There’s going to be a lot of Bryce Hopkins chatter between now and Friday night’s first-round matchup between Kentucky and Providence, but he’s hardly the only reason that the Friars made the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Head coach Ed Cooley has done an impressive job of bringing in quality transfer pieces after losing two key seniors from the 2021-22 group while also elevating the talent already on his roster.
Yes, Hopkins is the Friars’ star, leading the team in scoring while also making the All-Big East First Team, and his past relationship with Kentucky is going to control the narrative, but don’t sleep on his teammates.