Providence @ Saint Louis preview

After playing sparingly for Michigan State as a freshman and sophomore, Javon Bess is ready to make a name for himself. The junior guard, now at Saint Louis, aims for another strong effort Friday when the Billikens match up with Providence in the championship game of the 2K Classic in New York City.

Bess averaged 11.4 minutes in each of his first two collegiate seasons but now will clearly be a focal point for Saint Louis. He set career highs with 22 points and nine rebounds on Thursday and has made at least 50 percent of his shots in all three games with the Billikens. The next team that seeks to stop him is Providence, which did a nice job defensively on Washington's three guards in Thursday's affair. The Friars limited David Crisp, Matisse Thybulle and Jaylen Nowell to 14-of-39 shooting from the floor - 7-of-23 from behind the arc - in a 77-70 triumph.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT SAINT LOUIS (3-0): Jordan Goodwin scored 19 points on Thursday - making 7-of-18 shots, which is a major improvement from his 1-of-18 effort over the first two games. Goodwin has missed 12 of his 13 attempts from 3-point range but has been a major factor on the glass (26 rebounds in three games). Hasahn French has gotten off to a nice start as a freshman, adding six points on 3-of-3 shooting Thursday to improve his early shooting percentage to 66.7 percent (12-of-18).

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (2-1): The Friars placed four of their five starters in double digits Thursday - led by Rodney Bullock (17 points), who also had nine rebounds after two relatively quiet games to begin the season. Bullock, who totaled 15 points and 12 rebounds in the first two games, is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.7 points and 6.4 boards. Senior point guard Kyron Cartwright has contributed consistently in 2017-18, notching 10.7 points and 8.0 assists per outing with five total steals.

TIP-INS

1. Providence F Kalif Young is averaging 11 points but has totaled one block, two steals and zero assists in three games this season.

2. Goodwin has exactly four steals in all three games this season.

3. Bess shot 57.4 percent from the foul line as a sophomore but is now 25-of-30 as a junior.

PREDICTION: Saint Louis 69, Providence 62