NCAAB Team Profiles: Providence Friars

While the NCAAB is not quite as big or fancy as the NBA is, it still gets plenty of attention and the NCAAB betting odds are certainly not something to turn your nose up at if you are a fan of sports betting. Why? Because the action is just as hot! 

A good example of where you can find some hot betting-worthy action in the NCAAB is in the Providence Friars. 

Let’s take some time to look at who the Providence Friars are, and what their history is, so you can see just how exciting the NCAAB can really be! 

Who Are Providence Friars? 

The Providence Friars is a men’s basketball team that represent Providence College in the NCAAB Division I. They are a founding member of the original Conference ‘Big East’ from the late 1970s until 2013. 

They are now a member of Big East Conference, playing home games at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Rhode Island. 

They have made 2 Final Four shows in the Division I men’s tournament. These appearances were in 1973 and in 1987.

The Providence Friars have 4 previous coaches or players who have been enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball hall of Fame, this includes John Thomason, Dave Gavitt, Rick Pitino, and Lenny Wilkens. 

They have had 2 NCAAB tournament Final Four appearances. 4 shows in Elite Eight, and 6 shows in Sweet Sixteen. They’ve appeared in 21 tournaments, and have been Conference champions twice, and regular season champions once, which was in 2022! 

Providence Friars History

As you can already tell, they have a super rich history worth digging your teeth into, so, let’s take a trip down Providence Friars memory lane. 

1921-1955

The early years of the Friars can be traced back over one hundred years ago. The four-year-old school started its first ever basketball team on a totally casual basis. It only lasted for 2 years, and it did not come back until 1926 when the football coach for the school led the team to a win before he turned his focus back to football.

Eventually Crotty came in and led the team to an epic 15-5 record in 1942 before play was suspended due to WWII. 

After the war, the NCAA divided teams into college and university divisions. The Friars went into the College division and their opponents changed.

1955-1969

Cuddy became head coach in ‘49 and by 55 his record dropped from 14-9 to 9-12, and he was replaced by Mullaney. 

The team ended up reaching finals in 9160 with Wilkens being named as an MVP in his senior season before they won in 1961. Years later Thompson (another Hall of Famer) won the next NIT title 

In 1964, they saw a record of 24-2 and they reached ‘Elite Eight. In ‘66 Walker changed the NCAAB insight and became the first 2,000 point scorer and was the first New England player selected for the NBA Draft! 

Later Mallaney was hired as the coach for the Lakers in the NBA. 

1969-1979

As Mallaney left, Gavitt came in and took over. In his second year he started off a string of 8 seasons of 20-wins. They started playing in a massive 12,000 seat arena. The 1972-1972 season was their best to date, where the team had a 17-team game winning streak that ended in a loss at Final Four! 

1979-1985

The Friars joined the Big East in its first season in 2979. They were joined by Georgetown, Connecticut, Boston College, Seton Hall, St. John’s, and Syracuse. 

Their new coach, Walters led them to a record of 11-16 in that season and Mullaney returned to replace him in 1981. However, this stint was not so successful with only one winning season.

1985-1987

The Knicks assistant coach was hired as head coach and the Friars got a 17-14 record and made an NIT appearance for the first time in 10 years! They then posted a record of 25-9 and made a Final Four appearance in 2987! 

However, after a loss to Syracuse Pitino left and re-joined the Knicks in 87.

1987-1998

Chiesa, their new coach had the Friars post a losing record who was promptly replaced by Barnes. This led to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for two years and a bid for NIT in 1991. 

However, following the departure of Murdock and a bad season in 1991, they had a semifinal appearance in ‘93, and a tournament appearance in 1994. 

Barnes ended up leaving in 1994 and was replaced by Gillen, and They made NIT appearances in 95 and 96. However, he later left in 1998 after a losing season.

1998-2008

Welsh came in 1998, and they posted good stats, and while the beginning of the millennium was not so great, they still recorded in 2003-04 with a 20-9 record. However, the next 4 years were tragic and he was fired after the 08 season.

2008-2011

Davis came in who had National Coach of the Year awarded to him in the first season. They cost 19–14 records in 2009. In 2009, they lost their final 11 games and averaged at 82 points per game. 

By 2011 Davis was fired. 

2011-Now

Now, Cooley has been coaching the Friars since 2011, and things have been much better, they are seeing more victory and better stats!