One Last Shot at the Garden: The Final Chapter of the English Era

Before this season started, I wrote a season preview article outlining how this season was going to be a tournament or bust season in Friartown for Kim English and company in year three.

Four months later, it has been reported in national and media news outlets that English will be relieved of his duties at season's end.

In late January, I wrote an article about how English must be fired. And here we are a night before the Big East tournament and the last week barring a miracle run at Madison Square Garden of the ever so disappointing season of the Friars beginning.

You get the idea, the writing has been on the wall for quite some time now. I think we all knew this era of Friars basketball was coming to a close the way the season has progressed unless you are still an English believer, but to paint a microcosm of English's tenure in Providence:

• 47-51 (.479) overall, second worst winning percentage of Providence head coaches in the last 50 years.
• 31-51 (.378) overall in non-buy games.
• 23-37 (.383) in Big East games, good for ninth in the conference over that span, only ahead of DePaul and Georgetown.
• 13-34 (.276) in games away from Providence, once again only better than DePaul and Georgetown.

You hate to see the English era end the way it has after he came the only coach in school history to win 20 games in his first season, but looking back on it that team was largely carried by Big East player of the year Devin Carter and center Josh Oduro who credit to English brought over from George Mason to Providence.

Nobody could have predicted Bryce Hopkins tearing his ACL also during the 2023-2024 season and him purposely sitting out the majority of the 2024-2025 season to transfer to St. John's for more NIL money. This did however serve as a lesson to English to not put all of your eggs in one basket when building and constructing your roster.

This season does not boil down to the talent or lack thereof on the roster, that is far from the problem between Jaylin Sellers, Jamier Jones, and Stefan Vaaks all guy's English brought to Friartown. It is instead English's lack of coaching between defense and adjustments as PC currently ranks as the 356th out of 365 teams in the country when it comes to team opponent points per game. Not to mention the inability to win close games as Providence has lost at least 10 games decided by seven or fewer points or in overtime this season.

Defense and coaching travels on the road, something the Friars have left at the Ruane Friar Development Center the last three years.

As for head coaching candidates to replace English, keep an eye out for these names: Josh Schertz, Herb Sendek, Jerrod Calhoun, Billy Donovan, Bryan Hodgson, Joe Gallo, and Chris Jans. Article to come on this in near future after Big East tournament.

As for the Big East tournament which tips off tomorrow afternoon, Providence will take on Butler who the Friars have split the season series with. The first game being a 2OT two-point thrilling loss and the second one being a 10 point win.

As for how I see the game playing out, I think of three things. The first being how hard and how much effort the Friars are going to play with knowing that this could very well be their last game of the season and that English's fate has already been sealed. We've seen flashes of really competitive basketball, but the majority of the season has been a lack of effort especially on the defensive side of the floor.

The second and third being fouls and rebounds as in the first game Providence had 12 more fouls than Butler and in the second game Providence had 10 more rebounds. These are the key components of the game for me, in the Big East tournament it's a new season and anyone's game. Especially with the two games these teams have played against each other this season, it's more than likely going to come down to the wire and little things like fouls and rebounds. Whoever is the more disciplined team and is able to protect the glass more effectively is going to win this contest. Oswin Erhunmwunse needs to have a big game for PC on the glass if Providence wants a third crack at St. John's, UConn, or Villanova.

The individual matchup that is going to determine the game for me is Jaylin Sellers versus Finley Bizjack. In the first outing both went for 26 points while in the second contest Sellers went for 36 and Bizjack 30. Whoever wins this individual matchup most likely wins the game for their team as well. Both have by far been each team's best and most important player this season.

As for my prediction, I see the Bulldogs prevailing in this one although it is a true toss up based on the first two games these teams played against one another this season. I hope to be proven wrong obviously but with the lack of coaching, adjustments, and defense on the road as I mentioned above compiled with the team knowing their head coaches' fate is already sealed and entering the tournament on a two-game losing streak, I have limited faith when it comes to our ability to move onto the next round.

Again, I obviously hope to be proven wrong that's just what my gut is telling me at the time of this writing. Anything can happen though as that's why March Madness is so special and beloved by college basketball fans. And even though the Big East tournament isn't March Madness it's pretty damn close in the world's most famous arena.

Happy Big East tournament folks. Go Friars.