1973 Providence Basketball: Dave Gavitt’s Final Four Breakthrough

Providence basketball had improved each season since Dave Gavitt took over as head coach in 1970. Gavitt started with a winning season. In 1971, Gavitt’s Friars won 20 games and reached the NIT—a signature achievement in an era when only 25 schools made the NCAA Tournament field and just 16 went to the NIT. In 1972, Providence took another step forward, making the NCAA field. The 1973 Providence basketball team made the big breakthrough—they went all the way to the Final Four.

A DYNAMIC DUO

The ’73 Friars were built around two signature stars. Ernie DiGregorio, the senior point guard, averaged 25 points/9 assists per game and was an All-American. Marvin Barnes, the 6’8” junior forward scored 18ppg and was also a rebounding machine, hauling in an average of 19 boards per night.

Moreover, DiGregorio and Barnes didn’t have to do it alone. Kevin Stacom was an excellent two-guard who knocked down 18ppg himself. Fran Costello, a senior forward, did grunt work underneath.

EARLY WINS & A NATIONAL PRESENCE

Providence was still unranked to start the season, but they had some early success in December. The Friars knocked off an 18-win Fairfield squad. Then they handed Frank McGuire’s South Carolina, a team bound for the Sweet 16, a 79-64 loss. While Providence lost the next night to a pretty good Santa Clara program, the Friars were 6-1 and got up to #13 in the polls as the calendar flipped to the New Year.

LESSONS IN LOS ANGELES—AND A STRONG RESPONSE

Five straight games against modest-to-bad competition gave Providence a chance to pad their record and they took full advantage, nudging upward to #11 in the polls. On January 20, they traveled west to play UCLA.

This was the height of the John Wooden Dynasty in Westwood. The Bruins had won seven straight national championships and would make it eight in March. Providence, like the rest of the country, was overmatched, and they took a 101-77 beating. But the Friars responded by beating 20-win UMass 94-78 and then nipping the University of Jacksonville—a program that was good in the early 1970s—87-84.

STRENGTHENING THE RESUME

By month’s end, Providence had moved into the national top 10. And they kept it rolling into February. They hosted St. Joe’s, who would ultimately win 22 games and reach the NCAA Tournament and got an 81-75 win. The Friars proceeded to keep racking up wins against an otherwise soft February schedule.

On the first weekend in March, Providence got one more test from a team that would make the NCAA field. They went to Madison Square Garden to play St. John’s and pulled out a 93-90 win. A pair of routine victories over St. Bonaventure and crosstown Brown closed the season. The Friars were 25-2, ranked #5 in the nation and headed for the NCAA Tournament with great expectations.

A TOURNAMENT WITHOUT SEEDS & A FAMILIAR FOE

The NCAA bracket was not seeded until 1979, and teams were more or less just placed geographically close to home. There were seven teams in the East Regional. Maryland got the bye into the Sweet 16. Providence was paired up with St. Joe’s in a rematch that would take place at Alumni Hall in Queens—the natural home of St. John’s and today called Carnesecca Arena.

Beating the Hawks a second time would be a tall order. St. Joe’s had a potent forward tandem of Pat McFarland and Mike Bantom, each whom scored 20 per game. They were coached by Jack McKinney, who eventually got the Los Angeles Laker job.

But the Friars own Dynamic Duo was in gear. DiGregorio and Barnes combined to get 52 points/19 rebounds/8 assists. McFarland and Bantom were good, but at 39/20/5, they didn’t keep up. Plus, Stacom and Nehru King each knocked down 12 points, while Costello grabbed 11 rebounds. Providence won 89-76 and punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 (a term that didn’t yet exist).

REVENGE SERVED COLD

The East Regionals were in Charlotte and Thursday night offered a chance at a little revenge. Penn had knocked Providence out in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament. The Quakers had another coach who was destined for the NBA—Chuck Daly ultimately won two rings with the Detroit Pistons and coached the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream team.

DiGregorio didn’t shoot well, going 9-for-21. But he was the only one who was a little cold. The Friars as a team shot a sizzling 66 percent from the floor. Barnes led the way, hitting all ten of his shots from the floor and posting 20 points/13 rebounds. King scored 18 and Stacom added 16. Reserve Charles Crawford came off the bench and went 6-for-6.

Providence also defended, holding Penn to 38 percent shooting. It was the formula for an easy 87-65 win.

MAKING A STATEMENT

Maryland was the last hurdle. Lefty Driesell’s Terps had a future pro at point guard in John Lucas, a good rebounder in Tom McMillen, and a quality forward in Len Elmore, later to become a regular CBS broadcaster during March Madness.

Even in an era without a shot clock or three-point line, the game was played at a rapid pace and Providence trailed 51-50 at the half. This was the third straight game the Friars had hit the 50-point threshold in the first half. They kept coming, while Maryland slowed down.

Stacom scored 24 points. Barnes delivered 19 points/15 rebounds. King continued his outstanding work in the tournament and hit for 15 points/7 rebounds. The defense forced Lucas into 9-for-20 shooting.

And DiGregorio? Ernie poured in 30 points and was named the region’s Most Outstanding Player. Providence pulled away to win 103-89 and were going to St. Louis for the Final Four.

AN UNTIMELY INJURY

 The Friars had the good fortune to be on the opposite side of the bracket from UCLA. They instead drew Memphis. The Tigers were led by Larry Finch, a future head coach of this same program, who poured in 24ppg as a player. They also had 6’9” forward Larry Keon, who averaged 20 points/17 rebounds and could match up with Barnes.

But that matchup would be cut short. Providence was playing well, and Barnes scored 12 early points…until he went down with a knee injury. While the Friars still led at the half, 49-40, they were overmatched inside. Memphis controlled the boards, winning rebounding 51-39. DiGregorio fired away, trying to keep the Friars in it, but Ernie’s 32 points came at the cost of 15-for-36 from the floor. Providence lost 98-85.

The NCAA used to a play a consolation game for Saturday’s losing teams, a tradition that stayed through 1981. The season ended against Indiana, coached by a young Bobby Knight. With Barnes still out, Providence was again outrebounded, shot just 36 percent from the floor, and lost 97-79.

THE YEAR THAT DEFINED THE GAVITT ERA

This was the high point of the Gavitt Era, although he made three more NCAA Tournament trips before moving on to the role he became legendary for, as the founder of the Big East Conference and ending the age of independents in the East. 1973 remains a special year in the annals of Providence basketball. And who knows, but for an ill-timed injury, it might have lasted one game longer.