Looking to improve to 3-0 for the fourth straight season, Providence continues its season-opening, five-game homestand Tuesday against Hampton in the first-ever meeting between the programs.
The Friars (2-0) are coming off a 76-49 win Saturday over nearby Stonehill in which 11 different players scored, led by Georgia graduate transfer Jabri Abdur-Rahim’s 16 points and six rebounds.
Coach Kim English’s team is still coming together after dealing with injuries throughout the preseason. All-Big East star Bryce Hopkins has been out since January due to an ACL tear.
“Guys are still fighting for rotational minutes — and that’s without Bryce Hopkins, who you can plug in (for) high-20s, low-30s per game,” English said. “The starting group, we’re still evaluating. … We’re looking to see who can play that hard on defense and be efficient on offense.”
The deep lineup shot 50 percent from the field, a big improvement from the 37.7 percent mark in last Monday’s 59-55 win over Central Connecticut State.
Meanwhile, English is hopeful for a Hopkins return during the Friars’ Thanksgiving week trip to the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.
“I’m wanting him to do more. He’s kind of in a dilemma of wanting to get in but also wanting the guys that are going to play to get reps,” English said. “His legs are strong, his knee is strong.”
Miami transfer Bensley Joseph leads Providence with 14 points per game, including 21 points and five 3-pointers against Central Connecticut.
Tuesday marks Hampton’s (1-1) second game against a Division I foe this season after it fell 82-54 on Friday at George Washington.
George Beale Jr., a junior transfer from Norfolk State, scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
Beale has 17 points per game for a Pirates team that boasts just one returning starter in Kyrese Mullen, whose 10 double-doubles led the Coastal Athletic Association last season.
“What I’ve learned about the program is that we’ve had to establish our culture,” first-year coach Ivan Thomas said. “There was no culture here. We got 14 new players. … That’s what we spent 12 weeks (in the preseason doing).”
Thomas spent the last nine seasons in the Big East, assisting Ed Cooley at Providence and Georgetown before taking the Hampton job.
–Field Level Media
