PROVIDENCE — You may have heard that there’s a basketball game on Saturday?
The Providence College Friars men’s basketball team is playing the Georgetown University Hoyas, a game that was pretty much sold out at the Amica Mutual Pavilion the minute the date was announced months ago.
This Big East rivalry has existed for as long as the Big East itself. There was Georgetown’s Big John Thompson (PC alum) versus Friars’ Rick Pitino in the 1980s. Now, it’s the Hoyas and their coach Ed Cooley versus new PC coach Kim English and his Friars.
That Ed Cooley, the South Providence native whose 12 seasons as Friars head coach led the team to seven visits to the NCAA Tournament (including the Sweet 16) and winning their first-ever Big East regular season championship in 2022.
That Ed Cooley, who suddenly took the job as Hoyas coach last March — Thompson was his idol — and thanked “Divine Providence” for the opportunity.
Ouch.
There’s as much furious chatter about what’ll happen when the Friars and Hoyas meet on the basketball court Saturday as there is about how Friars fans will react to Cooley’s return. These games already have a reputation as among the best attended and most passionate in college basketball, making the AMP a tough place for opposing teams to play. This old coach-new coach drama is turning up the volume to 11.
But, to borrow English’s motto for the Friars, it’s about mindset. And the two men whose job it is to hype up the crowd — and the players — said that’s how they are strategizing their approach for Saturday’s game.
“I’ve even been talking to students and others, and they’re saying, we can’t wait for that game. And I’m like, all right, just remember, he’s from here. His family and friends are gonna be here, so have respect for them,” said Josh Flanagan, Friars new hype man. “We’re prepared to do everything in our power to make sure what we control and what we’re a part of is respectful and above board. It shows the image of, we do things the right way here.”
Mason “DJ Finesse” Santos, the longtime Friars DJ, said he’s respectful of Cooley — who is also his daughter’s godfather — and the legacy he left at PC.
“We are nationally recognized, and it’s become a powerhouse in such a small state,” Santos said. “And now students are like, hold on, I can get to the NBA from Providence? And their arena’s like nothing else? Oh, yeah, I’m coming to Providence.”
They know the power of the crowd. They help channel that energy to boost the team. Flanagan works the crowd, Santos works the music, and like conductors, they sync together to get everyone in the AMP involved.
“You’re a fan. You can only impact the game with your energy. You can’t coach. You can’t score a basket play. I look at it the same way,” said Flanagan. “I can’t impact the players on the floor, but I really feel like if I do a good job, I can impact the environment, which can then impact the players.”
This is a Big East game and not personal, they say, and there will be nothing sweeter than winning at home.
Start with the coach’s mindset.
Kim English requested Eminen’s “Lose Yourself” when he was introduced at PC’s Late Night Madness last September, Santos said. And now, that’s his song.
The lyrics fit English’s “mindset” motto: “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow this. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”
The Friars team texts Santos their requests for their warmups before the game, and the songs are all attitude. “First Person Shooter,” by Drake and J. Cole; “Mmhmm,” by BigxThaPlug; “Dreams and Nightmares,” by Meek Mill; “Did Me Wrong,” by A Boogie Wit da Hoodie; and “In a Minute,” by Lil Baby.
“You see all the guys in their pre-game shoot on warmups, and they’re just getting in their zone,” Flanagan said. “All you see is just them laser focused, but still bobbing their head.”
When the Friars leave, and the opposing team comes out to warm up, Santos gives them generic pop music: No Doubt and the Black Eyed Peas. “Good Feelin’” by Flo Rida. “Cold Heart” by Dua Lipa and Elton John. Whatever will wither the opposing team’s souls.
Does it help? Santos and Flanagan think so.
“There’s been so many games where that first four minutes PC comes out and goes on a run — and how much of that is because our guys were so ready and amped up to go and their guys are maybe sleepwalking and sluggish a little bit?” Flanagan said. “We’re not dribbling a ball, shooting a ball, but that’s a tangible impact of the work, changing the game.”
One phenomenon that no one predicted: A Taylor Swift song becoming a Friars anthem.
What started with a couple of Swifties who wanted to hear her music during a game against the University of Rhode Island in late 2021 has become a staple of the PC scene that’s captured national attention, even from the superstar herself.
Videos of the students singing Swift’s megahit, “You Belong With Me,” went viral, and Santos said students demand to hear the song at every game.
“It’s got to the point where now everybody’s waiting for that song,” Flanagan said. “Young, old, doesn’t matter where you’re from ... everybody knows what that means to the game, to the program, to the AMP.”
Coaches and players come and go, but Taylor Swift will always belong with PC, Santos said.
“I’m gonna play it on Saturday, and they’re gonna go crazy,” Santos said.
Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com. Follow her @AmandaMilkovits.