PC vs Seton Hall Game Suspended Due to Unplayable Floor Conditions

Thursday, February 22, 2018

GoLocalProv Sports Team

 

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Fans file out of Dunkin Donuts Center

The Providence College Friars game against Seton Hall on Wednesday night has been suspended due to unplayable floor conditions. 

Officials as well as PC head coach Ed Cooley and Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard made the decision with 13:03 left to play and the Pirates leading 56-47. 

“We have been working with the Dunk over the last few days to make sure it was going to be okay. When we walked in it was 59 degrees, but it then got progressively worse as the game went on,” said Providence College athletic director Bob Driscoll in a press conference last season.

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The game will be continued on Thursday, February 22 at noon at Alumni Hall. It is open to students, faculty, and staff of the college only due to the seating.

This is not the first time that the management of the Dunk has been unable to manage the floor condition and have put players at risk.

Last year at nearly the exact same time of the year, the Dunk's floor condition was lambasted nationally.

Players Slipping

In the first half, Seton Hall's Desi Rodriguez slipped on the floor and had to leave the game with an ankle injury. He had to be helped off and did not return. 

In the second half, PC's Rodney Bullock slipped in the corner without being touched, forcing the officials to stop play and make a decision. 

Here is what GoLocal reported February of 2017.

The critical game for the Providence College Basketball team against Big East rival Marquette often looked more like skating than basketball. Condensation on the floor made the floor “the second worst I have ever seen,” according to CBS' John Sadak, sports announcer. The worst was when a women’s game was delayed by eight hours because the floor had been waxed with the wrong kind of wax, said Sadak. 

CBS Sports' other announcer Brendan Haywood, former North Carolina great and NBA player, said the conditions were unplayable. "I cringe every time someone makes a move," said Haywood who noted it was the worst he has ever seen.

The conditions made the floor slick and the referees make exceptions for slipping players. Instead of calling travels referees would stop play and return the ball to the team with possession.

After the clock was accidentally run off ten seconds and then incorrectly reset Haywood said, “Clock not working and the floor slick.”

"Both teams had to play with it, I’m pretty sure both teams struggled with it. But you know, we did speak at halftime about it, the referees got us together and we both agreed, as long as no-one got hurt just play through it," said Providence head coach Ed Cooley after the game. 

Marquette head coach Steve Wojciechowski added,"it was the same conditions for both teams. It’s the Big East conference we shouldn’t have to play on a slippery floor. It’s not fair to us, it’s not fair to ed’s team. We have two teams playing their hearts out."

Larry Lepore of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center told GoLocal, “70 degrees outside and 90 percent humidity, what do they want me to do.”

Critical Game 

It is a critical game for the Friars, who with a win, would move into sole possession of third place in the Big East Conference with three games to go. 

A loss would do significant damage to their NCAA Tournament hopes. 

 

Related Slideshow: Providence College Basketball 2017-18 Projected Starting Lineup

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Guard

Kyron Cartwright -  Senior 

Kyron Cartwright was ranked as the sixth-best guard in the country and the second-best guard in the Big East by CBS Sports. 

He was also named to the preseason All-Big East second team at Big East media day. 

"Kyron is the fastest player in the Big East, he can distribute the ball, he was 4th in the league in assists last season, so he can make things happen," said Hassett. 

In 2016-17, Cartwright averaged 11.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in the regular season helping the Friars to a third-place finish in the conference. 

He finished the season ranked fourth in the country and first in the Big East with 6.7 assists per game. 

Coming into this season, Cartwright is tied with John Linehan with 450 career assists. He has a chance to climb as high as second all-time and pass Ernie DeGregorio who recorded 662 career assists. 

Vincent Council is number one with 725 career assists. 

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Guard

Alpha Diallo - Sophomore 

Alpha Diallo will look to build off a freshman season in which he started 16 games for the Friars.

He averaged 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and one steal in 21 minutes of action per game. At the end of the year, the team named him the Marvin Barnes Defensive Player of the Year. 

Diallo started his freshman season coming off the bench and playing inconsistent minutes through the first eight games. 

By PC's fifth Big East Conference game, he was in the starting lineup and would stay there. 

Diallo finished the season reaching double figures in five of the Friars final 12 games, including 18 points against both Villanova and St. John's. 

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Guard

Jalen Lindsey - Senior

Jalen Lindsey has missed the entire preseason with a knee injury. 

Lindsey returned to practice on Wednesday and will be a game-time decision for Friday, according to Cooley. 

If Lindsey can't go, senior Isaiah Jackson will take his place in the starting lineup. 

Last season with PC, Lindsey averaged 10.4 points, four rebounds and one steal in 31 minutes of action per game. 

He also shot 46% from three. 

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Forward

Rodney Bullock - Senior 

Rodney Bullock returns to the Friars this season after testing the NBA Draft waters last March, before pulling his name out. 

Prior to the start of this season, Bullock was named second-team all-Big East. 

"With Rodney Bullock, he has to be consistent. He has to come out and give it to you every night. With this team, there is no reason why he shouldn't average 17 points and get 8-10 rebounds per game. He has to be more aggressive on both ends of the floor," said Hassett. 

In 2016-17, Bullock led Providence in scoring and rebounding with an average of 15.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. 

He also led PC with five double-doubles on the year and scored at least 20 points in nine games, including a career-high 36 points against New Hampshire. 

In PC’s NCAA Tournament game against USC, Bullock poured in 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds. 

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Center

Kalif Young - Sophomore

Forward Emmitt Holt remains out with abdominal issues and is not even on campus,

"The Holt injury is a major problem. He is the toughest player on the team, the best rebounder, and a post up guy that they don’t have. He is also good outside guy that can stretch the defense. Plus, you lose the experience," said Hassett. 

Holt's absence means 6'9" sophomore Kalif Young will open the season at center.  

"He has a tremendous opportunity now with Holt gone to get more minutes then he would have gotten. The reliance on him now is bigger. With Emmitt out there he didn’t have to play important minutes, now he has to play important minutes," said Hassett. 

In his freshman season with the Friars, Young averaged 3.2 points, 3.2 rebounds 0.5 blocked shots in 13 minutes of action per game. 

 

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