By SCOTT BARRETT / The Newport Daily News
PROVIDENCE — As hard as it might have been, Cole Swider put out of his mind where he was playing and simply concentrated on how he was playing.
The Portsmouth resident, a freshman guard for Villanova, returned to Rhode Island for the first time on Saturday afternoon, when the Wildcats faced Providence in front of a raucous Dunkin’ Donuts Center crowd eager to see the defending national champions leave with a defeat.
Swider was no stranger to Providence games during his youth. He was heavily recruited by Friars coach Ed Cooley out of St.