Exciting Anticipations and Captivating Tale: Unveiling 2023-24 Twin’s Journey and Perspectives with Friars

Providence Basketball Ed Croswell #5 of the Providence Friars celebrates with Jared Bynum (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Providence Basketball’s 2022/23 season was a year filled with intriguing possibilities and unanswered questions.

Coming off a Big East championship and an impressive Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA tournament, Ed Cooley’s team was poised for continued success in the highly competitive Big East conference.

To start the season, Providence showed promise in Rhode Island. Despite not having any returning starters, the Friars performed exceptionally well in their out of conference games, finishing with an 8-3 record. Their only losses occurred on the road, against TCU at the challenging Schollmaier Arena and in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off against Miami and St. Louis.

At home, Providence transformed into an unstoppable force. The Amica Mutual Pavilion witnessed one of the most passionate crowds in college basketball, and the Providence student section didn’t disappoint in the 2022/23 season. The Friars remained undefeated at home until March, securing notable victories over future champions UConn and Marquette in an exciting double-overtime showdown.

Leading the team were three talented transfers, each bringing unique skills that complemented Providence’s roster. Sophomore forward Bryce Hopkins arrived from John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats, while guards Devin Carter and Noah Locke joined to bolster the backcourt.

Meanwhile, senior center Ed Croswell took on a starting role, providing a consistent and dominant presence in the paint after Nate Watson’s departure at the end of the previous season.

Despite appearances, trouble was brewing beneath the surface for Providence. In the backcourt, senior Jared Bynum, expected to continue his ascent after an impressive previous season, struggled to find his shooting touch from beyond the arc. His three-point shooting percentage dropped significantly compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, the team’s defense began to show cracks. While they limited opponents to shooting over 50 percent from the field in just four of the first 27 games, the number doubled to six in the final stretch of the season.

All these issues culminated in a disappointing March for the Friars. They stumbled in their last two regular season games against Xavier and Seton Hall, sliding down to fifth place in the conference standings. Early exits from both the Big East and NCAA tournaments summed up a perplexing season for Providence.

Were the early highs merely a mirage, masking the true identity of this team?

As the summer arrived and attention turned to the 2023/24 season, the unthinkable happened. Rhode Island native and longtime Providence coach Ed Cooley announced his departure to coach the Georgetown Hoyas.