PROVIDENCE — When Jeff Xavier walked into the fully rehabbed Dunkin’ Donuts Center for the first time in September, he wasn’t quite sure he knew where he was. He’s not alone.

As Providence College basketball fans will find out for the first time tonight when the Friars play an exhibition game against the University of Ottawa, their team now plays in a building that finally looks like a home court. The installation of 13,000 new seats, all in PC’s colors of black or gray, gives the Dunk an appearance that will stun the eyes of longtime Friar fans.

“I was watching film of a game last year and all you see are those blue and red seats,” said Xavier, a senior guard. “Now it’s all black. It’s a true home court.”

Xavier knows more than any other member of the PC basketball family what a big difference the $80 million in improvements has made for the building. Growing up in Pawtucket, he’s been in the Dunk when some seats were missing screws or the cushion was flat as a board. He’s also stood in long lines for a hot dog or to go to the bathroom.

“The last few years the building looked kind of bad,” said Xavier. “It got to the point where some of my people wouldn’t want to come to the games because of the building. It got old.”

Over the last two seasons, PC fans saw incremental improvements to the arena, which first opened in the fall of 1972. Expanded concourses, updated restrooms and 20 luxury suites were the major eye candy last season. But the seating bowl remained tired and disjointed so when Xavier came downtown for a ribbon cutting in September, he was taken aback.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. It looks like an NBA arena now. It seems brand new,” he said.

Senior guard Weyinmi Efejuku has seen the subtle improvements over the last few years but he agrees that the new seating bowl makes all the difference in the world.

“The seats are a huge improvement. When our fans come out and fill the seats, it’ll be awesome. You can’t understand what a big difference it is until you come in here,” he said.

In years past, PC officials have sponsored Black Out nights where they pass out black T-shirts to promote team spirit among their fans. “We have those Black Out nights at Providence but now we really can black out the whole building,” said Efejuku.

New coach Keno Davis inherited the upgraded facility and could not be more pleased. Before he signed on with PC last spring, he hadn’t been in the arena since 1989 but still appreciated that it was an aging facility. Not anymore.

“Some of the recruits who’ve been here the last couple of years walked in over the summer and they were amazed,” said Davis. “Some people say ‘what is this place, a year old?’ ”

Over the last 10 years, former coach Tim Welsh and his staff would bring recruits to campus and when they asked to see where the Friars played games, the coaches would make excuses to avoid a building that was either tired and old or under construction. Over last summer and into this fall, Davis and his coaches have done just the opposite. “It looks new. It’s a good recruiting tool for us,” Davis said.

Another surprising change at the Dunk is access. PC rarely practiced in the arena due to a busy schedule of concerts, skating shows and the Providence Bruins. That lineup will certainly continue, if not increase, but this week the Friars did get to practice downtown. For five days in a row.

“We’ve never practiced three days in a row here, forget about a week,” said Efejuku.

Xavier said the darker background in the building won’t have an effect on shooters but practicing at the Dunk can only help the team come together quicker. “All I know is if we played games at Alumni [Hall, on campus], that would be a huge advantage. Down here, we don’t know the rims as much. But we’re learning.”

Davis said he expects all 11 of his scholarship players to see time, including guard Sharaud Curry who is back after spending a season on the sidelines due to a stress fracture in his foot. Ottawa owns a 7-4 record. The Gee Gees opened their season with three losses against college foes Northeastern (79-57), South Alabama (72-70) and Kansas (95-60).Tonight

Providence

vs. Ottawa

7 p.m.

kmcnamar@projo.com