The Providence Friars have lost four in a row after an 11-2 start in non-conference play. Each loss is in the Big East, which, if you haven’t heard, is tough this season.

Providence’s losses have come by 13 at home against Rugters, but also by seven at Syracuse, two at home against St. John’s and four in a giveaway at home against Pitt.

WVU has won six in a row and 10 of 11 in the series. Providence guard Marshon Brooks averages 23.8 points per game, the fifth-best total in the nation, and has double figures in all 16 games and 20 points in each of the past 11. 

He’s one of the better all-around players in the league, too. He adds 8.0 rebounds (second on the team) and shoots 50.5 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from 3-point range (both are best on the team).

Don’t pay too much attention to him, though. Doing so lowers the guard for Vincent Council, who chips in 15.2 points per game. The Friars have a very good freshman guard in Gerard Coleman, who averaged 10.6 points per game.

WVU’s defense, meanwhile, did well against Georgetown’s tandem of Austin Freeman and Chris Wright Saturday and is coming off its best defensive performance of the season.

But would it surprise you to know the Hoyas shot 50 percent that game?

All is better for the Mountaineers, but it’s premature to say all is well. That game Sunday against Purdue, and, to a lesser extent, the Capital Classic, are on the horizon and one wonders if an eye wanders and attention strays a little tonight. This game will say an awful lot about how this team has learned to play.

Speaking of tonight, deadline looms, and while my contributions will be minimal on this particular post, I never leave my wingmen/wingwomen. Enjoy the game. Commence with the comments!

6:28 pm: Here’s the link to the transcript for today’s chat which, on occasion, centered on WVU sports. How neat is that?

6:59: We had a violin for the national anthem … which makes it very hard to forget the words. Dan Jennings is starting again. And on the whistle this evening: Roger Ayers (No. 2 in games called this season), Sean Corbin (first year of major college action) and Doug Shows (a noticeable 4.5 home fouls per game margin).

7:11: Dana Holgorsen is in the building. Ditto Rob Gillespie, Bill Bedenbaugh and Shannon Dawson. I think. I’m certain Lonnie Galloway is in the same section with them. No sign of Oll Stewart or the defensive coaches. Not that that means anything.

7:17: John Flowers is killing Providence. He’s 4-for-4 with nine points, an offensive reboudn he turned into a three-point play and three assists — and he should have four, but they didn’t give him one on a pass to Joe Mazzulla on a layup. Cue CEJ! … Wait. Cue CEJ.

7:19: Flowers blocks a shot and checks his heat. 3-pointer and we’re approaching ridiculous. It’s 26-12 with 10:47 to go. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it once. John Flowers will shoot you out of a zone.

7:22: EXCLUSIVE! Apparently WVU is planning on unveiling a video of Flowers doing the Dougie tonight. His shooting totally overwhelmed the brief live shot of Holgorsen on the big screen.

7:35: It’s 31-12. I’ve going to start writing.

7:30: I’ve been watching Flowers for four years now. He’s never played better. Ever. He also isn’t wearing his familiar headband.

7:32: “Stand up, Dana” chant gets Holgorsen out of his seat. He’s wearing jeans. No sign of Red Bull.

7:33: Keno Davis gets a technical foul in the timeout and Casey Mitchell makes both free throws. It’s a 21-0 run and a 38-12 game until the run ends when Kadeem Batts goes 1-for-2 after being fouled by Flowers, who then misses a 3.

7:32: WVU is 16-for-30. Providence is 7-for-30 and some misses should count double. It’s 44-20 after the Friars miss two free throws with 2:08 to go.

7:54: I have to think, on the whole, WVU is nonplussed by the 46-20 score. The Mountaineers scored four points in the final four minutes. Holgorsen, meanwhile, is 12 minutes into a lap o’ handshakes around the inner circle of the Coliseum floor. It looks like he’s having a ball.

8:03: John Flowers at the half: 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals.

8:10: And we just took a two-footed leap past ridiculous. Flowers dunks and gets the mysterious and-one for his 20th, 21st and 22nd points. His career high was 16. He’s in some sort of a place where the rim looks big. A zone?

8:16: Per twitter request: http://bit.ly/hIdQ3E.

8:28: Only question now is whether Flowers reached 30 points. I say yes.

8:47: Flowers will sit the rest of this one out with 24 points .. and by my calculations his assists, steals and blocked shots contributed directly to 28 more points. Good evening. For him. To you.