The march toward March is back on, for Providence.
After failing to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years last season, the Friars now know the road(s) they must travel in order to return to the Big Dance in 2020.
The Big East Conference schedule has been finalized and features a home league-opener for the Friars on New Years' Eve against Georgetown.
Providence will then follow with two straight road games after that opener, at DePaul and at Marquette, before returning to the Dunkin Donuts Center for games with Butler and St. John's. Arguably, the toughest stretch follows beginning in mid-January with road stops at Creighton and Seton Hall, with a home game against Villanova followed by another away game at Butler.
For a month, between Jan 18th and Feb 12th, Providence will be on the road in the Big East for five of seven games.
On the flip side, PC will end the slate with three of four at home, including match-ups with Marquette and Xavier.
Providence Big East slate
Tue Dec 31 Georgetown
Sat Jan 4 @ DePaul
Tue Jan 7 @ Marquette
Fri Jan 10 Butler
Wed Jan 15 St. John's
Sat Jan 18 @ Creighton
Wed Jan 22 @ Seton Hall
Sat Jan 25 Villanova
Sat Feb 1 @ Butler
Wed Feb 5 Creighton
Sat Feb 8 @ Xavier
Wed Feb 12 @ St. John's
Sat Feb 15 Seton Hall
Wed Feb 19 @ Georgetown
Sat Feb 22 Marquette
Sat Feb 29 @ Villanova
Wed Mar 4 Xavier
Sat Mar 7 DePaul
Also of note, St. John's will play six of their nine Big East home games at Madison Square Garden…but PC won't be one of those. Providence gets the Johnnies at their campus home, Carnesecca Arena, on Feb. 8th.
The regular season concludes on Saturday, March 7, with all 10 teams in action. Fox will have a doubleheader with Villanova visiting Georgetown at noon and Seton Hall traveling to Creighton at 2:30 p.m. Marquette meets St. John's at Madison Square Garden at noon on FSN. An FS1 doubleheader has DePaul at Providence at 6:30 p.m. followed by Butler at Xavier at 8:30 p.m.
