# 1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball team

The 1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball team represented Providence College during the 1986–87 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by second-year head coach Rick Pitino, the Friars finished the season 25–9 (10–6 Big East) and made a Cinderella run through the NCAA tournament to the Final Four.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Nov 28, 1986 | | American Fleet Classic | W 104–82 | 1-0 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Nov 29, 1986 | | Tulsa Fleet Classic | L 74–80 | 1-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Dec 2, 1986 | | at Holy Cross | W 90–65 | 2-1 | Hart Center Worcester, MA |
| Dec 6, 1986 | | Rhode Island | W 100–90 | 3-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Dec 9, 1986 | | at Brown | W 96–65 | 4-1 | Marvel Gymnasium Providence, RI |
| Dec 11, 1986 | | Siena | W 75–64 | 5-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Dec 20, 1986 | | Rider | W 106–66 | 6-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Dec 22, 1986 | | Howard | W 94–83 | 7-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Dec 27, 1986 | | Maine | W 113–87 | 8-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Dec 29, 1986 | | Hofstra | W 97–61 | 9-1 | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Jan 3, 1987 | | No. 17 Pittsburgh | L 67–76 | 9-2 (0-1) | Fitzgerald Field House Pittsburgh, PA |
| Jan 5, 1987 | | No. 7 Syracuse | L 85–89 | 9-3 (0-2) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Jan 10, 1987 | | Villanova | W 96–78 | 10-3 (1-2) | The Pavilion Philadelphia, PA |
| Jan 14, 1987 | | Connecticut | W 103–89 | 11-3 (2-2) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Jan 17, 1987 | | Boston College | W 96–78 | 12-3 (3-2) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Jan 20, 1987* | | at Miami (FL) | W 92–88 | 13-3 | Knight Center Miami, FL |
| Jan 24, 1987 | | Connecticut | W 61–53 | 14-3 (4-2) | Hartford Civic Center Hartford, CT |
| Jan 28, 1987 | | No. 11 Georgetown | W 82–79 | 15-3 (5-2) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Jan 31, 1987 | | No. 15 St. John's | W 93–81 | 16-3 (6-2) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Feb 3, 1987 | No. 17 | at Boston College | L 66–67 | 16-4 (6-3) | Roberts Center Boston, MA |
| Feb 7, 1987 | No. 17 | No. 13 Pittsburgh | L 81–87 | 16-5 (6-4) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Feb 14, 1987 | No. 20 | No. 16 St. John's | W 79–78 | 17-5 (7-4) | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| Feb 17, 1987 | No. 19 | Seton Hall | W 91–87 | 18-5 (8-4) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Feb 19, 1987 | No. 19 | at No. 9 Syracuse | L 81–90 | 18-6 (8-5) | Carrier Dome Syracuse, NY |
| Feb 25, 1987 | No. 20 | vs. Seton Hall | W 85–72 | 19-6 (9-5) | Brendan Byrne Arena East Rutherford, NJ |
| Feb 28, 1987 | No. 20 | No. 8 Georgetown | L 79–90 | 19-7 (9-6) | Capital Centre Washington, D.C. |
| Mar 2, 1987 | | Villanova | W 97–80 | 20–7 (10–6) | Providence Civic Center Providence, RI |
| Big East tournament ||||||
| Mar 6, 1987* | | vs. St. John's Big East tournament Quarterfinal | W 80–51 | 21–7 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| Mar 7, 1987* | | vs. No. 7 Georgetown Big East tournament Semifinal | L 66–84 | 21–8 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| NCAA Tournament ||||||
| Mar 12, 1987* CBS | (6) | vs. (11) UAB NCAA tournament first round | W 90–68 | 22–8 | Birmingham–Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, AL |
| Mar 14, 1987* CBS | (6) | vs. (14) Austin Peay NCAA tournament second round | W 90–87 | 23–8 | Birmingham–Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, AL |
| Mar 19, 1987* CBS | (6) | vs. (2) No. 9 Alabama Southeast Regional semifinal | W 103–82 | 24–8 | Freedom Hall Louisville, KY |
| Mar 21, 1987* CBS | (6) | vs. (1) No. 4 Georgetown Southeast Regional final | W 88–73 | 25–8 | Freedom Hall (16,944) Louisville, KY |
| Mar 28, 1987* CBS | (SE 6) | vs. (E 2) No. 10 Syracuse Final Four | L 63–77 | 25–9 | Louisiana Superdome (64,959) New Orleans, LA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||