3/7/2021

Both players earned all-league honors for the first time.

NEW YORK, N.Y. –  It was announced today (March 7) that Providence College senior center Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) and junior guard David Duke (Providence, R.I.) each earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.  It marks the first time since 2017 that the Friars have had two players earn all-league honors.

Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) is leading the Friars in rebounding (6.6 rpg).  He ranks second on the team and fourth in the league in scoring (16.8 ppg).  In 25 games this season, he has recorded four double-doubles and seven games with 20 or more points.  Watson is shooting 60 percent (173-287) from the field, which ranks second overall in the league.  He was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll four times this season.  Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) scored a career-high 30 points in the Friars’ loss to St. John’s on February 6.  He also had a career-high 13 field goals in the game.  Watson was 13-20 from field.  He scored his 1,000th career point on December 20, 2020 in the Friars’ win at Seton Hall.  He became the 51st Friar all-time to register 1,000 career points.  In 121 career games, Watson has registered 1,299 points (10.7 ppg).

Duke, who is averaging a team-best 17.2 ppg and 4.8 apg, ranks third in the league in scoring and second in assists.  The junior ranks first in the league in minutes played at 37.2 mpg. He also leads PC in steals (1.2 spg), while averaging 6.4 rebounds per game, which is second best on the squad. Duke is shooting 39.0 percent (142-363) from the field, including 40 percent (50-127) from three-point territory.   He was named BIG EAST Player of the Week twice and earned league Honor Roll accolades five times.  Duke scored a season-high 31 points in the Friars’ win over Marquette on January 27.  He was 10-22 from the field, including 4-8 from three.  He also scored 30 points while shooting 11-18 from the field, including 7-9 from three-point territory in the Friars’ loss at Xavier on January 10.  Duke has posted three 30-point efforts in his career.  He scored his 1,000th career point on February 24 in the Friars’ win versus Xavier.  He became the 52nd Friar all-time to register 1,000 career points.  In 90 career games, Duke has registered 1,044 points (11.6 ppg).

The Friars (No. 6 seed) will return to action on Wednesday, March 10 versus the No. 11 seed DePaul (4-13, 2-13) in the BIG EAST Tournament First Round at Madison Square Garden at 9:00 p.m. on FS1. 

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM+

Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton, G, Jr., 6-2, 180, Hamilton, Mass.

James Bouknight, Connecticut, G, So., 6-5, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Julian Champagnie, St. John’s, G-F, So., 6-8, 220, Brooklyn, N.Y.

*Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall, F, Sr., 6-11, 240, Tbilisi, Georgia

*Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova, F, So., 6-9, 230, Kansas City, Kan.

Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-3, 190, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM

Damien Jefferson, Creighton, F, Sr., 6-5, 220, East Chicago, Ind.

David Duke, Providence, G, Jr., 6-7, 210, Providence, R.I.

Nate Watson, Providence, F, Sr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.

Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, So.,6-9, 225, Teaneck, N.J.

Paul Scruggs, Xavier, F, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.

ALL-BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION

Denzel Mahoney, Creighton, G-F, Sr., 6-5, 220, Oviedo, Fla.

Jahvon Blair, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-4, 190, Brampton, Ont.

Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.

BIG EAST ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

*Chuck Harris, Butler, G, 6-2, 190, Washington, D.C.

Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali

*Dawson Garcia, Marquette, F, 6-11, 235, Prior Lake, Minn.

*Posh Alexander, St. John’s, F, 6-0, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Colby Jones, Xavier, G, 6-5, 195, Birmingham, Ala.

*Denotes unanimous selection

+Due to a tie in the voting, an additional position was added

-GO FRIARS!-

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