Community Picks: Vermont 0% vs Providence 0%

NEBRASKA: When Nebraska returned the core of a team that reached the 2014 NCAA tournament two years ago, it seemed as though the Huskers were a program on the rise. Having graduated leading scorer Shavon Shields and lost co-star Andrew White III via transfer, Nebraska will rely heavily on senior guard Tai Webster and an unproven collection of freshmen and sophomores. Webster has been inconsistent in college, but he might be poised to bust out after averaging 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds for New Zealand last summer at the Olympic qualifying tournament. Continue to Article

October 24, 2016 11:29:am EST

The most improved player in college basketball this past season believes he's ready for the NBA. Providence forward Ben Bentil announced Sunday evening in an Instagram post that he will forego his final two years of college eligibility and remain in the NBA draft. Bentil's decision is logical considering the feedback he received after a strong performance at the draft combine in Chicago earlier this month. He could be selected in the late first round and he'd still be a strong candidate to negotiate a guaranteed contract even if he falls to the top of the second round. Turning pro serves as the culmination of Bentil's year-long rise from role player, to Kris Dunn's co-star, to NBA prospect. The 6-foot-8 native of Ghana helped lead Providence to the second round of the the NCAA tournament in March, averaging 21.1 points and 7.7 rebounds as a sophomore after contributing just 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds the previous year. What intrigues NBA teams about Bentil is his potential as a floor-spacing power forward in an era when such a skill set is considered highly valuable. Bentil shot 33 percent from behind the arc this past season and also displayed the ability to score in the post or via face-up opportunities. Recording 36 blocks and 30 steals is proof of Bentil's defensive instincts, however, NBA teams may fear that his modest height and explosiveness for his possession may render him less effective at the professional level. Bentil also isn't much of a playmaker for a forward with such a diverse skill set as he recorded barely one assist per game this past season. While the departure of Bentil and Dunn were both no surprise for Providence, that doesn't make it any easier for the Friars to say goodbye. Ed Cooley could have a very difficult time extending Providence's three-year streak of reaching the NCAA tournament unless some of last season's role players make comparable jumps to the one Bentil made.  The most promising player left on the roster is 6-foot-8 small forward Rodney Bullock, who averaged 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this past season but faded during the second half of league play. He'll need support from Jalen Lindsey, Kyron Cartwright, and Ryan Fazekas, none of whom averaged more than seven points per game this past season or shot above 40 percent from the field. Providence also welcomes a deep recruiting class headlined by point guard Maliek White and former Indiana forward Emmitt Holt. That group could be counted on to contribute immediately next season as the Friars adjust to life without Bentil and Dunn. While losing its two stars could be a crippling blow for Providence in the short-term, the program will benefit in the long term if Dunn is taken in the lottery and Bentil is also selected in the first round. That becomes a nice carrot for Cooley to dangle as he attempts to recruit the Friars' next crop of stars. - - - - - - - Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @JeffEisenberg Continue to Article

May 23, 2016 9:28:am EST

Providence sophomore Ben Bentil says that he will declare for the NBA draft but not hire an agent, leaving open the option to return to school. The 6-foot-9 Bentil had a breakout season, leading the Big East in scoring at 21.2 points per game and averaging 7.7 rebounds. Bentil scored 20 or more points in 21 of Providence's 35 games, including a season-high 42 at Marquette. Continue to Article

March 23, 2016 6:53:pm EST

Game-winning shots in March Madness often come about through amazing full-court plays or impossible buzzer-beaters under pressure. Sometimes, though, the defense does more to cause the play than any offensive player. Down 69-68 to No. 9 seed USC with just three seconds left in regulation, Providence had one last chance to win following a fortunate carom out-of-bounds on a short shot attempt by star guard Kris Dunn. Freshman guard Drew Edwards searched for an open teammate on the inbound pass until sophomore Rodney Bullock showed up wide open under the basket. He did not blow his chance at sending the Friars into the next round: USC's final heave on the final possession didn't draw iron, and Providence stayed alive to face top-seeded North Carolina in the second round of the East region on Saturday. The lackluster defense on Bullock's layup stands out as the Trojans' biggest mistake, but head coach Andy Enfield and his team will rue several mistakes, including two misses on the front ends of one-and-one foul-shot attempts in the final 30 seconds. The USC bench understandably looked stunned: University of Surrender Cobra pic.twitter.com/vBu3ZAGiBT — SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) March 18, 2016 The 70-69 result is Providence's first NCAA tournament victory since 1997, when Austin Croshere and God Shammgod led the school to the Elite Eight. USC remains winless in the tournament since 2009. - - - - - - - Eric Freeman is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @FreemanEric Continue to Article

March 18, 2016 12:31:am EST

Southern California is finally back in the NCAA Tournament. The eighth-seeded Trojans (21-12) play their first tournament game since 2011 on Thursday night when they face the ninth-seeded Friars (23-10) in the first round of the East Regional. ''This was our goal, ultimately, coming into the season,'' guard Julian Jacobs said. Continue to Article

March 16, 2016 6:54:pm EST