TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Barring any unforeseen injury, Kadeem Batts will sit and watch his teammates this season.

Batts, a 6-8, 230-pound freshman from Powder Springs, Ga., has been targeted to redshirt this season. The reasons are twofold. First, the PC coaching staff feels he can benefit from maturing and working on his game. Second, and perhaps more important, is his age. Batts is PC’s youngest player at 18 years old.

"Kadeem is going to be a good player for us," said PC coach Keno Davis. "He’s behind some upperclassmen right now and isn’t in our rotation right now so this is best for his future."

Davis chose to redshirt Jamine Peterson and Bilal Dixon last season. Both are now in the Friars’ starting lineup. Batts doesn’t turn 19 until July. In college basketball these days, the normal 18 year old freshman and 21 year old seniors are an oddity. Thanks to prep schools and redshirting, the players’ ages can be all over the map. PC’s Sharaud Curry is the oldest player on the team at 22. Peterson is a 21-year old sophomore. Marshon Brooks will turn 21 in January.

As for the freshmen, Batts is the only 18 year old in the bunch. Vincent Council and Johnny Lacy are both 19, while both Duke Mondy and James Still will turn 19 next month.

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Starting center Bilal Dixon enjoyed one of the best first games of any Friar in PC’s season-opening win over Bryant last week.

Dixon scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to become the fifth Friar ever to record a double-double in his first collegiate game. The others were Ben Perkins, Bruce Campbell, Marvin Barnes and John Thompson. Barnes went for 23 points and 18 rebounds against Brown, while Thompson scored 23 points and grabbed 16 boards versus Mount St. Mary’s.

Greedy’s Peterson’s 22 rebound game against Mercer was one of the best board games by a Friar. Peterson grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, the third-most in PC history.

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The Friars’ schedule for 2010-11 is not complete but most of the major games are accounted for. Alabama will be coming back to Providence for a game next season. PC will also host Rhode Island and Northeastern and travel to Boston College. PC and BC are beginning a 10-year contract.

PC is also headed to Cancun for two games in a tournament just before Thanksgiving. The other teams in the event are not set yet.

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Providence and Purdue are the only major conference opponents on Alabama’s home non-league schedule but Tide fans weren’t exactly excited about the game. The reason? Football, of course. Tuscaloosa is one of college football’s ultimate destinations and fans here care about the pigskin year round. With the team unbeaten and dreaming of another national title, the entire town is in heaven.

There was limited parking near Coleman Coliseum for the basketball fans. The parking lots are taken over by RV’s of rabid football fans who are camping out in advance of Saturday’s game against Tennessee-Chattanooga. The announced attendance of 10,032 was clearly tickets sold. There were about 7,000 people in the stands.

kmcnamar@projo.com