[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 30 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 THE PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND THE BROWN UNIVERSITY 
                        WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

 Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I want to congratulate the 
Providence College basketball team for winning the Big East conference 
championship this past weekend in New York City.
  Sunday's appearance in the Big East tournament finals was a first for 
Providence College--and they made the most of it with an impressive 74 
to 64 win over Georgetown University on Sunday afternoon.
  Providence College was founded by the Dominican Order of Preachers in 
1917 and has had a rich 75-year history of excellence in both the 
classroom and on the basketball court. In a recent survey of American 
colleges by U.S. News & World Report, Providence College was ranked 
15th among the finest regional colleges and universities in the 
northern United States. Our distinguished colleague, the senior Senator 
from Connecticut, Senator Dodd, is just one example of the top quality 
graduates that emerge from the college.
  This past weekend, however, it was the Providence College basketball 
team that inspired the school's 3,700 students--and indeed the entire 
State of Rhode Island. With a fourth place finish in the Big East 
regular season, the Friars were considered by most to be an underdog in 
the tournament. After all, the PC team had never advanced beyond the 
tournament's semifinal game.
  But Providence finished its regular season play with five straight 
victories and entered the tournament playing its best basketball of the 
season. Led by Providence native Abdul Abdullah of Providence's Central 
High School, the Friars made believers of all of us with three more 
consecutive victories over Villanova University, the University of 
Connecticut--who came into the game with a No. 2 ranking in national 
polls--and Georgetown.
  As a result of Providence's Big East conference championship, the 
school was awarded the Dave Gavitt trophy. Dave Gavitt--a resident of 
East Providence, RI--was the former Providence College coach that 
coached the 1973 PC basketball team to the final four of the NCAA 
tournament. He was also the first commissioner of the Big East and the 
driving force behind the conference's success.
  As a result of its Big East championship and its outstanding play, 
the PC team has been invited to participate in this week's NCAA 
tournament. The team is scheduled to play Alabama in Lexington, KY 
tonight. We wish them the best of luck--and look for them to extend 
their 8 game winning streak.
  Despite its success, the Providence College is not the Only Rhode 
Island team scheduled to play in the 1994 NCAA basketball tournament. 
The Ivy League Champion Brown University women's basketball team has 
also been invited to the NCAA's. I want to extend my best wishes and 
congratulations to the Brown team as well.
  Congratulations and three cheers for both of these teams which have 
stirred such pride in Rhode Island for their achievements.
  Mr. FORD. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Exon). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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