For Providence College, a bigger stage symbolizes its aspirations

In spite of a Saturday evening snowstorm that dropped a few inches of snow on northeast Rhode Island, 7,483 fans packed into the arena affectionately known as The AMP. A full student section donned PC white and black bathrobes, fitting for college students who arrived in the morning for a noon tipoff. The Providence men’s basketball team — which plays all of its home games at The AMP — sat courtside, patiently snapping photos with young Friars fans who recognized them.

A sizable number of fans were there to support the visiting Connecticut Huskies, many donning star guard Paige Bueckers‘ No. 5 jersey. The game, moved to The AMP to accommodate more fans, drew a crowd that’s typical for the Huskies.

“Everywhere we travel, we have a good following,” UConn guard Ashlynn Shade told reporters postgame. “It always kind of feels like a home game in the BIG EAST this year so far. So it’s cool to see that we have a lot of support no matter where we go.”

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No. 5 UConn extended its win streak against the Friars to 38 consecutive games in a 77-40 blowout. Despite Providence’s historical BIG EAST success — three regular-season conference titles (1983, 1986, 1990) and one conference tournament title (1990) — it’s been over three decades since Providence has been a BIG EAST contender. The Friars last advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1992 and haven’t defeated the Huskies since 1993.

For a PC fan base that hasn’t seen much success in women’s basketball since the early ’90s, the arrival of head coach Erin Batth, now in her second season, has brought renewed hope. The program’s promise is also noticed by fellow conference coaches, who voted Providence to finish third in the preseason poll.

The Friars haven’t lived up to their preseason promise, amassing a 10-16 record so far this season and winning just three of 13 conference games. Going into Sunday’s contest, however, 14 of the Friars’ 25 games had been decided by single digits. It’s not that the Friars aren’t competing — they’ve just struggled to close out tight games.

“Do you like my highlights?” Batth asked the media room following the loss to UConn. “I have gray [hairs]; I had to change my hair color. No, it’s been rough. But … you have to learn from everything. And sometimes I feel like we haven’t been [learning], but we go back and watch the film. … So we’re still working on it — again, trying to get these women to go places they’ve never been before. It’s uncharted territory, to win and win and win.”

Batth is clear-eyed about the reality that her team must improve to compete against elite conference foes like UConn and Creighton. With time and sustained success, she believes her program can draw fans to The AMP.

“This is where we want to be — we want to play in the Amica. We want to get people to come watch us play on an elite level and do things the right way. And I think we can do that. This was a great experience — really, really, again, proud of just how Friartown, our fans came out to support us, and [I] pray that in [the] future, we can get this done again.”

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has been where Batth has been. Before his program launched to the very top of the sport, it played most of its games in a small field house in Storrs.

“I think circumstances have to kind of warrant where you play,” Auriemma told reporters on Sunday. “I think when you’re trying to build something, I think it’s important that you put yourself in the best position to to win. So unless they can … [have] 7,500 people here no matter who they play, then it probably doesn’t make sense to do it every game.”

“I remember my first couple years at UConn, we had a couple games at the XL [Center] — Hartford Civic Center back then — and we had like 100 people in the building, and it was just really, really bad,” Auriemma added. “So I do think it’s something you have to grow into. And the way [Providence] play[s], every team has a hard time scoring against them, so they’re building it. … You have to build it from the ground up and [it] has to start with your defense. … So it’s a good start.”

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Auriemma believes that, for now, it makes sense that the Friars compete on campus in Mullaney Gymnasium at Alumni Hall. The Hall of Famer called the historic home of Friars women’s basketball, upgraded in 2012, one of the “best renovations in the BIG EAST” and “a beautiful arena.” He should know — he was there in 1993 when his Huskies last lost to the Friars, who hosted the BIG EAST Tournament that season.

The 70-year-old Auriemma is impressed with what he’s seen of the Batth era in Providence.

“They are a defense-first team,” he said. “They’re a physical team, an aggressive team — their defensive style makes it hard for you to get the kind of movement and the kind of shots you always get against other people. … They make the other team play their style of basketball. And that’s a trait that you have to have when you’re trying to build an identity.”

Although the Friars were soundly defeated on Sunday, a game at The AMP against nationally ranked UConn is an overall win for the program. Batth knows that to be the best, you must beat the best — and she embraces the opportunity to compete against a national powerhouse on a bigger stage.

“When I speak about recruiting, I do speak about UConn,” Batth said, “because that is the standard, and that’s who we want to compete against.

“I know that Providence College can be right there. We can compete with the best and get there and keep thriving.”

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