Friars Overcome Horrid Shooting, Stop URI 59-50

With 15 points from Freshman A.J. Reeves, the Friars topped archrival
URI despite missing two of every three shots they took from the floor.
(Photo courtesy

By Bob Phillips

PROVIDENCE—Question: When can you shoot 36 percent from the floor and still win comfortably?

Answer: When you hold the opposition to below 30 percent. 

And that’s the way it played out on Saturday afternoon—the definition of “winning ugly.” The Providence College Friars team rode a team-high 15-point performance by A.J. Reeves to defeat the Rhode Island Rams Saturday afternoon, 59-50, before a raucous, sellout crowd of 12,997 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

The starting lineup of David Duke, Reeves, Jimmy Nichols Jr., Alpha Diallo and Kalif Young is starting to become a regular for head coach Ed Cooley who the lineup for the fifth-consecutive game on Saturday. Over their last five games with this lineup they now hold a 4-1 record, with the lone loss coming against Michigan.

Reeves led the starters with 15 points, four rebounds and a steal.

Rhode Island took a quick lead after a layup off the tip-off and a bucket in the paint before Providence used an 8-0 run to take a 10-4 lead.

Reeves welcomed himself to the Ocean State rivalry with a backdoor cut for a layup followed by back-to-back threes, one from the top of the key then a contested three from the wing off a dish from Duke.

Reeves scored eight of the Friars first 10 points to hold a 10-6 lead at the first media timeout (15:59).

The Friars defense held strong in the opening minutes, forcing contested layups and fadeaway jump shots. Nate Watson (Arlington, Va.) entered the game at the 14:42 mark and played a strong presence in the paint all game.

Watson finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, he shot 5-8 from the field.

Watson scored back-to-back layups in the paint over Cyril Langevine, Isaiah Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.) then hit a deep three from the left wing to increase their lead to 18-12 (11:42).

Young notched his second dunk of the game after setting a screen for Maliek White (Richmond, Va.) at the top of the key, Rhode Island's center trailed White leaving Young wide open for the slip pass and finish.

Fatts Russell converted a three from left wing later in the half to bring Rhode Island within four at the 3:46 mark, 27-23. Providence outscored Rhode Island 12-4 through the rest of the half, capped off by a three from Jackson on the left wing to give them a 12-point lead heading into the locker room, 39-27.

The Friars scored 21 bench points in the half compared to the Rams' two, Rhode Island shot just 44.4% from the charity stripe (4-9). Watson led Providence in the first half with nine points and three rebounds.

Reeves opened the scoring in the second half with a three from the right wing on the assist from Young.

Both teams struggled from the field in the first eight minutes of play, the teams combined to shoot 3-17 from the field. Providence's lone basket came on the Reeves three. Providence and Rhode Island both reached the bonus with more than 12 minutes to play.

PC fought through a 4:46 scoring drought that the Rams capitalized on with a 7-0 run of their own. They brought the game within seven with 11:37 to play, 44-37.  That marked the closest the Rams would get the remainder of the game. The combo of Reeves and Watson stopped the run, scoring back-to-back layups in the paint.

The Friars led 56-46 with 4:28 left in the game after Tyrese Martin hit Rhode Island's second three-pointer of the night. Rhode Island struggled from three-point territory all game long, shooting just 2-18 from behind the three-point line.

Free-throws defined the second half as both teams combined for a total of just 10 field goals. Rhode Island shot 10-17 from the free-throw line in the second half while Providence shot 11-21.

With the win, PC improves to 6-2 on the young season, while Rhody falls to 3-3. The Friars are 74-55 all-time versus the Rams.

The Friars now travel to Chestnut Hill where they will challenge the Boston College Eagles on Tuesday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

Reeves Earns Third Freshman of the Week Accolade

A.J. Reeves has been named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week for the second-consecutive week and third time overall this season. The Friars defeated Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 27 in the Dunkin' Donuts Center, 69-59. The team earned its second home win of the week by defeating Rhode Island, 59-50, also at The Dunk.

 Reeves, a Roxbury, Mass. Native, averages 13.8 points on the season, tops in the BIG EAST among freshman and second-best on the team behind junior Alpha Diallo (New York, N.Y.). Reeves has been efficient from the field in his first eight games, shooting 53 percent, which ranks second on the team behind Nate Watson (Arlington, Va.). He is shooting a team-high 58 percent from three-point territory and leads the team in three-point field goals with 19.

Reeves scored seven points against Fairleigh Dickinson, adding two steals and three boards to his spreadsheet. He followed up that performance with a strong showing in his first rivalry game against Rhode Island, scoring a team-high 15 points, including three baskets from beyond the arc. Reeves is one of two freshman to start every game this season for the Friars, alongside his freshman teammate,

—Staff Reports