College basketball fans are in the midst of the longest offseason ever, so to help fill that time I will be re-watching games from Providence’s past and sharing memories, impressions, video, and more. Let’s start with Providence at Gampel Pavilion to take on the beloved UConn Huskies in 2003.
No, this isn’t the game that led to the infamous Jim Calhoun rant about Ryan Gomes, but perhaps it planted the seed.
Gomes, a Waterbury, CT native, was a sophomore in 2003 and came to Providence with little acclaim. He sat for the first seven games of his PC career, and looked like a potential redshirt candidate before going for 15 points and eight rebounds in what was otherwise a forgettable night for the Friars in his debut against South Carolina.