A Reset or a Reckoning? Providence Opens the New Year at the Garden
It has been two weeks since the Providence College men's basketball team has taken the floor, a much-needed reset for all that are still bought into the season, albeit an extremely disappointing one to say the least as the Friars currently hold a 7-6 non-conference record and an 0-2 Big East record finding themselves at the basement of the conference.
As the calendar flips to January and a new year, Providence is hoping for a new year's resolution of completing a difficult path to the NCAA Tournament in March, a task that may seem nearly impossible to most but will not be settled until the ball drops.
The first ball dropping on the third day of the new year for the Friars against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena and the best sight to witness the ball drop.
The Red Storm come into the matchup in a disappointing season thus far for themselves as well, holding a 9-4 non-conference record and a 2-0 Big East record which finds themselves in the opposite position of Providence but still in a must win game for a team that was once ranked first in the preseason Big East coaching poll and fifth in the Associated Press poll.
In a must win game for both sides, here how Providence would be able to come out victorious, start the new year off 1-0, and make a statement in the basketball mecca of the world.
Limit the Front Court Duo of Ejiofor & Hopkins
This one is key and simple as it will ultimately determine the outcome of the contest for both sides, whoever wins this battle will find themselves 1-0 on the new year.
We all know how elite Zuby Ejiofor is as he was named the Big East preseason player of the year and currently leads the Johnnie's in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks. Plain and simple, Ejiofor can do it all as he is a game changer and wrecker on both ends of the floor.
This will be a massive test for Oswin Erhunmwunse as while Ejiofor is no Donovan Clingan and or Ryan Kalkbrenner of years past, he is the closest one to them in the Big East. If Erhunmwunse can limit his fouls especially early in the game, this will go a huge and long way in determining who will win this matchup. If Cole Hargrove finds himself into the game early due to Erhunmwunse picking up a few early fouls, I don't like our chances one bit as Ejiofor will take complete advantage of him.
As for Hopkins, this will obviously be his first time and game facing Providence after making his decision to transfer after last season. We know what he brings and what his strengths and weaknesses are, as he is not the best three-point shooter and makes his money down low driving into the paint and off second chance offensive rebounds. It will be key for Jaylin Sellers to force Hopkins to shoot instead of letting him drive inside as I really hope that the Providence pick and roll defense consists of drop techniques instead of playing up on the ball.
Force Ejiofor and Hopkins to beat you by the shot, not down low in the paint.
Get Stefan Vaaks Going
Out of the many disappointments that this season has brought, one of the sole bright spots has been Stefan Vaaks as I don't think anyone saw this freshman year season coming from him.
As great has Vaaks has been whether it's his three-point shot, confidence, passing ability, play making ability, ability to score on his own you name it the fact of the matter is that he is -30 from three over his last three games. That is simply not good enough whether it's Vaaks or as I like to say his NBA pro comparison in Luka Dončić shooting the ball from behind the arc.
Providence must start fast in this game, one way, if not the best way to do that is to get Vaaks involved early and often. If he can get a couple of threes to fall early coming off of pick and roll screens it only opens up the entire offense for volume high scorers like Jason Edwards and Sellers.
How cool would it be to see Vaaks drill deep threes in the garden? Would feel like the Big East tournament and hopefully be a preview of it as well.
Regain Identity
This last key is an intangible one and isn't really one that deals with X's and O's, but after being away from the court for two weeks for the holiday season I want to see what this team looks like after having more than enough time to get healthy, reflect, and learn after the first 15 games of the season.
The question I ask myself: What version of Providence are we going to get?
Are we going to get a team that comes out hungry with a fiery edge and looks like they want to be there, or are we going to get a team that does not put in enough effort defensively and solely relies on its talent to try to make yet another improbable comeback?
If it's the first, maybe just maybe this is a different team coming out of the long break that just needed time away from each other to regroup, reassess, and start the new year off fresh. If it's the second, St. John's will look like the team it was originally ranked in the preseason; Ejiofor will have a career night if not one close to it, and the Friars will start the new year off 0-1 with a long rest of the season and year ahead in Friartown.
It better not get more late early as it already has for the Friars, especially Kim English. If he wants to keep his job and see another ball drop, he must start the new year off 1-0.