Providence faces first test against Nebraska after roster overhaul
The Friars start their season with a new coach and a rebuilt roster, meeting a dominant Cornhusker squad in Connecticut.
By Oliver Bennett ·
Providence fans will see a familiar arena but a very different team when the Friars take the court this Saturday. The program has undergone a complete structural change following the departure of longtime head coach Kim English. The new coaching staff is tasked with stabilizing a roster that has lost its primary scoring threats and is attempting to establish a new identity under a new system.
The upcoming matchup against Nebraska serves as the first real benchmark for this new group. The Cornhuskers enter the contest with a commanding 106-64 victory over Le Moyne in their season opener. That performance masked a poor start from beyond the arc, where the team shot just one-for-six. First Team All-Big Ten returner Pryce Sandfort scored 20 points to lead the scoring, while starting guard Cale Jacobsen added 16 points along with three rebounds and three assists.
Defensive pressure was a key factor in Nebraska's early success. The team forced 17 turnovers and shot over 62 percent from the field in the first half. That efficiency secured a 58-32 halftime lead. Although the team's top three-point shooters struggled, the group connected on 14 of 30 attempts for the full game. Connor Essegian, who returned from a season-ending injury the previous year, contributed 13 points off the bench.
Providence begins its season under head coach Bryan Hodgson, who is in his first season with the Friars. Hodgson previously led South Florida to a 25-9 record and conference titles, and Arkansas State to over 20 wins in each of two seasons. The Friars missed the postseason last year after finishing seventh in the Big East with a 15-18 record. They parted ways with English, incurring a buyout estimated at $6 million.
The roster turnover has been extensive. Jaylin Sellers and Jason Edwards, who led the team in scoring last season, have graduated. Stefan Vaaks transferred to Illinois, and Jamier Jones moved to Missouri. To fill the void, the program added five notable players. Miles Byrd, a graduate transfer from South Dakota State, was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Malik Mack, a senior guard, arrives from Georgetown where he averaged double-digit points for two seasons.
Other additions include Leonardo Marangon, an Italian freshman who played professionally in Europe, and Arrinten Page, a senior forward from Northwestern. Jacob Bannarbie, a 6-foot-9 forward from UNLV, scored a team-high 14 points in the season opener against Maine. Gavin Hightower, a sophomore who followed Hodgson from South Florida, played 30 minutes off the bench in that same game.
The only key returner on the guard position is Ryan Mela, a junior who averaged nearly 10 points and five rebounds last season. The Friars will play at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday. The game will be televised on FS1 and broadcast on the Huskers Radio Network.
Providence aims to use pace and defensive pressure to counter Nebraska's size advantage. The Cornhuskers are expected to utilize a big-man lineup to control the rebounding battle. The Friars must manage turnovers to keep the game competitive against a Nebraska team that has already demonstrated its scoring depth.
