Columbus, Ohio — Any adversity Kris Dunn encounters in his NCAA tournament debut tonight, he's ready to handle.

A bad turnover or ill-advised shot won't rattle him.

Nothing will be tougher than what Dunn's dealt with since arriving at Providence College.

He's fought back from two shoulder injuries that threatened his basketball career and robbed him of all but 29 games in first two seasons. He's endured long stretches of painful and sometimes tedious rehabilitation and the temporary loss of the sport that he loves.

But the biggest blow came on the heels of a second shoulder surgery in December of 2013.

He learned that his biological mother, who lived in Virginia, had passed away. The news hit him like a sledgehammer to the mid-section.

"It was all at the same time," said Audra, Dunn's stepmother, earlier this week. "His mother passed away a couple of days after he realized he couldn't play anymore. He was definitely upset and depressed for awhile."

The healing process began when Dunn, the most decorated best player in New London High School basketball program history, headed home to spend winter break with his family in Montville.

He needed to get away.

"I was devastated," Dunn said Thursday. "For anybody to go through something like that, it's just crazy. … Without my family, none of this would have happened right now. My support system is just amazing. Just to be in the place and the moment that I'm in right now is just special."

Dunn's enjoying a breakout year, leading sixth-seeded Providence College into its NCAA tournament opener tonight against No. 11 Dayton at Nationwide Arena. The tip is scheduled for 9:57 on TruTV.

With help from his teammates and coaching staff, Dunn emerged from those dark days.

"I think it had to be incredibly tough," coach Ed Cooley said. "He really didn't show it outwardly, but inwardly he had his own emotions. Part of what makes Kris very unique is his self-discipline and his mental toughness.

"It's a tribute to him, it's a tribute to (his father) John (Seldon) and Audra and his family keeping him grounded and focused. God bless Kris for having mental toughness. … Kris is a strong kid."

Dunn's mental toughness will come in handy tonight.

Providence faces a Dayton team that already has an NCAA tournament win under its belt, beating Boise State 56-55 on Wednesday in Dayton. The rabid Flyer fans are expected to make the 70-mile drive from campus to pack Nationwide Arena.

As a rising star and co-Big East Player of the Year, pressure will be on Dunn to play well.

Expectations are at an all-time high for the sophomore point guard. He's elevated his game to the point that he's projected to be an NBA first round draft pick, if he decides to leave school early.

On Thursday, Dayton's Archie Miller joined the long list opposing coaches to rave about Dunn. He compared Dunn to former UConn star Kemba Walker.

"He's about as impressive of a point guard as I've seen in a long, long time," Miller said. "The last guy I think I've seen on film that startles you at that position was Kemba Walker, when we were getting ready to deal with him. He's so dominating on both ends of the floor. … He's really a special player."

Walker worked his March Madness magic, carrying the Huskies to the 2011 national championship.

It's hard to say how Dunn, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Wednesday, will react to playing on the NCAA stage for the first time. The spotlight has wilted even the toughest competitors.

At last week's Big East tournament, Dunn played two of the best games of his career, averaging 19.5 points, 10 assists and 5.5 rebounds against St. John's and fourth-ranked Villanova at Madison Square Garden.

Those who know the talented Friar point guard believe he'll shine in the NCAA tournament.

He's been through too much to stumble now.

"If you look at all the stuff that he went through, just within the last two years, for him to do even half the stuff that he's doing is amazing," undergraduate assistant coach God Shammgod said. "Most kids would have folded."

Dunn's fan club will be in attendance tonight. His entire family — parents, John and Audra, siblings John Dunn, Rashad Pauley, Ashley and Ariana Seldon — made the trip.

No one knows Dunn's journey more than they do.

"It's great that Kris finally got a chance to play," said John Seldon. "Everything worked out great for him."

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe

BEST OF DUNN

John Rooke, the radio voice of Providence College basketball for 26 years picks his top three Kris Dunn career performances:

1. Jan. 29, 2015 - Dunn becomes the first Friar to record a triple-double in Big East play and ninth overall, posting career highs for points (27) and rebounds (13) to go along with 11 assists in an 83-72 win at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

Rooke's take: "Nobody was surprised. … We've had triple doubles before where you've had points, assists and steals - Eric Murdock and John Linehan did that - but not with rebounds included."

2. March 13, 2015 - Dunn almost singlehandedly fuels a late comeback against fourth-ranked Villanova in the Big East tournament semifinals at Madison Square Garden. He scores the game-tying basket with 12 seconds left, but the Friars fall 63-61.

Rooke's take: "He was going head-to-head with (Villanova's) Ryan Arcidiacono, the guy that he shared player of the year with, and he had the advantage. It was really a mismatch. … The entire league knew that Kris was the best player in the Big East."

3. Dec. 18, 2012 - After missing the first nine games with a shoulder injury, Dunn dazzles the home crowd in his highly-anticipated collegiate debut. He has 13 assists, setting the program's single-game freshman assist record in a debut, and also chips in seven points and six rebounds in a 79-45 rout of Colgate.

Rooke's take: "That made an impression on me. … Wow. We were thinking this is his first time out."