2003–04 Providence Friars men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2003–04 Providence Friars men's basketball team represented Providence College
in the Big East Conference
. The team finished with a 11–5 conference record and a 20–9 record overall.
Coming off an 18–14 record and a second-round NIT
loss in 2002–03, the team returned all five starters for coach Tim Welsh
's sixth season with the Friars. However, forward Romuald Augustin transferred to Bryant College
for his fifth year of eligibility, while walk-on guard Chris Burns also transferred to Bryant for his sophomore season. The team also lost two departing seniors, guard Kareem Hayletts and forward Stephen Traugott. On February 24, after playing in 12 games for the Friars, senior forward Māris Ļaksa
left the team to play professional basketball in Slovenia
.
The Friars began the season receiving votes in both polls, but not ranked in either. Following an 8–1 start that included a win over #14 Illinois
, the Friars earned a #25 ranking in the AP Poll
in time for their January 5 matchup with #18 Texas
. The Friars took the Longhorns to overtime, but as time expired in the overtime period, Texas forward P. J. Tucker
released a layup to give the Longhorns a two-point win. The controversial shot was reviewed for more than five minutes by the officials, who determined that the clock read "0.00" but the red backboard light had not yet gone off when the ball was released, which at the time overruled the clock.
Despite the close loss, the Friars re-emerged in the top 25 three weeks later, following a road win over #4 Connecticut
. A six-game winning streak that began with a win over #18 Syracuse
propelled the Friars to a #12 ranking in the AP Poll on March 1. This was followed by two home losses to close out the regular season, and a #3 seed in the 2004 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
. Following a first-round bye, the Friars dropped a three-point game to Villanova
in the quarterfinals, leading to a #5 seed in the NCAA Tournament
. In the first round, the Friars were defeated 66–58 by the #12 seed, Pacific
. The Friars ended the season with a #21 ranking in the AP Poll.
The Friars were led in scoring (18.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg) by junior forward Ryan Gomes
. He became the fourth Friar to be named a First Team All-American
by the Associated Press
.
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!colspan=8| Non-conference games
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!colspan=8| Big East
regular season
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!colspan=8| NCAA Tournament
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
in the Big East Conference
2008–09 Big East Conference men's basketball season
The 2008–09 Big East Conference men's basketball season was the 30th in conference history, and involved its 16 full-time member schools. Leading up to, during, and following the season, it has been widely regarded as one of the most successful seasons in Big East Conference history, fielding...
. The team finished with a 11–5 conference record and a 20–9 record overall.
Coming off an 18–14 record and a second-round NIT
2003 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Texas Tech 71, Minnesota 61St. John's later vacated the title due to an ineligible player....
loss in 2002–03, the team returned all five starters for coach Tim Welsh
Tim Welsh
Tim Welsh is an American college basketball coach and the former head basketball coach at Providence College. Previously, he served as the head coach at Iona College...
's sixth season with the Friars. However, forward Romuald Augustin transferred to Bryant College
Bryant Bulldogs men's basketball
-History:Bryant University competed in the NAIA as an NAIA independent program from 1963 until 1976 as the Bryant College Indians before the college became a member of the NCAA at the Division II level in 1977...
for his fifth year of eligibility, while walk-on guard Chris Burns also transferred to Bryant for his sophomore season. The team also lost two departing seniors, guard Kareem Hayletts and forward Stephen Traugott. On February 24, after playing in 12 games for the Friars, senior forward Māris Ļaksa
Maris Laksa
Māris Ļaksa is a Latvian professional basketball forward who, as of 2009, is a member of ASK Rīga. He is also a member of Latvia national basketball team. His father is, Jānis Ļaksa, is a basketball coach.-External links:*...
left the team to play professional basketball in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
The Friars began the season receiving votes in both polls, but not ranked in either. Following an 8–1 start that included a win over #14 Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
, the Friars earned a #25 ranking in the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
in time for their January 5 matchup with #18 Texas
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
. The Friars took the Longhorns to overtime, but as time expired in the overtime period, Texas forward P. J. Tucker
P. J. Tucker
Anthony Leon "P. J." Tucker, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who formerly played in the NBA. He is currently playing for Brose Baskets.-College:...
released a layup to give the Longhorns a two-point win. The controversial shot was reviewed for more than five minutes by the officials, who determined that the clock read "0.00" but the red backboard light had not yet gone off when the ball was released, which at the time overruled the clock.
Despite the close loss, the Friars re-emerged in the top 25 three weeks later, following a road win over #4 Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
. A six-game winning streak that began with a win over #18 Syracuse
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
propelled the Friars to a #12 ranking in the AP Poll on March 1. This was followed by two home losses to close out the regular season, and a #3 seed in the 2004 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
2004 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 10Noon2PM7PM9PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 11Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 127 PM9 PM...
. Following a first-round bye, the Friars dropped a three-point game to Villanova
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
in the quarterfinals, leading to a #5 seed in the NCAA Tournament
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
. In the first round, the Friars were defeated 66–58 by the #12 seed, Pacific
Pacific Tigers men's basketball
The University of the Pacific Tigers Mens Basketball team are an NCAA Division I basketball team, part of the Big West conference. The team is based in Stockton, California. They play their home games at Alex G. Spanos Center and are led by head coach Bob Thomason.-NCAA Tournament Results:The...
. The Friars ended the season with a #21 ranking in the AP Poll.
The Friars were led in scoring (18.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg) by junior forward Ryan Gomes
Ryan Gomes
Ryan Anthony Gomes is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association....
. He became the fourth Friar to be named a First Team All-American
2004 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 2004 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The Sporting News and the National...
by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
Roster
Depth chart
Incoming recruits
Schedule
|-!colspan=8| Exhibition games
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!colspan=8| Non-conference games
|-
!colspan=8| Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
regular season
|-
!colspan=8| Big East Tournament
2004 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 10Noon2PM7PM9PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 11Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 127 PM9 PM...
|-
!colspan=8| NCAA Tournament
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Wk 16 | WK 17 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | RV | RV | 23 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 20 | 21 | n/a | |
| Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 19 | RV |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award(s) |
|---|---|
| Chris Anrin | 2004 John Zannini Coaches' Award 2004 Thomas Ramos Academic Award |
| Dwight Brewington | 2004 Promising Prospect Award |
| Marcus Douthit Marcus Douthit Marcus Eugene Douthit is an American-Filipino basketball player who graduated from Providence College. After his stint with the Providence Friars, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Draft... |
2004 Marvin Barnes Marvin Barnes Marvin Jerome Barnes is a former professional American basketball player.As a 6'8" forward for Providence College, Barnes led the nation in rebounding in 1973-74. On December 15, 1973, Barnes scored 52 points against Austin Peay, breaking the single-game school record... Defensive Player of the Year Award |
| Ryan Gomes Ryan Gomes Ryan Anthony Gomes is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association.... |
2004 Associated Press Associated Press The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists... First Team All-American 2004 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans The Consensus 2004 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The Sporting News and the National... 2004 USBWA United States Basketball Writers Association The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:... First Team All-American 2004 NABC National Association of Basketball Coaches The National Association of Basketball Coaches , headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of college men's basketball coaches... Second Team All-American 2004 All-Big East First Team 2004 USBWA United States Basketball Writers Association The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:... All-District 1 First Team 2004 Rhode Island Division I Player of the Year 2004 John R. Wooden Award John R. Wooden Award The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los... Top 20 Finalist 2004 NABC National Association of Basketball Coaches The National Association of Basketball Coaches , headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of college men's basketball coaches... Division I All-District 1 First Team 2004 Naismith College Player of the Year Naismith College Player of the Year The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith.... Finalist 2004 Jimmy Walker Jimmy Walker (basketball) James "Jimmy" Walker was an American professional basketball player. A 6'3" guard, he played nine seasons in the NBA as a member of the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and Kansas City Kings. Walker was a two-time All-Star who scored 11,655 points in his career... Most Valuable Player Award March 1: Big East Co-Player of the Week January 26: Big East Player of the Week January 5: Big East Co-Player of the Week December 15: Big East Co-Player of the Week 2004 John R. Wooden Award John R. Wooden Award The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los... Midseason Top 30 Candidate 2004 Preseason All-Big East First Team 2004 John R. Wooden Award John R. Wooden Award The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los... Preseason Top 50 Candidate |
| Sheiku Kabba | 2004 Co-Unsung Hero Award |
| Tuukka Kotti | 2004 Co-Unsung Hero Award |
| Donnie McGrath | 2004 Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke... Most Improved Player Award |