Providence College basketball star Bryce Hopkins is done for the season

Providence’s worst fears were confirmed Thursday morning.

Bryce Hopkins will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season after an injury the previous night against Seton Hall.

Hopkins suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, a diagnosis confirmed with an MRI less than 24 hours later. He was helped off the court early in the second half of a 61-57 loss to the Pirates.

“We all feel for Bryce and his family in this difficult time," Providence coach Kim English said in a statement. “We will be with him throughout this process to help him come back stronger than ever.”

Hopkins crumpled to the floor after making an outlet pass to Devin Carter on the fast break. He grabbed for the front of his knee and screamed in pain, reducing the Amica Mutual Pavilion crowd of 11,458 fans to a nervous hush. English and athletic trainer Chris Hagemann tended to Hopkins on the court and medical staff continued treatment in the home locker room.

“I could tell by how loud he was on the court that it was kind of serious,” Carter said postgame Wednesday. “Prayers for Bryce. Hopefully he can come back quick.”

Hopkins didn’t return to the bench over the final 14:59 of game time, and the Friars couldn’t close a third straight home victory to start their Big East schedule. English said Hopkins was scheduled for medical testing Thursday. According to the Cleveland Clinic, typical recovery time for an ACL reconstruction is anywhere from nine months to a full year.

"I can’t thank everyone enough for the countless texts and positive wishes," Hopkins posted to his Instagram account late Thursday. "This is not the end of the road for me and with your prayers and support I know I will overcome this bump in my journey."

Providence College released an official statement through its team social media channels. Posts on X, formerly Twitter, included thoughts from University of Rhode Island athletic director Thorr Bjorn, Connecticut’s official men’s basketball account, the Big East and Creighton point guard Trey Alexander. Friars athletic director Steve Napolillo followed Hopkins to the locker room Wednesday night and issued a statement Thursday morning.

“Everything in life is so fragile,” Napolillo said. “My thoughts and prayers are with Bryce Hopkins and his family. Friartown will support them through every part of this challenge.”

Hopkins was a heralded recruit who never occupied a defined role during his lone season at Kentucky. He entered the transfer portal after the 2021-22 campaign and selected Providence as the place to reset his career. Hopkins found something more resembling home with the Friars — his mother, Karen, is a New Bedford native.

The change suited him immediately. Hopkins exploded to stardom with Providence in 2022-23, making a credible run at Big East Player of the Year honors. He averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time since the 2013-14 campaign.

Hopkins was expected to contribute in similar fashion this season despite a coaching change, with Ed Cooley jumping to Georgetown and English coming in from George Mason. His shooting numbers from the foul line and 3-point range were down, but his production on the whole remained strong — 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds through 14 games. Hopkins has played in at least 81.8% of minutes through each of his first two seasons, starting in all 47 of his appearances.

“We always play for our brothers, especially when one goes down,” Providence forward Josh Oduro said postgame Wednesday. “At the end of the day, I’ve got to be better individually, and we will be. We’ll work on it.”

Corey Floyd Jr. played 12 of his 19 minutes against Seton Hall in the second half. He could be part of a smaller lineup going forward, with the Friars looking for frontcourt and wing help alongside Oduro and Ticket Gaines. Floyd finished with seven points and six rebounds against the Pirates.

Providence could also opt to play two point guards at times with Jayden Pierre and Garwey Dual. They managed a combined 10 points in 46 minutes against Seton Hall. Rich Barron returned from a one-game absence against Butler due to an allergic reaction — he played five minutes against the Pirates and could feature on the wing.

The Friars return to action Saturday afternoon at Creighton. It's the first of four road games in their next five and a loss would all but certainly strip Providence of its current No. 23 ranking in the current AP poll. The Friars sit at 11-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

bkoch@providencejournal.com     

On X: @BillKoch25 

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence basketball star Bryce Hopkins done for the season