PROVIDENCE — They did not do it on purpose, but the Providence College and Bryant University basketball teams gave a textbook demonstration last night on the different levels of college basketball. There are reasons scouts recruit some players for Division I, while others end up in Division II.

PC recruits players to compete in the Big East, at the top level of college basketball. Bryant, until this season, has brought in players to compete in Division II.

As was proven again last night, the smaller guys might be able to compete with the bigger guys for a while, but not for a full game.

Bryant battled and scrapped and hung in with the Friars for 10 minutes. But PC’s superior size and athleticism took over and the Friars swept to an easy 91-64 triumph at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

The Bryant players know they are being asked to do the impossible.

“On the floor, the competition is so much bigger and more physical,” said Portsmouth’s Andrew Lyell, one of three Rhode Islanders who started for the Bulldogs. “The guys are so much bigger and more athletic than we were used to in the Northeast 10.”

PC, playing its final non-conference game, was all business. Coach Keno Davis wanted his team to prepare for the Big East season and his leaders responded. The Friars received 18 points from Marshon Brooks, 17 by Geoff McDermott, 16 from Sharaud Curry and 15 by Weyinmi Efejuku.

“We wanted to make sure we corrected some of the teaching points we’ve been working on so that we had momentum going in,” Davis said.

He was satisfied his team did that.

“Every time I see your team we look better,” he said. “I think we’re going to be a dangerous team come the Big East Conference.”

The numbers showed how well the Friars executed once they got in the flow last night. They shot an eye-popping 80 percent from the field in the second half (16-for-20), 55 percent for the night. After beginning the game 1-for-10 on 3-pointers, they picked that up, too, making 9 of their last 16.

“That’s pretty good. That’s a good way to end it,” Davis said of the shooting numbers. “It shows that we’re learning.”

Both Davis and Bryant coach Tim O’Shea spoke about how the physical differences became more apparent as the game went along.

“This was typical of a lot of the games we’ve played,” said O’Shea, whose team is 1-9 after a schedule that has includes trips to UConn, PC, Iowa and Rutgers, with Maryland up next. “We can hang in there the first four, eight minutes. Then, eventually, the size, the athleticism, the talent level takes over. I do think there are teams on our schedule we’ll be much more competitive with.”

Bryant made seven of its first 11 shots and led 15-12. It was still within 22-19 before PC took total control. Cecil Greshman, a 6-5 junior forward who was on his way to a 24-point night, was excellent for the Bulldogs. The Friars were up 12 at the half, by 26 midway through the second half and as many as 30.

PC, which has had trouble getting started, tried something different.

“We did different warm-up routine, different when we came in from the locker room, different when we did pregame practice,” Davis said. “I’m not sure we found the right thing to do, but sometimes just changing helps.”

On this night it might not have mattered since the Friars had such an advantage. But Davis liked the way his team reacted — and performed. For Bryant, it was a chance to see how the big guys do it.

“I feel for these kids because they’ve been put through a grind here,” O’Shea said. “It’s an enormous jump. I want to say this in a way that gives these kids credit for what they’re taking on. They were recruited to play in the Northeast 10. Now all of a sudden they’re being thrown in against the Big East, the Big Ten, the ACC.

“We have nine of our last 17 games at home. We’ll have a chance to do something then. Now it’s kind of crazy what these kids are going through.”

pkenyon@projo.com