Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Picked 7th, Providence captures first-ever Big East regular-season championship
Ed Cooley and the Providence Friars were picked seventh in the Big East preseason poll.
Now the No. 10 Friars are the Big East regular-season champions for the first time ever beating Creighton, 72-51, on Saturday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
“We’ve always had dreams and possibilities,” Cooley said. “When you have young men that have your values and believe in what you believe in, through the ups and downs, today is the best part.”
The Friars also earned their 24th win of the season, which ties the highest win total under Cooley and most victories since 2016. They are 14-2 in the Big East.
"Yessir!"
Justin Minaya climbs the ladder and cuts down the nets at the Dunk.
Senior A.J. Reeves led the Friars with 23 points while shooting 7-of-10 from deep. Graduate student Justin Minaya contributed a game-high 11 rebounds. Graduate students Al Durham and Nate Watson each chipped in with 12 points.
The Friars will enter the Big East Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play on Thursday, March 10 at noon at Madison Square Garden.
Before that, they will visit No. 8 Villanova on Tuesday in their regular-season finale.
The Friars are currently a 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
