The Providence College Friars thrilling 1972-73 season began, in some ways, long before the players got together for their first practice. It was the culmination of fate, a little fortune, and the drawing power of this small Catholic college with a history of great former players which ultimately led to what has been called PC's magic carpet ride to the 1973 Final Four of the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament.The thirteen players who were part of the greatest team in Providence College basketball history were all talented young players. Their collective skills and the effort they gave all year contributed to the immense success the Friars had that season. Alongside future NBA player, sharpshooting Kevin Stacom, Nehru King, Fran Costello, Charlie Crawford, Al Baker, and Gary Bello were some of the names that appeared in the box scores after each game, but Providence featured two local players who formed the nucleus of the team and dominated the headlines.PC's dominant 6'9 center Marvin Barnes was born in Providence and grew up in the shadows of Providence College. His development into the punishing rebounder he became, an unstoppable force on both ends of the court, was rooted in the physical style of basketball Barnes learned to play in the inner city of Providence. He would go to play pro ball, becoming the ABA Rookie of the Year, and later play in the NBA. Of all the stars in the constellation of the Providence College basketball universe, perhaps none shines more brightly than the 6'0 Italian kid from North Providence, Ernie DiGregorio, who became widely known simply as Ernie D after a RI sportscaster doing play-by-play had trouble pronouncing his last name quickly enough. Like Barnes, DiGregorio was a local product who played basketball on the playgrounds and in the school gyms just a couple miles away from the Providence College campus. After helping put the Friars basketball program on the map, DiGregorio was drafted in the first round of the NBA dra