The Providence Friars are in the Sweet 16. Here's a look at their prior appearances

For the first time in 25 years, the Providence College men’s basketball team will play in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.

This adds another layer to an already historic season for coach Ed Cooley and his veteran-laden team. This season the Friars clinched the first Big East regular-season title in school history. The team finished the regular season ranked No. 13 in the AP final poll. That marked the highest regular-season ranking since 1974 when Providence was No. 8 in the nation.

Under Cooley, Providence went to five straight NCAA Tournaments, from 2014-2018. After three years, one including the COVID cancelation, the Friars are back and making one of the best runs in school history. After dispatching South Dakota State, 66-57, in the first round, the Friars blew out Richmond, 79-51, in the second round last weekend.

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Now, Providence will take on No. 1 seed Kansas in Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup at 7:15 p.m. in Chicago’s United Center.

This marks the sixth time in school history that Providence will play in the regional semifinal. The Friars are 4-1 all-time in the Sweet 16.

Here’s how they fared in their previous five trips:

1965 Friars

Record: 24-2

Head coach: Joe Mullaney

Result: Providence 81, Saint Joseph’s 73

The Friars' first trip to the Sweet 16 was a gem. Played inside the Cole Fieldhouse in College Park, Md., Providence found itself down, 40-34, at halftime. Coach Joe Mullaney made the bold move of using just six players. That included two future NBA veterans in Jimmy Walker and Mike Riordan — two of the best Friars of all-time — but it was James Benedict who led the team with 22 points. Providence outscored Saint Joseph’s, 47-33, in the second half to advance to the Elite Eight, where it fell to Princeton.

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1973 Friars

Record: 27-4

Head coach: Dave Gavitt

Result: Providence 87, Penn 65

This Friars team was loaded. With three future NBA players (Marvin Barnes, Ernie DiGregorio and Kevin Stacom), Providence made one of its best runs in school history. In the Sweet 16, it was never close against Penn. The Friars went up, 36-29, in the first half and then outscored their opponents, 51-36, for the blowout win. Barnes (20 points and 13 rebounds) and DiGregorio (18 points and 10 assists) had double-doubles. They went on to beat Maryland in the Elite Eight before losing to Memphis in the Final Four.

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1974 Friars

Record: 28-4

Head coach: Dave Gavitt

Result: N.C. State 82, Providence 78

Providence made back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16 in the mid-1970s. But they didn’t have the same magic in 1974 as they did in '73. The Friars trailed, 44-39, at halftime and were outscored, 48-39, to North Carolina State in the second half. This team also had three future NBA players (Barnes, Stacom and Joe Hassett), but couldn’t stop David Thompson (40 points and 10 rebounds), who led N.C. State to a national championship that year. Thompson was the 1975 No. 1 overall pick, won the rookie of the year and made five All-Star teams.

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1987 Friars

Record: 25-9

Head coach: Rick Pitino

Result: No. 6 Providence 103, No. 2 Alabama 82

Pitino assembled one of the best Providence teams ever in 1987. This group included two NBA players (Billy Donovan and Marty Conlon) and made one of the best runs in school history as a six seed in the Southeast Region. In the Sweet 16, the Friars dominated Alabama from start to finish. Providence led, 49-41, at the half and then outscored the Crimson Tide, 54-41, to close it out. Donovan was electric with 26 points to go with 10 assists that day. The team then upset top-seeded Georgetown in the Elite Eight before losing to Syracuse in the Final Four.

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1997 Friars

Record: 24-12

Head coach: Pete Gillen

Result: No. 10 Providence 71, No. 14 Chattanooga 65

The Friars turned into a Cinderella-type story during the 1997 NCAA Tournament. They upset No. 7 Marquette and then No. 2 Duke in the first two rounds. This team had four future NBA players (Austin Croshere, God Shammgod, Jamel Thomas and Ruben Garces). All four scored in double figures to lead the Friars in a Sweet 16 win over Chattanooga. Croshere led the team with 19 points. The Friars' run ended in heartbreak, however, when they lost in the next round, 96-92, to No. 4 Arizona in overtime. That marked the last time the Providence Friars were in the Sweet 16 — until this week.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence basketball in the NCAA Sweet 16: Looking at Friars history