Pennsylvania @ Providence preview

Already with a couple of talented guards on its roster, Providence now has a big man it can count on. Nate Watson enjoyed a strong season debut for the Friars and now he and his teammates will take on Pennsylvania when the Quakers visit on Saturday.

Watson, a 6-10 junior, missed the first four games with a knee injury before returning for Tuesday's game with Merrimack. He scored 14 points in 14 minutes, making 6-of-7 shots and adding three blocks in a crisp effort despite his self-acknowledged fatigue. “I was tired. I’m not going to lie, but it was great to be out on the court playing in front of the fans and playing for coach again,” Watson said afterwards. Providence shouldn't take Penn lightly as the Quakers already have a road win over Alabama on their resume.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 2

ABOUT PENN (2-2): Penn has one of the top players in the Ivy League in AJ Brodeur (18.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.8 blocks), who has posted three double-doubles in the first four games. Devon Goodman had a team-high 15 points in Tuesday's 11-point loss to Lafayette, while Brodeur came two assists shy of a triple-double. Ryan Betley has made a team-high seven 3-pointers on the young season, but he is shooting under 30 percent from the arc for a Quakers team hitting on just 26.6 percent of their 3-pointers so far.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (4-1): While Watson's return was a welcome sight for Providence, the team was able to rely on other veterans against Merrimack as Luwane Pipkins scored a season-high 18 points and fellow senior Maliek White had a season-high 15 off the bench. David Duke, who added 10 points, has scored in double figures in all five games, including a career-high 21-point effort against NJIT earlier this month. The Friars' best player is Alpha Diallo, who had four turnovers in 10 minutes and has been battling the flu, according to coach Ed Cooley.

TIP-INS

1. Watson, who shot between 65-70 percent from the foul line in each of the last two seasons, was 2-of-9 from the stripe Tuesday.

2. Under Cooley, Providence is 64-4 at home in non-conference games.

3. Diallo had notched at least 15 points and nine rebounds in every game before playing 10 quiet minutes versus Merrimack.

PREDICTION: Providence 72, Penn 63