Providence men’s basketball cruised to an 87-64 victory over Pittsburgh in their exhibition opener at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Saturday, never trailing and pulling away decisively in the final 12 minutes. The Friars showcased strong ball movement and shooting, dishing out 22 assists and making 15 three-pointers on 39 attempts in front of 4,601 fans.
Miles Byrd led four Providence players in double figures with 17 points, while Arrinten Page and Ryan Mela contributed 16 and 15 points respectively, both showing a willingness to shoot from deep. Page, a 6-foot-11 big man, went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, a notable uptick from his previous seasons at USC, Cincinnati, and Northwestern. Ryan Mela made 3 of his 4 three-point attempts, nearly doubling his attempts from last season. Malik Mack and Gavin Hightower, who served as the primary ballhandlers, each finished with seven assists.
Providence coach Bryan Hodgson praised the effort despite it being an exhibition game. “That’s really what’s important – getting better week by week and then coming out here and playing with the right attitude and effort,” he said. The Friars’ 22 assists indicated a new emphasis on unselfish play. Providence assisted on two-thirds of their made field goals, a significant improvement from the 47.5% assist rate they had last season, which was the lowest since 2010-11.
“We trust each other to make shots,” Mack said. “We’re an unselfish basketball team that wants to move the ball and go from a good shot to a great shot.” Hodgson noted that this style carries over from his previous stint at South Florida, where his team was among the nation’s top 50 for assist percentage.
The game’s momentum shifted about midway through the second half when Providence went on a 21-2 run to pull away. Jonathan Powell’s 3-pointer for Pittsburgh, which made it 57-52, was the last field goal the Panthers made. Pittsburgh, which shot 6-for-21 from three-point range, struggled to keep pace despite 15 points from Powell.
Providence managed the game without two key players. Devin Vanterpool, expected to be a scoring guard and team captain, was sidelined with a left ankle injury sustained during practice and was seen in a walking boot using a scooter. Ryan Sabol, a transfer from Buffalo, also missed the game with a left shoulder sprain. Hodgson described both injuries as minor and said their returns were uncertain but likely would come with time. “This is the time of the year where you can make sure he gets the full rest that he needs on that ankle to make sure that he’s ready to go when we tip the ball for real,” Hodgson said of Vanterpool.
All 10 available scholarship players saw action in the game. Miles Byrd also led Providence in rebounds with seven, helping the team secure 42 boards compared to Pittsburgh’s 26. The Friars shot 33-for-70 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line, while Pittsburgh made 21-of-49 shots and 16-of-21 free throws.
Providence’s next exhibition game is scheduled for next weekend against Georgia Tech, though the status of Vanterpool and Sabol remains uncertain heading into that matchup. Hodgson described Sabol’s status as “day-to-day” and referred to his injury as “maintenance things right now.”
The Friars’ ability to move the ball and shoot from distance, combined with a deep rotation despite some injuries, offered a promising glimpse of what might come as the regular season approaches.
According to Yahoo Sports.
