How Devin Carter and Josh Oduro Outshined Creighton's Stars at the AMP

Bill Ricci's latest for Friar Basketbal

Friar Family,

There is something about the Pink Out at the Amica Mutual Pavillion. Rhode Island, in general, does a great job of supporting the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer foundation, but it’s the Pink Out at the AMP, in my opinion, that brings great awareness to a platform for survivors and a hope for a cure like no other sporting event in our state. Well done as always, PC Athletics. 

In terms of the Creighton game, even with an 8:30 p.m. start, the crowd (once again fueled by the student section) was on-point from tip-off. I think it’s safe to say Ryan Kalkbrenner isn’t going to miss playing at Providence when he moves on from college basketball with all the chants that came his way. 

Speaking of Kalkbrenner, the game plan to have Josh Oduro get going early against him certainly paid off for the Friars. Thirteen of the first fifteen points came from the Friar big man including a three, which the reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year did not seem to be expecting from reading the scouting report on Oduro. With only five rebounds and 12 points to go with a loss last night from Kalkbrenner, it’s safe to say Oduro has shown in a league against elite level bigs that he is right there with the best of them. 

To Creighton’s credit, they battled in the first half and it just felt like they were always going to come up with the counter punch to PC’s jab. After watching Baylor Scheierman again in-person, I think the best way to describe his game is pesky, yet comfortable. Watching Scheierman up close, it was impressive to see that he could get his shot up so easily. But also as we saw when he pushed Devin Carter to the floor to make a three, he has just enough edge to be that annoying player you really don’t want to match up against. 

Trey Alexander really took a back seat to Devin Carter, in a couple ways. Alexander obviously didn’t have a bad game shooting (43% from the field) but his 2-5 from 3 and mid range success seemed like a day at the library compared to Carter’s box office thriller-type performance. I was chatting with some others down at the media table and all seemingly agreed Alexander may be losing ground to Carter for a potential late first round draft spot. Trey Alexander is a fine player, but seems to be one that is better as a complimentary piece. Whereas Devin Carter making shots from near the logo and steals into behind-the-back passes is, as Stephen A Smith would say, “Box Office” level good. 

The way Carter has been ascending upward to me has been unique compared to Bryce Cotton or Kris Dunn’s Friar success. As I’m sure some others have noticed, Carter doesn’t look to get his offense going right away in games, whereas with Dunn and Cotton that always seemed to be the game plan. Carter almost feels out his opponent and then attacks. 

Compared to Dunn, who we would be afraid would foul on steals or getting physical with guys, Carter doesn’t foul nearly as much with a near same level of defensive intensity. Carter’s ability to create his own shot so organically and at such a calm demeanor is just different, it’s something that I think has to be seen rather than explained. Scott Van Pelt featured the game as his “college basketball game of the night” and made the claim “Is there anyone who means more to their team in college basketball right now than Devin Carter?” It’s always cool when the national guys talk about PC, but I find myself more excited that they are seeing first-hand what Carter is doing. No plays off, no forced shots, steals, blocks…literally everything.

John Fanta said on X that Devin Carter is becoming a “Providence Legend” and he received a little bit of heat for it. But, man, how many all-time Friars hit game-tying shots from the logo? It also helps as Anthony Carter was quoted that Carter came back, in part, due to his love of Providence and its fanbase. 

The picture of Carter and Oduro going arm and arm out of the tunnel from Wednesday’s game wasn’t just a depiction of 60 points and 23 rebounds, it was of two men embracing the other for being elite at their craft with their season still hanging in for a potential NCAA tournament berth.