Here's who the Providence Friars will face when college basketball returns in November

The press release on Tuesday afternoon  listed a pair of potential strong nonconference opponents for Providence next season. 

The Friars will take part in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun and open with Miami. Maryland and Saint Louis are on the bracket’s other side in the two-game event, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 19 and Nov. 20. 

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Providence and the Hurricanes both made deep runs in the latest edition of the NCAA Tournament. The Friars were stopped by Kansas in the Sweet 16 and the Jayhawks took care of Miami in the Elite Eight, capturing the Midwest Region crown. Their paths nearly crossed at the United Center in Chicago. This latest matchup will take place a little closer to home. 

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Miami Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are a former Big East rival coached by Providence alum Jim Larrañaga. The Friars hold a 16-15 all-time record against Miami, including 2-1 on neutral floors. Their last meeting came early in the 2014-15 season, a 76-62 win for Providence at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. 

The Hurricanes finished 26-11 last season, squeezing into the NCAA Tournament field and stunning No. 1 seed Auburn in the second round. Miami wore down Iowa State before being blown out by Kansas, 76-50. Its best victories of 2021-22 included knocking off eventual national runner-up North Carolina, Duke, Virginia Tech and a home-and-home sweep of Wake Forest. 

Maryland Terrapins

The Terrapins will be led by a familiar face — former Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard, who signed a seven-year deal to leave the Pirates after 12 seasons. Willard reached March Madness five times with Seton Hall since 2015-16 and would have enjoyed a strong seed in the canceled 2020 version of the event. He succeeded a pair of coaches who led Maryland last season — Mark Turgeon resigned in December and interim head Danny Manning wasn’t retained.    

One of Willard’s top assistants with the Terrapins will also be quickly recognized by Friars fans. Former University of Rhode Island coach David Cox landed as an assistant close to his Washington, D.C. roots. Cox went 64-55 in four seasons with the Rams and was a top lieutenant to Dan Hurley in the four previous years, helping to build a pair of NCAA Tournament qualifiers. 

St. Louis Billikens

The Billikens provide a second link to the Atlantic 10 and are just 1-6 all-time against Providence. The Friars rolled to a 90-63 blowout in the last meeting, which took place at the 2K Classic in 2017. Saint Louis counts its lone win against Providence early in the 1959-60 season. 

The Friars are 3-1 all-time in this event, including a title in the 2014 version. Providence hammered Florida State and slipped past Notre Dame on its way to building a postseason resumé, securing the second of Ed Cooley's school-record six NCAA Tournament berths. The Friars split a pair of games in the 2018 version, easing past South Carolina before absorbing a 66-47 defeat against Michigan.  

Providence’s nonconference schedule is starting to come together with this latest announcement. The Friars could be drawn to play in both the Gavitt Games — matched against a Big Ten opponent — and the Big East-Big 12 Battle. Providence will also visit the Ryan Center to resume its annual rivalry with URI. 

Visit halloffametipoff.com for more information regarding tickets and potential COVID-19 protocols. 

bkoch@providencejournal.com    

On Twitter: @BillKoch25