pick 53: Vin Ernst (Boston Celtics) *

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

, Round 3, Pick 27:

(Boston Celtics) *

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...

, Round 1, Pick 1: Jimmy Walker (Detroit Pistons) *1967, Round 5, Pick 44:

Dexter Westbrook Dexter Westbrook (born 1943) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the New Jersey Americans in seven games before being acquired by the Pittsburgh Pipers, for whom he played in five games, in the beginning of the 1967 ...

( Baltimore Bullets) *1967, Round 12, Pick 128: Mike Riordan (

) *

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

, Round 6, Pick 96:

Jim Larranaga Jim or JIM may refer to: * Jim (given name), a given name * Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James * Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy * OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism * ''Jim'' (comics), a series by Jim Woodring * ''Jim ...

(Detroit Pistons) *

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

, Round 1, Pick 3:

( Buffalo Braves) *1973, Round 2, Pick 24:

Kevin Stacom Kevin M. Stacom (born September 4, 1951) is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'3" (1.90 m) guard from Holy Cross High School, Flushing, New York; and Providence College, Stacom played six seasons (1974–1979; 1981–1982) ...

( Chicago Bulls) *1973, Round 5, Pick 71: Fran Costello ( Portland Trail Blazers) *

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

, Round 1, Pick 2: Marvin Barnes (

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

) *1974, Round 2, Pick 35: Kevin Stacom (Boston Celtics) *

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

, Round 9, Pick 154: Steve Strother (

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...

) *

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

, Round 8, Pick 136: Mark McAndrew (Buffalo Braves) *

1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...

, Round 3, Pick 52:

Joe Hassett Joseph Patrick Hassett (born September 11, 1955) is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6'5" (1.96 m) 180 lb (81.5 kg) shooting guard, he played college basketball at Providence College ...

( Seattle SuperSonics) *1977, Round 6, Pick 119: Bob Cooper (

Kansas City Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

) *

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd go ...

, Round 6, Pick 112: Bob Misevicius (Buffalo Braves) *1978, Round 8, Pick 153: Bruce Campbell ( New Jersey Nets) *

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, Round 6, Pick 121: Dwight Williams ( Atlanta Hawks) *

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

, Round 10, Pick 214: John Nolan (Boston Celtics) *

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...

, Round 9, Pick 186: Rudy Williams (New Jersey Nets) *

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

, Round 7, Pick 160: Ron Jackson (Boston Celtics) *

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...

, Round 1, Pick 9:

(Kansas City Kings) *

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

, Round 5, Pick 114: Ray Knight (

) *

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...

, Round 3, Pick 68:

( Utah Jazz) *

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

, Round 2, Pick 54: Abdul Shamsid-Deen (Seattle SuperSonics) *

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...

, Round 1, Pick 21:

(Utah Jazz) *

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...

, Round 1, Pick 21:

Dickey Simpkins LuBara Dixon "Dickey" Simpkins (born April 6, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player best known for his tenure with the Chicago Bulls in the late 1990s. He is currently a scout for the Washington Wizards. A 6' 9" forward/cen ...

(Chicago Bulls) *1994, Round 2, Pick 35: Michael Smith ( Sacramento Kings) *

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...

, Round 1, Pick 14: Eric Williams (Boston Celtics) *1995, Round 2, Pick 45:

Troy Brown Troy Fitzgerald Brown (born July 2, 1971) is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers and kick returners coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and ki ...

(Atlanta Hawks) *

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

, Round 1, Pick 12:

(Indiana Pacers) *1997, Round 2, Pick 46:

God Shammgod god Shammgod (born April 29, 1976, and formerly known as Shammgod Wells) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He is currently a player development coach with the Dallas Mavericks. He played in the NBA with the Washingto ...

(

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...

) *

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

, Round 2, Pick 56: Marcus Douthit (

) *

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

, Round 2, Pick 50:

(Boston Celtics) *

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

, Round 2, Pick 55: Herbert Hill (Utah Jazz) *

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...

, Round 1, Pick 25:

(Boston Celtics) *

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

, Round 2, Pick 43: Ricardo Ledo (Milwaukee Bucks) *

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

, Round 1, Pick 5:

(Minnesota Timberwolves) *

, Round 2, Pick 51:

(Boston Celtics)

Former Friars

*Justin Acker — Executive, WME/IMG * Chris Anrin — former international professional basketball player * Marvin Barnes — former

and ABA all-star player *

Ira Bowman Ira Bowman (born June 11, 1973) is a retired American professional basketball player formerly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently an assistant men's basketball coach for Auburn University. He attended Providence College ...

— former NBA player *

Marques Bragg Marques Bragg (born March 24, 1970) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bragg was a Providence Friar in college, and co-led the Big East Conference in Field goal percentage ...

— former NBA player *

— NBA player with New Jersey Nets * Derrick Brown — former international professional basketball player * Michael Brown — former international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player *

Marty Conlon Martin McBride Conlon (born January 19, 1968) is an Irish-American former professional basketball player whose career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) lasted from 1992 through 2000. Conlon started his basketball career at Archbishop S ...

— former NBA player * Rick Cordella — Vice President & General Manager,

NBC Sports NBC Sports is an American programming division of the broadcast network NBC, owned and operated by NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal and subsidiary of Comcast. The division is responsible for sports broadcasts on the network, and its d ...

Digital *

— former NBA player *

— international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player *

— two-time

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as NCAA March Madness and commonly called March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 college basketball teams from ...

head coach of

Florida Gators men's basketball The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in NCAA Division I's Southeastern Conference (SEC). Home games are played in the O'Connell Center, Exactech Arena at the ...

* Marcus Douthit — NBA and international professional basketball player * Jacek Duda — former international professional basketball player * Weyinmi Efejuku — international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player and coach *

— former Mayor of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

* Trent Forbes — international professional basketball player *

Rubén Garcés Rubén Santiago Garcés Riquelme (born October 17, 1973) is a Panamanian professional basketball player. He last played for the Mets de Guaynabo of Puerto Rico. A 6'9" power forward/center, he played US college basketball with Navarro Junior Col ...

— former NBA and international professional basketball player *

— NBA player with Los Angeles Clippers * Randall Hanke — international professional basketball player *

Eric Harris Eric David Harris (April 9, 1981 – April 20, 1999) and Dylan Bennet Klebold (; September 11, 1981 – April 20, 1999) were an American mass murder duo who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. Harris and Klebold ...

— former international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player * Herbert Hill — NBA and international professional basketball player * Sheiku Kabba — international professional basketball player * Jonathan Kale — international professional basketball player *

— international professional basketball player *

— current NBA player *

— head coach of Miami Hurricanes men's basketball * Māris Ļaksa — international professional basketball player * John Linehan — international professional basketball player * Mike Malone — NBA assistant coach for the New Orleans Hornets * Erron Maxey — international professional basketball player * Geoff McDermott — international professional basketball player * Ken McDonald — head coach of Western Kentucky Hilltopers men's basketball * Donnie McGrath — international professional basketball player * Brian McKenzie — international professional basketball player *

Abdul Mills Abdul (also transliterated as Abdal, Abdel, Abdil, Abdol, Abdool, or Abdoul; ar, عبد ال, ) is the most frequent transliteration of the combination of the Arabic word '' Abd'' (, meaning "Servant") and the definite prefix '' al / el'' (, mea ...

— former international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player * Jason Murdock — former international professional basketball player * Jamine Peterson — international professional basketball player * Rob Phelps — former international professional basketball player *

Richard Pitino Richard William Pitino (born September 16, 1982) is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the head coach of the New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team. From 2013 to 2021, he was head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gop ...

— head basketball coach for

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

* Mike Riordan — former NBA player * Rob Sanders — former international professional basketball player * Karim Shabazz — international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player *

Abdul Shamsid-Deen Abdul Rahman Shamsid-Deen (born August 1, 1968) is an American retired professional basketball player. College years Shamsid-Deen played college basketball for the Providence College Friars, primarily at the center position. Professional caree ...

— former international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player * Kevin Simpson — former international professional basketball player * Michael Smith — former NBA player *

— former NBA player * Piotr Szybilski — former international professional basketball player *

— former NBA player * Garnett Thompson — international professional basketball player *

— former

Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

head coach of

Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball The Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball program represents Georgetown University in NCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball and the Big East Conference. Georgetown has competed in men's college basketball since 1907. The current head co ...

— former NBA all-star player *

Orlando Vega Orlando Vega Smith (born June 16, 1968) is a retired basketball player from Puerto Rico. High School Basketball A 6' 4" Shooting guard/Small forward, Vega played for Oak Hill Academy, finishing the 1987–88 season with an average o ...

— former international professional basketball player * Jimmy Walker — former NBA all-star player *

Franklin Western Franklin Western Canales (born April 11, 1972 in New York City, New York ) is a professional basketball player. He is 2.00 m tall and plays as a forward. Western is member of the Dominican Republic national basketball team The Dominican Rep ...

— international professional basketball player * Lenny Wilkens —

coach and player * Eric Williams — former NBA player *

— international professional basketball player * Maciej Zieliński — former international professional basketball player

All-time leaders

Points

Rebounds

Assists

Steals

Blocks

Arena

The Providence Friars men's basketball team has been playing at the

(aka "the AMP") since its inception in 1972, having played almost all of its home basketball games at the arena since it opened. The Amica Mutual Pavilion (formerly Providence Civic Center and Dunkin’ Donuts Center ) is an indoor arena, located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, and seats approximately 12,400 fans for basketball games. In 2001, the arena was named the Dunkin' Donuts Center as part of a naming-rights deal with Dunkin' Donuts.In December 2005, the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority purchased the building from the city of Providence and spent $80 million on an extensive renovation. Since the renovations, the arena has been touted as one of the most state of the art areas and one of the best atmospheres in the NCAA. Prior to playing at the Amica Mutual Pavilion , the Friars played at

Alumni Hall (Providence) Alumni Hall is the on-campus basketball gymnasium at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It was built in 1955 and was the home court for the school's men's basketball program until 1972. The gymnasium has hosted the ...

from 1955 until moving to the AMP in 1972. Alumni Hall seated approximately 2,600 fans from 1955 until its renovation in 2012, and now seats approximately 1,850 fans. In 2022 Amica Mutual took over the naming rights and the arena was renamed the Amica Mutual Pavilion.

Rivalries

Villanova Wildcats

The two smallest schools in the original Big East, Providence and the

Villanova Wildcats The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East (NCAA Division I) for every sport; except football and rowing where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association (Football Championship Sub ...

, currently battle at least twice each year during conference play. The two teams first met on February 15, 1936, resulting in a 46–37 Friars victory. Villanova leads the all-time series, 59–38, as of the end of the 2015–16 NCAA basketball season. The rivalry is elevated by the Catholic orders which run the schools; Providence's Dominicans and Villanova's

Augustinians Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...

Boston College Eagles The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisio ...

These two former Big East rivals are in adjacent states with both teams said to have among the most intense fans in New England. Though they now reside in separate conferences, they still meet occasionally during non-conference play.

Connecticut Huskies The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's fo ...

The only two New England schools in the old Big East for its final eight seasons, these two schools fought for New England bragging rights each year until the 2013 season, when Providence and 6 other teams in the "Catholic 7" broke away to form the new Big East and UConn remained in the now-called American Athletic Conference. UConn joined the new Big East and started playing in the conference in 2020, renewing the rivalry.

Rhode Island Rams

The annual

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

State Championship game is played between these schools once a year and is considered often to be the highlight of the schedule for the rams. The annual match-up is usually played in December and has produced many memorable games and moments for both teams over the years.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Providence Friars Men's Basketball Basketball teams established in 1921 1921 establishments in Rhode Island