2008–09 Providence Friars men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2008–09 Providence Friars men's basketball team represented Providence College
in the Big East Conference
. The team finished with a 10–8 conference record and a 19–14 record overall.
In March 2008, head coach Tim Welsh
was fired by the school after finishing with a losing record for the third time in four seasons. In April, Drake University
head coach Keno Davis
replaced him; Davis was named the 2008 Associated Press
National Coach of the Year in his first and only season as a head coach at Drake. The Friars had previously been turned down by Louisville
head coach Rick Pitino
, who coached Providence to the 1987 Final Four
, George Mason University
head coach Jim Larranaga
, a Providence alumnus, and University of Massachusetts
head coach Travis Ford
.
Davis inherited all five starters from Welsh's final season with the Friars. However, prior to the season junior guard Dwain Williams transferred to Oregon State
, while reserve forward Charles Burch was the team's lone departing senior.
At home, the Friars twice defeated ranked opponents; on January 28 they defeated #15 Syracuse, and on February 24, the Friars knocked off #1 Pittsburgh
, the first time the school had accomplished the feat since 1976. The Friars received votes in the AP Poll
after each win, but were not ranked at any point in the season.
Finishing with a 10-8 record in the Big East, the Friars began the 2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
as an eighth seed, defeating DePaul
in the first round before falling to top-seeded Louisville
in the quarterfinals. They missed the NCAA Tournament
for a fifth straight season and lost in the first round of the NIT
to Miami.
!colspan=8| Exhibition games
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!colspan=8| Non-conference games
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!colspan=8| Big East
regular season
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!colspan=8| Big East Tournament
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!colspan=8| NIT
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
in the Big East Conference
2008–09 Big East Conference men's basketball season
The 2008–09 Big East Conference men's basketball season was the 30th in conference history, and involved its 16 full-time member schools. Leading up to, during, and following the season, it has been widely regarded as one of the most successful seasons in Big East Conference history, fielding...
. The team finished with a 10–8 conference record and a 19–14 record overall.
In March 2008, head coach Tim Welsh
Tim Welsh
Tim Welsh is an American college basketball coach and the former head basketball coach at Providence College. Previously, he served as the head coach at Iona College...
was fired by the school after finishing with a losing record for the third time in four seasons. In April, Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
head coach Keno Davis
Keno Davis
-External links:*****...
replaced him; Davis was named the 2008 Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
National Coach of the Year in his first and only season as a head coach at Drake. The Friars had previously been turned down by Louisville
Louisville Cardinals men's basketball
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
head coach Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
, who coached Providence to the 1987 Final Four
1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
, George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
head coach Jim Larranaga
Jim Larranaga
James Larranaga is an American college basketball coach and the head coach of the University of Miami men's basketball program. He was most notably the men's basketball coach of George Mason where he coached the Patriots to 13 consecutive winning seasons and became a media sensation during the...
, a Providence alumnus, and University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
head coach Travis Ford
Travis Ford
Travis Ford is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's head coach at Oklahoma State University. He was previously the head coach at Campbellsville University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Massachusetts...
.
Davis inherited all five starters from Welsh's final season with the Friars. However, prior to the season junior guard Dwain Williams transferred to Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers men's basketball
The Oregon State Beavers men's basketball program, established in 1901, is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of the Oregon State University Beavers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference. The team is coached by Craig...
, while reserve forward Charles Burch was the team's lone departing senior.
At home, the Friars twice defeated ranked opponents; on January 28 they defeated #15 Syracuse, and on February 24, the Friars knocked off #1 Pittsburgh
2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team
The 2008-09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team represents the University of Pittsburgh in the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Head Coach is Jamie Dixon, who is serving for his 6th year as head coach at Pittsburgh and 10th overall at the University...
, the first time the school had accomplished the feat since 1976. The Friars received votes in the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
after each win, but were not ranked at any point in the season.
Finishing with a 10-8 record in the Big East, the Friars began the 2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
- Championship Game :- Syracuse vs. Connecticut :The quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 12 between Syracuse and Connecticut lasted for six overtime periods, the second-longest game in NCAA Division I Men's Basketball history...
as an eighth seed, defeating DePaul
DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball
The DePaul Blue Demons Men's Basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois...
in the first round before falling to top-seeded Louisville
2008–09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team represented the University of Louisville in basketball. The team was coached by Rick Pitino in his eighth year at the school...
in the quarterfinals. They missed the NCAA Tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
for a fifth straight season and lost in the first round of the NIT
2009 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:...
to Miami.
Roster
Depth chart
Incoming recruits
Schedule
|-!colspan=8| Exhibition games
|-
!colspan=8| Non-conference games
|-
!colspan=8| Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
regular season
|-
!colspan=8| Big East Tournament
2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
- Championship Game :- Syracuse vs. Connecticut :The quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 12 between Syracuse and Connecticut lasted for six overtime periods, the second-longest game in NCAA Division I Men's Basketball history...
|-
!colspan=8| NIT
2009 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:...
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Wk 16 | WK 17 | Wk 18 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | RV | RV | n/a | |||||||||||||||||
| Coaches | RV |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award(s) |
|---|---|
| Marshon Brooks Marshon Brooks Marshon Brooks is an American professional basketball shooting guard with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 25th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.-Early years:... |
2009 Co-Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke... Most Promising Prospect Award |
| Sharaud Curry Sharaud Curry Sharaud Curry is a former guard for the Providence College men's basketball team. Curry graduated from Joseph Wheeler High School in Georgia, where his team won basketball state championships in 2003 and 2005. As a freshman at Providence, Curry was named to the Big East all-rookie team. *... |
2009 Ernie D Ernie DiGregorio Ernest DiGregorio is a retired American National Basketball Association player.DiGregorio played on the 1968 Rhode Island champions at North Providence High School.... Team Leader Award |
| Weyinmi Efejuku Weyinmi Efejuku Oritseweyinmi "Weyinmi" Efejuku is a Jamaican professional basketball player who plays for Juvecaserta Basket. He was born Fresh Meadows, Queens, USA.... |
2009 All-Big East Honorable Mention 2009 USBWA United States Basketball Writers Association The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:... All-District 1 2009 Jimmy Walker Jimmy Walker (basketball) James "Jimmy" Walker was an American professional basketball player. A 6'3" guard, he played nine seasons in the NBA as a member of the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and Kansas City Kings. Walker was a two-time All-Star who scored 11,655 points in his career... Most Valuable Player Award March 2: Big East Player of the Week |
| Ray Hall | 2009 Thomas Ramos Academic Award |
| Randall Hanke | 2009 John Zannini Coaches' Award |
| Jonathan Kale Jonathan Kale Jonathan Kale is an American-born Ivorian basketball player who currently plays for Phoenix Hagen in the German Basketball Bundesliga. Kale was a four-year player for Providence College and started every game in his senior season, averaging a career best 10.1 PPG and 6.0 RPG... |
2009 Ryan Gomes Ryan Gomes Ryan Anthony Gomes is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association.... Most Improved Player Award |
| Geoff McDermott | 2009 Marvin Barnes Marvin Barnes Marvin Jerome Barnes is a former professional American basketball player.As a 6'8" forward for Providence College, Barnes led the nation in rebounding in 1973-74. On December 15, 1973, Barnes scored 52 points against Austin Peay, breaking the single-game school record... Defensive Player Award |
| Brian McKenzie Brian McKenzie Brian Anthony McKenzie is a professional basketball player who played 122 games for Providence Friars in the NCAA and most recently played for Plymouth Raiders in the British Basketball League before being released in November 2010.-References:... |
2009 Co-Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke... Most Promising Prospect Award |
| Jeff Xavier Jeff Xavier Jeff Xavier is a Cape Verdean American basketball player, and a 2009 graduate of Providence College. Xavier transferred to Providence after two years at Manhattan College. Xavier is a member of the Cape Verde national basketball team. He is a graduate of St... |
2009 Lenny Wilkens Lenny Wilkens Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA... Hustle Award |