Friars Drop Two in San Diego, Turn Focus to Fairleigh Dickinson Back Home at the AMP

After a demanding early-season slate filled with Power Conference opponents, the Providence Friars closed out their Thanksgiving trip to San Diego with a pair of tough losses at the Rady Children’s Invitational. Despite extended stretches of competitive play and another round of promising performances from key contributors, the Friars fell 104-83 to Wisconsin on Thursday before losing 90-78 to No. 10/8 Florida on Friday. Now sitting at 4–4, Providence returns to the friendly confines of the Amica Mutual Pavilion with an opportunity to reset against Fairleigh Dickinson tomorrow night.

Wisconsin 104, Providence 83 — Badgers Pull Away Behind Late First-Half Surge

The tournament opener began at a fast pace, with both teams trading early baskets before Wisconsin began to create separation midway through the first half. Graduate guard Jason Edwards, the Friars’ leading scorer and a preseason Jerry West Award nominee, paced Providence with 20 points, including nine in the opening frame.

Providence hung within striking distance early, cutting the deficit to 21-18 after an Oswin Erhunmwunse floater and a Jamier Jones three. Freshman forward Stefan Vaaks also continued his strong perimeter shooting, drilling a deep three off an offensive rebound kick-out from Jaylin Sellers to bring the Friars within 27-24.

But Wisconsin responded with a decisive 12-2 run, ballooning the lead to 39-26 and ultimately taking a 51-32 advantage into halftime. The Badgers’ Nick Boyd poured in 18 first-half points, and Wisconsin’s balance overwhelmed the Friars defensively.

Providence shot 41.9 percent in the opening half, but cold three-point shooting (6-18) allowed the Badgers to pile on. Four Friars had at least three rebounds, but Wisconsin’s pace and efficiency consistently put pressure on PC.

The Friars opened the second half with a corner three from Jaylen Harrell, but the Badgers’ offense proved relentless. Providence converted four straight field goals during a brief surge, yet Wisconsin maintained control, pushing the lead past 20 and ultimately crossing the 100-point mark in a 104-83 win.

Four Friars reached double figures — Edwards (20), Vaaks (11), Erhunmwunse (10), and Jones (10). Sellers and Jones pulled down seven rebounds each, while Vaaks knocked down three threes, marking his seventh multi-three game of the season. Providence finished 11-28 from deep and a strong 12-15 from the line, but couldn’t keep pace with Wisconsin’s 37 made field goals, including 14 threes.

The loss dropped Providence to 4–2 all time against the Badgers and 40–38 historically against Big Ten opponents.

No. 10/8 Florida 90, Providence 78 — Mela Shines as Friars Battle Ranked Gators

Less than 24 hours later, the Friars were back on the floor against a top-10 Florida team. Despite being without Duncan Powell, Daquan Davis, and Rich Barron due to injuries, the Friars delivered a resilient performance, highlighted by sophomore forward Ryan Mela, who scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Sellers opened the scoring for PC with a step-back three before Mela and Corey Floyd Jr. strung together baskets to give the Friars an early 7-6 lead. Florida regained the advantage but couldn’t shake Providence initially, carrying a 15-11 edge into the under-12 timeout.

Vaaks once again sparked the offense, scoring six of the Friars’ next eight points, but a 9-1 Florida run pushed the Gators ahead 35-22. Edwards and Mela fueled a quick response, including an and-one by Mela and an alley-oop conversion by Peteris Pinnis, helping Providence trim the halftime deficit to 45-39.

The Gators opened the second half with a 6-0 burst, but Providence answered as Mela hit two free throws and Sellers drilled a deep three to pull within six. Still, Florida’s perimeter shooting — 12 threes on the night — proved decisive. Back-to-back threes from Sellers and Edwards again cut into the lead, but Florida eventually stretched its advantage to 21 at the under-eight mark.

Providence made one final push, highlighted by a Floyd layup to cut the deficit to 13, but the Gators’ offensive firepower carried them to a 90-76 victory.

Five Friars scored in double figures: Mela (17), Sellers (14), Edwards (13), Floyd (12), and Vaaks (10). Pinnis added six rebounds, while the team shot 44.4 percent from the field and 20-26 at the line.

The defeat dropped Providence to 0–6 all-time against Florida and 20–30 against SEC opponents.

What the Weekend Revealed

Despite the losses, the Friars continue to show offensive prowess, averaging 90.0 points per game — third in the BIG EAST — and leading the conference in free-throw percentage (78.7%). Edwards remains one of the league’s elite scorers at 18.6 ppg, ranking third in the BIG EAST and surpassing 20 points four times already.

Sellers continues to thrive as the team’s secondary scoring option, averaging 14.9 ppg and leading the BIG EAST in free-throw shooting at 88.5%. Vaaks has emerged as a reliable perimeter threat (22 made threes, 38.6%), and Erhunmwunse remains an interior anchor, pacing the conference with 24 blocks through eight games.

The Friars have also faced one of the toughest early-season schedules in the league, with five of their first eight games coming against Power Conference opponents, including two on back-to-back nights this weekend.

Game Preview: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Providence

The Friars return home tomorrow night to take on Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m. on ESPN+, looking to rebound from the West Coast trip and regain momentum before heading deeper into the non-conference slate.

Providence holds a 4–1 all-time record against FDU — all of which have been played in Providence — including a 79-67 win in their most recent matchup on Dec. 5, 2020. The only loss came in 1984 by just two points.

The Friars have historically dominated the Northeast Conference, posting a 32–6 all-time mark against NEC opponents.

With injuries still affecting the rotation and the team looking to tighten its defensive consistency, Tuesday’s game provides an opportunity to re-establish rhythm, emphasize rebounding and interior defense, and continue building cohesion among a roster featuring 10 newcomers.

Providence remains an outstanding home program overall, boasting a 645-249 (.722) record at the Amica Mutual Pavilion.

Looking Ahead

The Rady Children’s Invitational exposed the Friars to high-level competition and highlighted a number of strengths — from the scoring reliability of Edwards and Sellers to the rapid development of Vaaks and Mela. As the team returns home, the focus shifts toward recovery, adjustment, and stacking wins heading into the toughest stretch of the season.

The Friars and Knights tip off Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.