A Statement that Slipped Away & Takeaways from Providence's Opening Week of the Season

This was a back-and-forth contest worthy of March, but one that stung more than a game on Nov. 8 should due to what it represented.

As Stefan Vaaks’ game-winning jumper rested on the rim with the clock striking zero, it was all right there for the Friars — the morale-boosting, opening-week victory that would mean so much more than just a résumé builder.

Wait-and-see had been the theme of the offseason for so many in Providence heading into the 2025-26 campaign. Following a year in which the program struggled and moments of joy were few and far between, the energy at Mohegan Sun Arena was palpable as PC and Virginia Tech battled into overtime of a wonderfully played game.

The Hokies were just as hungry for an early statement, and through 40 minutes, both programs had much to be encouraged by when it came to their rebuilt rosters: the Friars with the breakout performance of newcomers Jason Edwards (28 points) and Jaylin Sellers (26), combined with the continued ascension of Vaaks (17), while Virginia Tech freshman Neokli Avdalas (33 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds) looked every bit the part of a lottery pick from beginning to end.

Ultimately, it was the Hokies who came out on top. For as well as Avdalas played, it was their second chance and loose ball effort that made all the difference down the stretch. They survived when Providence had the ball and a two-point lead, with 30 seconds left in the game. Tech made enough dirty work plays in the clutch to head home with a 107-101 win in front of a “neutral” site game that felt anything but.

“The damn thing went in the basket,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said of Vaaks’ final shot. “The damn thing went in, and fortunately for us, it popped out and we got it to overtime.”

If you have the stomach for it, here’s Vaaks’ final look:

Saturday night had the makings of a statement victory in so many ways. The energy in this building compared to a season ago (when star forward Bryce Hopkins was a surprise scratch) couldn’t have been any more different, nor could the resolve of the Friars. This was a back-and-forth contest worthy of March, but one that stung more than a game on Nov. 8 should due to what it represented.

So, what have we learned about Providence through the season’s opening week?

Scoring Options Aplenty

Through two exhibition games and the opener against Holy Cross, we hadn’t seen the best of Sellers and Edwards. That all changed on Saturday. Sellers was a force throughout. He scored 26 points and knocked down four 3-pointers while leading Providence back after Virginia Tech took an eight-point lead behind the offensive wizardry of Avdalas in the first half.

Avdalas scored 17 points in the first half and made all three of his attempts beyond the arc, but the Friars surged over the final ten minutes with Sellers serving as the tone-setter.

Of the eight Friars who scored in the first half, Sellers shined brightest in putting up 13 points and making timely shots to lead PC to a 46-40 advantage. This was a competitive effort from Sellers, who battled foul trouble on opening night.

Edwards scored 19 of his 28 points after the break, making some critical shots in the final ten minutes of regulation.

Meanwhile, Vaaks continues to be a revelation. The freshman from Estonia isn’t bashful, knocking down four of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc, and he hit a pair of monstrous jumpers (one from the midrange off the bounce and another from three) to tie the game in the second half. He later made another three to push Providence ahead late.

There’s still plenty of room for growth for this group offensively.

It’s an offense that is figuring out how to incorporate newcomer Duncan Powell, and in the opening four minutes of the second half PC’s shot selection should have been better, but Providence was more than good enough offensively to win on Saturday.

Providence made 11 three-pointers, shot 22-25 at the free throw line, and got 27 points from the bench.

“They’ll go on and have a really good year in the Big East. I think they’re an NCAA Tournament team,” Young said of the Friars.

Providence Remains a Work-in-Progress Defensively

For as excellent as Avdalas was (and he was outstanding), Providence allowed him to get going in the opening minutes with a few defensive lapses. PC also let him dribble the length of the floor for a crushing score late.

Avdalas hit shots from all over the court in every way imaginable, but his first bucket came on an easy foray to the rim. Then the Friars lost him beyond the arc shortly after. It’s a tall task slowing a skilled, 6’9 guard who had it rolling, but Providence doesn’t have an elite wing defender like a Justin Minaya — one who you know will at least give him headaches.

The Friars allowed 1.244 points per possession on Saturday, saw Virginia Tech shoot 50% from the floor, 42% beyond the arc (on 12 makes).

While the numbers show PC held up well on the glass (a 43-42 advantage), the Hokies were quicker to the ball in the game’s biggest moments — from grabbing the opening tip of overtime and converting it into a layup, to coming up with key loose balls.

Maybe Providence ran out of gas playing into overtime, but they saw the Hokies shoot 8-10 from the field in the extra session.

Amani Hansberry and Tobi Lawal certainly present challenges on the interior — Hansberry is a physical big man who made a number of dirty work plays late, while Lawal sports a 49-inch vertical and simply leaps over opponents at times.

“Lawal is one of one athletically. I’ve never seen anything like him,” Young said.

“I felt like that was the difference in the end — the physicality,” Friar coach Kim English said. “Obviously, the shot making was good, but when they did miss they got some big offensive rebounds down the stretch.”

It’s fair to wonder if the best version of this Providence team down the road will feature more of the athletically-gifted freshman Jamier Jones, once he has more experience under his belt. PC just needed a bit more when it came to getting to key rebounds and loose balls yesterday.

It’s also fair to credit Virginia Tech for their offensive outburst. PC might not see a better effort than the one Avdalas put forth on Saturday — his pace, his ability to read the game, and his tough shot making were all outstanding — and it also overshadowed the play of UNLV transfer Jailen Bedford (18 points, 7-11 shooting), who made timely and difficult shots throughout the game.

Vaaks Took Little Time in Establishing Himself as an Offensive Weapon

For all of the buzz that floated around about the potential of Stefan Vaaks this summer, he exceeded even the most optimistic first-week projections: 18 PPG on 7-18 shooting beyond the arc and 9-9 at the free throw line in two games?

The Estonian guard hasn’t been afraid to let it rip from beyond the arc, and he played a key role in flipping the first half of both the opener against Holy Cross and on Saturday versus Virginia Tech.

He hit a pair of threes in both the first and second halves on Saturday, and if his buzzer beater rolled a smidge to the left, he’d have become an instant folk hero in Providence.

The jumpers he hit to tie the game in the second half were huge shots. He snapped a 9-0 run with a midrange jumper off the dribble, then buried two 3-pointers off the bounce as well — the latter blew the roof off the place. Here are his makes from Saturday:

Perhaps more encouraging, Vaaks has more to give offensively — and has held up fine defensively.

He’s adjusted well to the pace of the college game, but it still feels as though it can slow down further for him. And when it does, Providence may benefit from not only his scoring, but the playmaking ability out of screen and rolls that were just as promising as the scoring in his European tape.

Defensively, it’s a small sample size, but opponents are shooting just 38% (5-13) when being guarded by Vaaks this season.

Providence became a lot more difficult to scout with what Vaaks put on film this week.

So, while the Friars fell just short of the type of feel-good victory they could have greatly benefitted from on Saturday, there were plenty of positives to come out of the opening week.