1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball team


The 1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball team represented Providence College during the 1986–87 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by second-year head coach Rick Pitino, the Friars finished the season 25–9 (10–6 Big East) and made a Cinderella run through the NCAA tournament to the Final Four.

1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball
NCAA tournament, Final Four
ConferenceBig East Conference
Record25–9 (10–6 Big East)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaProvidence Civic Center
Seasons
← 1985–86
1987–88 →
1986–87 Big East men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 4 Georgetown124 .750295 .853
No. 12 Pittsburgh124 .750258 .758
No. 10 Syracuse124 .750317 .816
Providence106 .625259 .735
St. John's106 .625219 .700
Villanova610 .3751516 .484
Seton Hall412 .2501514 .517
Boston College313 .1881118 .379
Connecticut313 .188919 .321
1987 Big East tournament winner
As of March 30, 1987[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

Roster

1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearHometown
G10Ryan Ford6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)SoOlean, New York
G12Delray Brooks6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)199 lb (90 kg)JrMichigan City, Indiana
F15David Kipfer6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)212 lb (96 kg)SrKitchener, Ontario
G20Carlton Screen6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)158 lb (72 kg)FrBrooklyn, New York
G23Ernie Lewis6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)182 lb (83 kg)SrGermantown, Pennsylvania
F25Abdul Shamsid-Deen6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)209 lb (95 kg)FrStaten Island, New York
C30Marty Conlon6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)209 lb (95 kg)FrBronxville, New York
F32David Snedeker6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)215 lb (98 kg)JrSpringfield, Illinois
G34Billy Donovan6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)171 lb (78 kg)SrRockville Centre, New York
F41Darryl Wright6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)187 lb (85 kg)SoNew York City, New York
F42Bryan Benham6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)195 lb (88 kg)SoCartersville, Georgia
C44Steve Wright6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)209 lb (95 kg)JrSyracuse, New York
C50Jacek Duda6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)233 lb (106 kg)SrCentral Falls, Rhode Island
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

[2][3]

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordSite
city, state
Regular season
Nov 28, 1986
American
Fleet Classic
W 104–82 1-0
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Nov 29, 1986
Tulsa
Fleet Classic
L 74–80 1-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Dec 2, 1986
at Holy CrossW 90–65 2-1
Hart Center 
Worcester, MA
Dec 6, 1986
Rhode IslandW 100–90 3-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Dec 9, 1986
at BrownW 96–65 4-1
Marvel Gymnasium 
Providence, RI
Dec 11, 1986
SienaW 75–64 5-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Dec 20, 1986
RiderW 106–66 6-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Dec 22, 1986
HowardW 94–83 7-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Dec 27, 1986
MaineW 113–87 8-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Dec 29, 1986
HofstraW 97–61 9-1
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Jan 3, 1987
No. 17 PittsburghL 67–76 9-2
(0-1)
Fitzgerald Field House 
Pittsburgh, PA
Jan 5, 1987
No. 7 SyracuseL 85–89 9-3
(0-2)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Jan 10, 1987
VillanovaW 96–78 10-3
(1-2)
The Pavilion 
Philadelphia, PA
Jan 14, 1987
ConnecticutW 103–89 11-3
(2-2)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Jan 17, 1987
Boston CollegeW 96–78 12-3
(3-2)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Jan 20, 1987*
at Miami (FL)W 92–88 13-3
Knight Center 
Miami, FL
Jan 24, 1987
ConnecticutW 61–53 14-3
(4-2)
Hartford Civic Center 
Hartford, CT
Jan 28, 1987
No. 11 GeorgetownW 82–79 15-3
(5-2)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Jan 31, 1987
No. 15 St. John'sW 93–81 16-3
(6-2)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Feb 3, 1987
No. 17 at Boston CollegeL 66–67 16-4
(6-3)
Roberts Center 
Boston, MA
Feb 7, 1987
No. 17 No. 13 PittsburghL 81–87 16-5
(6-4)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Feb 14, 1987
No. 20 No. 16 St. John'sW 79–78 17-5
(7-4)
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
Feb 17, 1987
No. 19 Seton HallW 91–87 18-5
(8-4)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Feb 19, 1987
No. 19 at No. 9 SyracuseL 81–90 18-6
(8-5)
Carrier Dome 
Syracuse, NY
Feb 25, 1987
No. 20 vs. Seton HallW 85–72 19-6
(9-5)
Brendan Byrne Arena 
East Rutherford, NJ
Feb 28, 1987
No. 20 No. 8 GeorgetownL 79–90 19-7
(9-6)
Capital Centre 
Washington, D.C.
Mar 2, 1987
VillanovaW 97–80 20–7
(10–6)
Providence Civic Center 
Providence, RI
Big East tournament
Mar 6, 1987*
vs. St. John's
Big East tournament Quarterfinal
W 80–51 21–7
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
Mar 7, 1987*
vs. No. 7 Georgetown
Big East tournament Semifinal
L 66–84 21–8
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
NCAA Tournament
Mar 12, 1987*
 CBS
(6) vs. (11) UAB
NCAA tournament first round
W 90–68 22–8
Birmingham–Jefferson Civic Center 
Birmingham, AL
Mar 14, 1987*
 CBS
(6) vs. (14) Austin Peay
NCAA tournament second round
W 90–87 OT[4]23–8
Birmingham–Jefferson Civic Center 
Birmingham, AL
Mar 19, 1987*
 CBS
(6) vs. (2) No. 9 Alabama
Southeast Regional semifinal
W 103–82[5] 24–8
Freedom Hall 
Louisville, KY
Mar 21, 1987*
 CBS
(6) vs. (1) No. 4 Georgetown
Southeast Regional final
W 88–73[6] 25–8
Freedom Hall (16,944)
Louisville, KY
Mar 28, 1987*
 CBS
(SE 6) vs. (E 2) No. 10 Syracuse
Final Four
L 63–77[7] 25–9
Louisiana Superdome (64,959)
New Orleans, LA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

[8]

Rankings

[9]

References