Tim Welsh enters his sixth year at Providence College this winter. The same almost could be said of many of his players.

Providence's roster includes five seniors and three juniors. The lone sophomore, point guard Donnie McGrath, started every game as a freshman last season. McGrath is one of nine players in the PC locker room who have started at least 19 games for the Friars.

Late last year, Providence's experience began to pay off. In February, the Friars were scuffling along with a 3-7 record in the Big East. Then they turned things around. PC closed the regular season with five wins in its final six games and won two games in the NIT.

The stage is set for a successful season, and Welsh isn't shying away from those expectations.

"On paper, we've got experience and depth," Welsh said. "I expect big things from this group. I'm going to let them know that."

FRONTCOURT

It's time to stop giving Most Underrated Player-type nominations to Ryan Gomes. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward looks and plays like a young Wes Unseld. Gomes followed up his standout freshman season by leading Providence in both scoring and rebounding as a sophomore to earn second-team All-Big East honors.

"The overall strength of this team starts with Ryan," Welsh said. "He stepped up last year to prove that he's a prime-time player in this league. Most of our offense goes through him. He draws defenses. He's our main guy."

Marcus Douthit, a 6-10 senior, turned his career around last season. He focused his attention on shot-blocking and rebounding, which is all Welsh needs from his center with Gomes doing the low-post scoring. "He came through on defense in the second half of the season," Welsh said. "He anchored our 2-3 zone."

Providence's strong finish coincided with Welsh's decision to insert forward Rob Sanders into the starting lineup. Sanders, one of the top athletes in the Big East, energized Providence on both ends of the court and jazzed up the Friars' transition game.

Three former starters give Providence some solid frontcourt depth. Maris Laksa and Chris Anrin are two of the team's top shooters. Tuukka Kotti, whom Welsh refers to as "an invaluable sixth man," can play several positions.

BACKCOURT

Partly because of Providence's mediocre record and partly due to the plethora of McDonald's All-Americans in the Big East's freshman class last year, McGrath maintained a low profile despite starting every game at point guard. McGrath proved that he could handle pressure defenses and direct the offense, averaging 9.1 points and 4.3 assists per game.

While McGrath has the point guard spot locked up, Welsh will have to go through several candidates at the off-guard position. The most likely choice will be Abdul Mills, a fifth-year senior who missed all of last season with a torn labrum muscle. Mills, a lefthander with a solid outside shot, led Providence in scoring two years ago.

"He's a guy who can go get a basket on his own," Welsh said. "We didn't really have anybody who could create space off the dribble last year. You need a guy who can go get a basket at the end of the shot clock."

Mills will compete with Sheiku Kabba, who took over as the starter last year. Kabba is not the offensive threat that Mills is, but he's a little more athletic and a better defender.

Incoming freshman Gerald Brown is talented enough to push the veterans ahead of him.

FINAL ANALYSIS

This could be the best Providence team in Welsh's tenure, and the Friars must play up to their level of experience and seize this opportunity. Welsh's teams have been to just one NCAA Tournament and two NITs in his five years at PC, and only once have the Friars finished above .500 in the Big East. Injuries have been a problem, especially the past two years.

Connecticut, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame might be the preseason favorites in the Big East, but the Friars could come out of the pack to challenge the contenders.

Gomes has been so good in each of the last two years that he's almost a given. The biggest question is Mills. If he returns to his old form, the Friars will feature one of the most dangerous backcourts in the league.

"I like this team," Welsh said. "I like our balance. We've got good guard play, guys who can shoot it and a big-time player up front. We'll have to wait and see how they mesh together."

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