Stony Brook @ Providence preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 17, 2017 ) Stony Brook 60, Providence 62

Providence has had a week off to digest a brutal stretch in which it lost four of five - all to mid-major teams - and left a talented bunch searching for answers. The Friars will try to hit the reset button Saturday when they host Stony Brook of the America East conference.

"Our decision-making, our ball-handling, our level of intensity, attention to detail," coach Ed Cooley told reporters while listing the team's current issues. "We've got to do a better job collectively. It's unfortunate where we are record-wise, but we have an opportunity to get better." Many of those issues were on display in a 75-61 loss to rival Rhode Island last Friday, as Providence shot 38.5 percent and turned the ball over 22 times. The Friars next play against Florida at the Barclays Center in New York City before hosting Texas and then opening Big East play New Year's Eve versus Georgetown. Prior to that challenging stretch they'll need to contend with the Seawolves, who had won seven of eight before a 71-63 loss at Hofstra on Tuesday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT STONY BROOK (7-4): Junior guard Andrew Garcia led the way in Tuesday's loss with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but he lamented his eight turnovers in a 22-turnover showing for the Seawolves. "Eighteen points is cool. Getting 12 boards is cool," Garcia told reporters. "But the turnovers, that's what really killed us. I'm a big culprit in that." Leading scorer Elijah Olaniyi (18.6 points per game) was held to a season-low eight at Hofstra while shooting 3-for-9 and turning it over seven times.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (5-5): Senior guard Alpha Diallo is the team's top scorer (13.2), but he is making just 22.2 percent of his 3-point tries after hitting 33.3 percent a season ago. Senior transfer Luwane Pipkins, a star previously at Massachusetts, has been hampered by leg ailments and is shooting just 28 percent after going 0-for-5 against Rhode Island. Junior center Nate Watson was slow to get going after missing the first four games with a knee injury, but he is averaging 12.5 points on 66.7 percent shooting in 16.5 minutes over his last two games.

TIP-INS

1. Friars senior F Kalif Young had nine points - 3.5 over his season average - and a season-high nine rebounds in the loss to URI.

2. Seawolves junior G Makale Foreman ranks second on the team in scoring (14.5) and leads the way with two assists per contest.

3. Watson had 15 points in 18 minutes as Providence rallied from a late 11-point deficit to defeat Stony Brook 62-60 in the previous meeting two seasons ago.

PREDICTION: Providence 77, Stony Brook 69