NOTEBOOK: Friars' Kris Dunn Dominates Against Men's Basketball

Providence senior guard and projected NBA lottery pick Kris Dunn willed the host Friars (1-0) past Harvard (1-1), 76-64, Saturday night. Dunn was as good as advertised in every facet of the game as Providence outscored the Crimson 35-23 in the game’s final 14 minutes.

CHANGE OF PACE

Harvard went into the intermission down just five points mainly because of the hot shooting of freshman guard Corey Johnson and the team’s ability to keep Providence out of transition. The Friars’ offense revolves around Dunn and sophomore Rodney Bullock, a long, athletic wing who thrives in open space.

Providence shot only 34 percent from the field in the first half, made just two three-pointers, and went to the line eight times. Coach Tommy Amaker stuck wing Agunwa Okolie on Dunn for most of the first half and the senior was able to neutralize the Friars star for much of the first 20 minutes, utilizing his size advantage to shut down Dunn in the half court offense.

Amaker tinkered with a switch to zone defense, but it quickly led to an easy Ryan Fazekas three. The Crimson remained in man-to-man for the rest of the evening.

“We gotta get stops,” junior forward Zena Edosomwan said. “I think there were a lot of times where they just pushed the ball in transition, guy makes one move, and he’s at the basket. There’s a lot of like really easy baskets and we’re a better team than that.”

After Okolie picked up his second foul, junior Corbin Miller was tasked with covering Dunn. Known primarily as a three-point shooter, Miller was also able to hold Dunn in check, as the senior began the game by missing 12 of his first 15 shots.

As Harvard traded baskets and accumulated stops on defense, Providence struggled to score in its halfcourt sets. As the turnovers and personal fouls piled up and the Crimson’s jump shots stopped falling, the Friars were able to capitalize and convert in transition. Providence’s success in the open court allowed it to keep Harvard at arm’s length down the stretch. The hosts finished the game with 27 points off of turnovers.

GETTING IT DUNN

The Crimson learned Saturday why most NBA analysts project Kris Dunn as a top-10 pick in June’s NBA Draft. The senior poured in 32 points to lead all scorers and forced Harvard to alter its game plan on both ends of the floor.

Defensively, the New London, Conn. native forced freshman point guard Tommy McCarthy into a 2-for-13 shooting night and Amaker was reluctant to run the offense to Dunn’s side of the floor. The reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year finished the game with eight steals to spearhead the Providence defense on a night in which it forced 22 Harvard turnovers.

“I was very impressed with his defense to be very honest,” Amaker said. “He’s strong, he’s quick, and he reads passing lanes so well. He is an outstanding player and we had 22 turnovers. The key for us to hang in there with him was not turning the ball over, it is kind of a pick-six opportunity.”

On the offensive end, Dunn’s ability to get to the rim put the Crimson big men and guards alike in foul trouble. Edosomwan picked up his third foul before halftime and McCarthy also finished the contest with four personals.

“I didn’t want to pick up that third foul,” Edosomwan said. “My first ten minutes I just told myself I didn’t want to pick up another foul so they had some certain baskets I kind of had to lay low a little and be careful so I couldn’t be as aggressive as I wanted to be in terms of defensively, but after that I was fine. Playing with three fouls, I just had to be really cautious.”

The Friars went to the line 21 times and Dunn’s penetration helped Providence finish the game with 42 points in the paint. The junior dished out six assists and turned the ball over just twice.

“He got to the foul line and knock[ed] down free throws,” Amaker said. “And then he start[ed] stepping back and made deep threes and jump shots and I’m not sure that anyone can guard him if he’s doing all that.”