Providence Hits Big Shots Late to Beat Butler in Overtime

The Providence College men’s basketball team defeated the Butler Bulldogs, 85-75, in overtime on Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. With the win, the Friars improved to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST. Junior Devin Carter (Miami, Fla.) led the way for the Friars with 24 points, scoring 10 points in overtime while outscoring the Bulldogs in overtime. Graduate student Josh Oduro (Gainesville, Va.) and junior Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) finished with double-doubles, scoring 19 and 12 points and grabbing 14 and 13 rebounds, respectively.

“That was a heck of a college basketball game,” Head Coach Kim English said. “The team really fought and I’m really proud of our guys. Butler came with a world of adversity, and they played through it, but our guys just kept on finding a way to compete.”

FIRST HALF:

•The Friars opened the game with back-to-back three-pointers by Ticket Gaines (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Jayden Pierre (Elizabeth, N.J.).

•Butler missed their first 13 shots from the field.

•The Friars jumped out to an early 15-0 lead. Gaines and Hopkins commanded the team’s hot start, scoring 12 of the 15 points.

•After a scoreless opening stretch, Butler made five of their next six shots to cut the deficit to eight before the 11:44 media timeout. PC led 20-12.

•Beginning at the 7:37 mark, the Friars connected from three-point range on three consecutive possessions. Gaines buried the first two, and Pierre capped off the run with his second triple of the game.

•Butler went on a 14-4 run to close the half, spearheaded by Pierre Brooks. During the run, the Bulldogs held the Friars scoreless for nearly five minutes.

•The Friars’ lead dwindled to four by halftime, 37-33.

•Providence shot 14-31 (45.2%) from the field, 7-19 (36.8%) from three and 2-4 (50.0%) from the free throw line.

•Butler shot 13-35 (37.1%) from the field, 4-8 (50.0%) from three and 3-8 (37.5%) from the free throw line.

SECOND HALF:

•Carter nailed a deep three-pointer to open the second half for the Friars.

•At the 15:11 mark, the Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run to gain their first lead of the game, 43-42.

•With 10:27 remaining in regulation, Garwey Dual (Houston, Texas) finished through contact and completed a three-point play off an alley-oop feed from Carter. The Friars ended a short scoring drought and regained the lead, 51-49.

•The Friars missed six of their first seven three-point shot attempts in the second half.

•The game was knotted at 53 at the 7:18 media timeout. The lead continued to change hands, with the game staying within one possession for much of the half.

•At the 4:15 mark, Carter knocked down a timely triple to tie the game at 60.

•Two minutes later, Hopkins hauled in an offensive rebound and finished a second-chance basket to tie the game again at 62.

•Butler converted an and-one to take a 67-64 lead with 0:34 left in regulation. Oduro answered on the other end with an inside basket with 0:11 remaining. PC trailed by one.

•After Butler made two free throws, Gaines buried a clutch three-pointer from the left wing and the Friars tied the game again with 0:02 remaining. Gaines had missed his previous five shots from three-point range.

OVERTIME:

•The Friars jumped out to an early four-point overtime lead.

•Carter scored 10 points in the overtime period, outscoring Butler (6 overtime points). He knocked down two timely three-pointers to give the Friars firm control.

•The Friars finished overtime on a 9-2 run to secure the late victory.

NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS:

•Providence finished 30-66 (45.5%) from the field, 12-33 (36.4%) from three and 13-22 (59.1%) from the free throw line.

•Butler finished 29-74 (39.2%) from the field, 6-18 (33.3%) from three and 11-20 (55.0%) from the free throw line.

• Four players finished in double figures for the Friars in Carter (24), Oduro (19), Gaines (17) and Hopkins (12).

•The Friars out-rebounded the Bulldogs by a margin of four, 47-43.

•The Friars had 17 assists, while the Bulldogs finished with six.

•Oduro and Hopkins finished with double-doubles scoring 19 and 13 points and grabbing 14 and 13 rebounds respectively.

•The Friars are 11-0 this season when scoring 71 or more points.

•The Friars have made 10 threes in each of the last three games and are 5-0 this season when hitting 10 or more.

•The Friars are 46-3 in their last 49 games at the AMP and 628-238 all-time.

• Providence leads Butler 19-5 all-time.

•Attendance – 11,602

WHAT’S NEXT:

•The Friars will host Seton Hall University on Wednesday, January 3 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. on FS1.

•Providence leads Seton Hall 57-55 all-time. The Friars went 1-1 against the Pirates last season with a 71-67 win in South Orange, N.J. on Dec. 17, 2022 and falling 82-58 in Providence, R.I. on March 4, 2023.