Providence @ Long Beach St. preview

Following a difficult home loss, Providence will fly across the country to hit the reset button at the Wooden Legacy, beginning with a Thanksgiving matinee versus Long Beach State. The Friars had their worst defensive effort of the season in a surprising 81-75 loss to Pennsylvania on Saturday.

"This team is going to be good," coach Ed Cooley told reporters after his team allowed the Quakers to shoot 52.6 percent from the floor. "We just have to tweak some things but I love my team. I love my team. Is it disappointing to lose at home? Absolutely. But it's not like our kids aren't trying; it's not like they're not playing hard. We just have to find the right combinations, sooner than later. From there I think we'll be fine." Senior guard Maliek White was one of the bright spots for Cooley's team after hitting the 20-point mark for the first time in his 97-game career. The Beach is coming off a 104-67 loss at No. 14 Arizona on Sunday. The teams will meet either Wake Forest or Charleston on Friday, with the winners advancing to face one another and the losers sliding to the consolation side of the bracket.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (4-2): The Friars were unable to overcome a 17-point halftime deficit in the loss to the Quakers, continuing a theme of slow starts for Cooley's squad, which created big holes in its earlier loss to Northwestern and even trailed Merrimack by 12 before eventually winning by 37. "Starting slow is something we have to take a look at, whether it's missing shots, personnel, play-calling, shot selection," Cooley told reporters. Alpha Diallo leads the team in scoring (13.7) and rebounding (9.3) while fellow senior guard Luwane Pipkins is averaging 10.3 points and a team-high 6.2 assists.

ABOUT LONG BEACH STATE (2-4): Sophomore guard Chance Hunter leads the Beach with 14.5 points per game, but he was just 3-for-11 from the floor and missed all four of his 3-point tries against Arizona. Michael Carter III, also a sophomore, led Long Beach State in the loss with 14 points and he is second on the team with 11.8 per contest. Providence represents the latest in a string of high-quality opponents for the Beach, which has also played UCLA, Stanford and Saint Mary's.

TIP-INS

1. Friars F Emmitt Holt is averaging 10.5 points on 64.3 percent shooting and eight rebounds off the bench over the last two games.

2. Hunter is 11-for-19 from 3-point range.

3. This marks the first meeting between the programs.

PREDICTION: Providence 83, Long Beach State 64