#2 UConn Rides First Half Run To Win Over Providence In Regular Season Finale

Providence College Press Release

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College men’s basketball team was defeated by the No. 2/2 UConn Huskies (28-3, 18-2 BIG EAST), 74-60, on Senior Night on Saturday, March 9 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. The Friars concluded the regular season with a 19-12 overall record and 10-10 mark in BIG EAST play. Junior Devin Carter (Miami, Fla.) led the way for the Friars, finishing with 24 points and 15 rebounds. It marked Carter’s 12th double-double of the season. Graduate student Josh Oduro added a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Carter finished the BIG EAST season averaging 21.4 points per game in league action and became the eighth Friar all-time and first since Ben Bentil in 2016 to lead the league in scoring.

The Friars honored graduate students Ticket Gaines (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Josh Oduro (Gainesville, Va.) in the pre-game Senior Night ceremony.

FIRST HALF:

• Carter finished through traffic in the paint to put the Friars on the board first. PC scored the first seven points of the game.
• At the 17:10 mark, UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley was issued a technical foul. On the ensuing possession, Carter knocked down his second three-pointer of the game. The Friars held firm control, 13-2.
• Carter scored 12 of the Friars’ first 15 points.
• Midway through the half, the Huskies went on a 7-0 surge. Carter halted the run by blocking a UConn shot and slamming it home in transition. PC led 21-16.
• At the 6:55 mark, the Huskies took their first lead of the game (24-21).
• With just over three minutes until halftime, UConn extended their lead to double-digits. The Friars had missed 10 of their last 11 shot attempts.
• UConn’s Hassan Diarra buried a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer. PC trailed 42-24 heading into the locker room.
• Altogether, the Huskies went on a 40-9 run after Providence’s 15-2 start.
• Providence shot 8-28 (28.6%) from the field, 2-11 (18.2%) from three, and 6-9 (66.7%) from the free-throw line.
• UConn shot 16-34 (47.1%) from the field, 7-17 (41.2%) from three, and 3-4 (75.0%) from the free-throw line.

SECOND HALF:         

• Richard Barron (Chicago, Ill.) connected on two three-pointers for the Friars in the first four minutes of the second half.
• With 12 minutes remaining, UConn held a 23-point advantage, 59-36.
• Donovan Clingan spearheaded the Huskies’ offense as the second half progressed.
• The Friars went on a 12-2 run heading into the last three minutes of action.

NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS:  

• Providence finished 20-57 (35.1%) from the field, 8-27 (29.6%) from three, and 12-16 (75.0%) from the free-throw line.
• UConn finished 29-68 (42.6%) from the field, 11-27 (40.7%) from three, and 5-6 (83.3%) from the free-throw line.
• Carter (24 points, 15 rebounds) and Oduro (13 points, 11 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles in the game.
• All five starters finished in double figures for UConn.
• The Huskies controlled the turnover battle. Providence finished with 15 turnovers and UConn had seven.
• Providence holds a 31-49 mark all-time versus UConn and a 16-18 mark at home.
• Attendance: 12,608

WHAT’S NEXT:     

• Next week, the Friars will travel to New York, N.Y. for the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The Friars earned the No. 7 seed and will take on the No. 10-seed Georgetown Hoyas in the First Round on Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised on FS1.
• The Friars hold a 1-7 record versus Georgetown in the BIG EAST Tournament. In their most recent postseason matchup, the Hoyas earned a 68-67 victory on Mar. 6, 2002. On March 13, 1994, the Friars defeated Georgetown, 74-64, to win the program’s first BIG EAST title.
• The Friars swept the regular season series versus Georgetown this year, earning an 84-76 home victory and 71-58 road win, respectively.
• The Friars are looking to win their third BIG EAST title and first since 2014. On March 15, 2014, Providence defeated Creighton, 65-58, in the title game.