Conference play is starting for most, and two clashing styles will be on display in Rhode Island on Monday (FS1, 4 p.m.) as Providence will look to use its “Alpha” advantage against Creighton.
The Friars enter having won seven of their past eight games, including true road wins against Boston College and Texas. They have improved their defensive efficiency rapidly throughout the season and have given up 0.803 points per possession over their past three games, which ranks 15th among Division I teams in that span.
Creighton counters with an offense that is 22nd in the country in efficiency thanks to a team 3-point shooting percentage of 43.1. That ranks fifth among all DI teams.
Providence has been getting out to better starts this season, with a first-half scoring margin of +4.7 to Creighton’s +4.2.
Part of this can be attributed to Martin Krampelj getting off to a slow start after suffering a torn ACL in Big East play last season. As a result, he has seen his averages of 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game from the 2017-18 season fall to 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in the early going this season.
With the game being played in Providence, it will affect a Creighton team that makes 46 percent of its 3s at home, but 39.4 percent of them away from Omaha.
Providence will have the most versatile player on the floor in 6-foot-7 Alpha Diallo. He leads the Friars in nearly every statistical category, with 17.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.
With the homecourt advantage and having the best player on the floor, coupled with getting an offensive rebound on 32.5 percent of its misses, Providence is the play in this one.
The play: Providence, -1