Keno Davis and the Friars are entering a busy stretch.

The Journal / Glenn Osmundson

PROVIDENCE — There are still hurdles to overcome, but Keno Davis can see the start of the “real” season just two weeks away.

Semester exams ended yesterday for Davis’ Providence College Friars, and the team will begin one of the more enjoyable parts of the season tonight when Jackson State comes to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The stretch isn’t enjoyable because of its ease. It’s simply that with exams completed and no classes for the next three weeks, the Friars can focus on practice, games and the holidays as the most important part of the season nears.

PC has three games before St. John’s comes to The Dunk two weeks from today (Dec. 31) for the start of Big East play. After tonight’s game, the Friars travel to Boston College on Saturday and host Bryant University on Monday.

“It’s an important three-game set for us,” Davis said. “Our goal was to get better by conference, and we’re three games away. We have to take them one at a time, but it’s three games in six days, which is a busy stretch before we break for Christmas.”

Davis said the Friars have enjoyed a productive exam period, although practices have been inconsistent.

“I’d say the quality is up and down, which you actually expect this time of year,” said Davis. “On days when we weren’t executing, we’d turn it into a shooting practice or teach a little bit more than usual. Going forward, those excuses are gone.”

PC’s first test comes against a Jackson State team that has a 1-8 record, but the Tigers aren’t that bad. The Southwestern Athletic Conference members have lined up an aggressive nonleague slate that already has taken them to face LSU, Illinois, Texas A&M and Kansas, among others. A year ago, the Tigers played a similar lineup and finished 2-12. Then they went on to finish 12-8 against SWAC teams and advanced to the conference finals before losing to Mississippi Valley State by one point in the championship game. The Tigers won the SWAC and played in the NCAA Tournament last year and are picked to win the league by Blue Ribbon Yearbook this season.

The Tigers boast the top frontcourt group in their conference and are led by junior Grant Maxey, a first-team all-conference pick. Darrion Griffin, a top guard, leads the team in assists and is one of three double-figures scorers.

PC has a few hurdles it would like to clear over the next three games. One has to be its outside shooting, where the Friars are making just 28 percent of their 3-pointers despite having several confident shooters. The Friars average 78.9 points a game but have eclipsed 67 points only once (in an 81-75 loss to St. Mary’s) against the five strongest teams on their schedule.

Defensively, foes are averaging 71.4 points and shooting 44 percent from the floor. Both numbers rank the Friars last among Big East Conference teams.

While the 10-day exam break has helped Geoff McDermott (ankle) and Sharaud Curry (foot) heal some physical ailments, Alex Kellogg (sore knee) continues to struggle with pain and fluid buildup. Davis said he has not made a final decision on the status of forwards Bilal Dixon and Jamine Peterson, in part because of Kellogg’s status. Dixon and Peterson are likely red-shirts all season, but they continue to play well in practice, and Davis is concerned about Kellogg’s status.

“We won’t see Alex until St. John’s. That’s the plan,” said Davis. “We’ll try to get him rest for the next three games because we don’t want anything to set him back. We need Alex. He has a little more experience (than Dixon, a freshman) and I don’t know if we win the Charlotte game without him. He’s physically ready to play in the Big East.”

While Peterson, a bouncy, aggressive rebounder, is an almost certain bet to sit out this season, the door hasn’t shut on Dixon. He’s insurance if Kellogg does not respond or if another PC post player suffers an injury.

“In my mind, the door would be shut when we start the Big East (schedule),” Davis said. “That (St. John’s) game would be the drop-dead date. We’d still have them for 18 league games at that point.”

kmcnamar@projo.com