Jackson's 18 Points Helps PC Upset #5 Xavier 81-72
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
Jackson's 18 Points Helps PC Upset #5 Xavier 81-72
Isaiah Jackson with the absolute MONSTER drive and finish with the harm #pcbb #IsaiahJackson pic.twitter.com/glK2omVJbl
— The Morning Hangover (@TheMorningHang) January 6, 2018
The win was the Friars first home win over a top-five team since 2009, when they knocked off #1 Pittsburgh.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe win improves the Friars to 11-6 overall and 2-2 in the Big East. Xavier drops to 15-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big East.
Friars Hold Off Xavier
After leading 40-32 at the half, the Friars saw Xavier cut their deficit to two, 49-47, with 13:05 to play following a Karem Kanter layup.
The Friars would then score the next five points capped off by an Isaiah Jackson three with 11:57 to go, giving Providence a 54-47 lead.
After a Xavier basket, the Friars would get a three from Jalen Lindsey to go up 57-59 with 11:17 to play.
The Friars would maintain a lead throughout and hold a 68-59 lead with 7:42 to go after a Kyron Cartwright three went down.
Xavier would cut it to a two-possession game on a jump shot by Naji Marshall, but the Friars would push their lead to ten with 1:07 to play on two Lindsey free throws.
Xavier got within eight in the final minute, but Jackson knocked down two free throws and Cartwright made one to seal the win.
Cartwright led the Friars with 19 points and 9 assists, while Rodney Bullock added 17 points and six rebounds.
Next up
The Friars return to action on Friday, January 12 when they visit DePaul.
Game time is set for 8:30 p.m.
Providence picks up a signature win that will carry lots of weight in March. Friars knock off Xavier at the Dunk. Ed Cooley moves the needle. #pcbb
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 6, 2018
Gotta credit Coach Cooley and the coaching staff for keeping these guys focus and sticking together!! As for the players, keep believing!!
— Kris Dunn (@KrisDunn3) January 6, 2018
Providence College Basketball 2017-18 Projected Starting Lineup
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
