The up-tempo style of Providence College coach Keno Davis, right, could have sophomore Jamine Peterson and the Friars soaring to new heights in the Big East.

AP / Stew Milne

PROVIDENCE — Things are very different but also very much the same for Providence College guard Brian McKenzie under new coach Keno Davis.

The differences obviously lie in the makeup of the coaching staff at PC this season. Davis and his staff are throwing all sorts of offensive and defensive philosophies at McKenzie and his teammates and are doing it in their own style.

“Everything is different,” said McKenzie. “Defensive policies, offensive concepts, just the team aura. Everyone looks at it differently.”

As the Friars showed during yesterday’s Mal Brown scrimmage at Alumni Hall, they’ve been given free rein to shoot open shots or drive to the basket at a moment’s notice. McKenzie has thrived thus far, combining his ability to shoot with range and flash his athleticism on strong drives to the basket. That’s the same role he filled last season for the Friars.

“I don’t think it’s a surprise to anybody, but Brian McKenzie is playing about as well as anyone,” said Davis. “Really, since the start of school, you can tell he’s really worked on his game in the offseason to try to take it to another level. He’s very versatile. He’s one of our best players driving to the basket and drawing fouls, but also his shot is at an extremely high level. He’s going to be a tough guy not to be on the basketball court.”

McKenzie enjoyed a breakout season as a sophomore, increasing his scoring average from 3.7 to 10.9 points a year ago. He scored 20 or more points four times and shot over 40 percent from behind the 3-point line.

This season Davis is expecting more. McKenzie is among a group of five guards who have looked good thus far, including Jeff Xavier, Weyinmi Efejuku, Marshon Brooks and Sharaud Curry. Davis insists each will see plenty of time.

Curry did not suit up yesterday as he continues to gain strength in the right foot that forced him to miss last season with a stress fracture.

Curry had offseason surgery and has looked good at times this fall but as Davis says, “When he can go, he’ll go. Some days he’s gone a full practice, some days half and some days not at all. We have three weeks before we open for real, so I don’t need him to be overextending himself now.”

Even with Curry at full strength, the Friars will need the other four guards to help with both ball-handling and play-making duties. McKenzie, a strong 6-foot-4 guard from Brooklyn, can fill those roles, too.

“Ideally, he’s more of an off-the-ball guy but with Sharaud Curry being our only point guard, you’ll see him some at the point-guard role,” said Davis. “He can do it. He’s arguably our best one, two and three some days.”

Without Curry yesterday to push the pace and make wise passing choices, the 800 or so Friar fans who attended the scrimmage may not have noticed many new things with Davis’ system. But McKenzie says the players are learning more and more about the new staff’s wishes every day.

“It’s more like a quick fast break, if that’s what you call it, and if it isn’t there, we try to get the ball moving and see what the defense is doing,” said McKenzie. “We want to get up and down the court.”

McKenzie said it didn’t take long to notice a marked difference in how Davis and his staff coach and how Tim Welsh ran his system.

“My mom met [Davis] and sat through a practice over the summer and she said it’s really different,” he said. “He’s been real mellow, cool. He’s more like a teacher and tries to reach you not by criticizing but teaching. It’s different, it really is.”

Like Welsh, Davis is constantly stressing better defense and paying more attention to rebounding. Those weaknesses have hurt the Friars in recent seasons.

One player who should help on that front is senior forward Jonathan Kale. He missed yesterday’s scrimmage with a torn ligament in his left thumb but Davis said he expects Kale back sometime this week.

kmcnamar@projo.com