Hey Mister Carter: Providence's Star Guard Demonstrates Versatility in Win over St. John's

Despite not putting up crazy statistics, Devin Carter was effective in a win over St. John's on Tuesday night.

The rivalry between St. John's and Providence dates back to the early days of the Big East in the 1980s – both teams have a long and competitive history, with numerous memorable matchups over the years. During the 1980s, St. John's and Providence were two of the dominant forces in the Big East, and their meetings often had significant implications for conference standings and postseason play.

The rivalry reached its peak during this era, featuring intense and closely contested games that captured the attention of college basketball fans.

Notable players and coaches on both sides contributed to the intensity of the rivalry, adding to the drama and competitiveness, and the outcomes of these games were vital in shaping the perception of each team within the conference and on the national stage. This rivalry is crucial to the history of the Big East, and therefore, the sport at large. 

In a Tuesday night Big East clash, junior guard Devin Carter led his Providence Friars over their rival St. John's, putting up 14 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. 

Despite taking just seven field goal attempts all game, he affected the contest quite a bit on the offensive end by flexing a high shot IQ, and not forcing bad looks. 

© Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Though the stats don't reflect a super impressive passing performance, as he had four dimes to three turnovers, he demonstrated some good facilitation throughout the first half of the game. 

He had an excellent assist on a drive-and-kick set, where he hit Ticket Gaines for a wide-open three attempt, a shot the senior guard nailed. Carter saw that Sean Conway was out of position trying to help on him, and made the right read by kicking to the corner. 

He had another nice read a few possessions later where he split a trap by slipping a bounce pass between the two defenders and got it safely to Rich Baron, though he was unable to do anything with the possession. 

While Josh Oduro was the star of the game, scoring 26 points, Carter took some attention away from him on the floor, allowing him to break free for as many points as he scored. 

Carter had another excellent assist out of the trap that went to Oduro about 10 minutes into the second half as well, where he split the defenders with a slick delivery to his forward, who dunked it home. 

Overall, despite the numbers not outright reflecting it, Carter was in command of the offense in many important parts of the game. Turnovers aside, he played a very clean game, not forcing bad shots and playing with some feel on the offensive end. 

© Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Important to note also is the 11 boards for a guard that stands at just 6-foot-3. In a new era of bigs that shoot and handle and guards that rebound, Carter will fit in at the next level as a guy who does the "little" stuff.

That "little stuff" adds up – the rebounding leads to transition opportunities in rip-and-run scenarios, second-chance points for teammates, and overall defensive stability. 

There were a few things on the offensive end that Carter did that were a bit questionable. He had three turnovers, including a shot clock violation where he was working on the right side of the floor, getting rejected at the buzzer. He also turned it over as the in-bounder on an out-of-bounds play, overthrowing his target after a St. John's basket. 

Despite the few mistakes, Carter was a massive part of a victory in which scoring was not his strong suit. While one may criticize the lack of scoring effort, what's important to note is that he can affect the game without being its leading scorer. 

That versatility – the ability to bring rebounding, defense, and playmaking to the table, in addition to adding points – makes Devin Carter a fascinating prospect and a guy who could easily make his way into round number one. 

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