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Providence basketball's Garwey Dual is leaving for a Big East rival. Where's he going?

Portrait of Bill Koch Bill Koch
Providence Journal

Garwey Dual will leave Providence for a Big East rival.

The coveted men’s basketball backcourt recruit has committed to Seton Hall after entering the transfer portal in early April. CBS Sports was first to report the news on social media.

Dual played one season with the Friars, starting in six of his 33 appearances. He averaged 3.3 points, 1.9 assists and helped Providence reach the NIT in a 21-14 campaign. He’ll retain three seasons of eligibility with the Pirates.

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Providence guard Garwey Dual (3) controls the ball against Creighton's Trey Alexander (23) during the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden in March. Dual is leaving for Seton Hall.

Dual was reportedly in contact with Seton Hall, Georgia, Grand Canyon, UC Santa Barbara, Texas A&M, BYU and Memphis while in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5 guard also considered turning professional and entering the NBA G League. He attended the organization’s elite camp prior to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago last month.

Dual selected the Friars ahead of reported offers from the likes of TCU, Arizona State, VCU, Dayton, North Carolina State and league foes DePaul, Butler and Georgetown. He spent the 2021-22 prep season in Indiana and took an official visit with Providence in June 2022. The Friars were fresh off a first regular-season conference championship and a Sweet 16 appearance.

Dual was a consensus top-50 prospect who committed to Providence while former coach Ed Cooley was still in charge in his home city. Dual reopened his recruitment when Cooley made his surprising move to the Hoyas, and one of Kim English’s first official days on the job with the Friars involved a cross-country flight to Los Angeles.

English was hoping to secure pledges from three players at Southern California Academy who had previously committed to Providence – Dual, wing forward Donovan Santoro and power forward Drew Fielder.

English went 2-for-3 on the trip but won’t have any of those names on his roster for 2024-25. Santoro previously announced a transfer to Green Bay after a lone season with the Friars and Fielder followed Cooley to Georgetown. The Phoenix will reportedly visit Amica Mutual Pavilion for a November nonconference game next season.

Dual netted 14 points in a November home win against Milwaukee but never reached double figures again. His offensive production was limited by a lack of opportunity and poor shooting. Dual connected at just 33.1% from the field and was 14-for-56 from 3-point range.

Dual was considerably more effective in spurts at the defensive end. He helped key a December home upset of Marquette with seven assists and a plus-25 rating in 23 minutes. Dual finished fourth and fifth on the team, respectively, in blocked shots and steals.

Dual was the last outgoing transfer from Providence to find a new home. He withdrew from the NBA Draft prior to the May 29 date required to preserve eligibility. Rafael Castro previously committed to George Washington and retains two years with the Revolutionaries.

The Friars still have one open scholarship for next season, and English – along with assistant coach Nate Tomlinson – suggested on social media Providence’s recruiting is done. Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Georgia), Wesley Cardet Jr. (Chicago State), Christ Essandoko (Saint Joseph’s) and Bensley Joseph (Miami) all committed to the Friars out of the portal.

Freshman wing Ryan Mela has reported to campus for summer practices and 2025 commit Oswin Erhunmwunse could still opt to reclassify and join Providence next season.

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The Friars are involved with multiple point guard recruits to replace Joseph and combine with Jayden Pierre in what would be his senior season in 2025-26. Verbal Commits connects Providence with more than a dozen players at the position, and two others – Mikel Brown Jr. and Lino Mark – attended home games last season. Nigel James took an official visit with the Friars over Late Night Madness weekend but listed Georgia, Georgia Tech, Rutgers and Marquette among his four finalists in a post to his Instagram account earlier this week.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25