UConn basketball overcame a slow start to take down Providence in their Big East regular season finale.
UConn basketball had plane troubles following the Marquette game, causing them to be delayed getting to Providence. They seemed jet lagged to start the game as Providence punched them in the mouth. Devin Carter had a quick 12 points in the first four minutes of the game and helped the Friars to a 15-2 lead.
A quick technical foul call on Dan Hurley seemed to wake the team up and the team responded nicely. They battled back and ended up taking their first lead of the game following a Stephon Castle three-pointer with 6:47 remaining.
UConn demonstrated their offensive and defensive prowess with an impressive 27-3 run to take a 42-24 lead into halftime.
Not much changed in the second half as the Huskies led comfortably the remainder of the game. It was a great end to a historic season as the Huskies set the record for most conference wins in Big East regular season history, topping the previous record of 17 with a final mark of 18-2. Hurley was very proud of the accomplishment, raving about the Big East.
“It’s a 7-bid league, with three NCAA Final Four teams,” said Hurley postgame.
Regular season conference champions have been checked off the list for UConn, but there are still two more championships the Huskies are hungry for.
BIG EAST HISTORY 😤 pic.twitter.com/1eW8etPujg
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) March 10, 2024
Takeaway #1: The nonconference gauntlet pays off
UConn fans had lots to be excited about after seeing the nonconference gauntlet Hurley scheduled. Playing on the road at Allen Fieldhouse and playing Gonzaga in Seattle put the team in tough environments to start the season.
This strategy paid off for UConn down the stretch of the season as Providence has one of the toughest road environments in the conference. The Friars crowd was into the game from the opening jump and helped catapult their team to their large lead. UConn was able to take Providence’s best punch and responded like a National Champion.
Even though UConn ended up losing to Kansas, that game is arguably the reason they won this game. It prepared them to stay composed even when nothing seemed to be going their way. This team is battle-tested and won’t lose games on the road simply because they are intimidated by the opposing team’s crowd. Back-to-back road wins over Marquette and Providence proves that and show why the Huskies are the favorite to win their first Big East Tournament since 2011.
Takeaway #2: Devin Carter is good
Devin Carter proved why he is a Big East Player of the Year candidate. He was disruptive in passing lanes and was the scoring spark for Providence to start the game. He ended the first half with 15 of the 24 points at halftime for Providence and was the only reliable option they had.
As great as Carter was, he just simply did not have enough help. Devin Carter can’t be the only option. He finished with 24 points but the Friars put too much on his shoulders and he couldn’t maintain his high level of play for a full 40 minutes.
Kudos to Providence for being able to survive the early season loss of Bryce Hopkins but his absence is finally starting to be felt as Providence has begun to falter down the stretch of the season. Josh Oduro has been the only other Friar to help take some of the offensive burden from Carter but that isn’t enough in a conference as tough as the Big East.
Providence’s NCAA Tournament hopes are now on life support and they will need to make a deep run in the Big East Tournament to get back on the right side of the bubble. Their first opponent in the Big East Tournament- Ed Cooley and the Georgetown Hoyas. Get your popcorn ready for that one.
Takeaway #3: Samson Johnson steps up
Samson Johnson has been a key piece of this UConn basketball team. He was able to step up and fill the void Donovan Clingan left when he went down against Seton Hall and missed the next five games. Since Clingan’s return, however, “Slamson” has struggled with bad fouls and fighting through the physicality of the Big East.
That changed today as Johnson put on an impressive display, finishing with 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in just 12 minutes. One of the biggest threats to UConn’s repeat title chances is Clingan getting in early foul trouble. If Samson continues to play this well it will help ease one of the biggest concerns of the team.
Next up for UConn: Winner of Butler/Xavier (Thur., Mar. 14 – Noon)
Next up for Providence: Georgetown (Wed., Mar. 13 – 6:30 p.m.)