Hopkins & Oduro Shine In PC’s Win Over Lehigh Friday
Providence College Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College men’s basketball team defeated the Lehigh University (1-5), 78-64, in a non-conference match-up at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday, November 24 in Providence, R.I. Junior Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) scored 25 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and added three assists. This marked Hopkin’s 13th career double-double. Josh Oduro (Gainesville, Va.) finished with a season-high 29 points, seven rebounds, and one assist. The Friars improved to 5-1 overall record on the season.
“The crowd was great tonight, I thought the fans were awesome,” Head Coach Kim English said. “It was a win for us against a team that we have a ton of respect for that will be a tough out this season.”
FIRST HALF:
• Graduate Student Josh Oduro (Gainesville, Pa.) sunk a hook-shot jumper to open the scoring for the match. In the following play, Jalin Sinclair countered with a jump-shot in the paint to put the Mountain Hawks on the board, 2-2.
• The game sat at 8-8 entering the first media timeout (15:36 mark).
• At the 12-minute media timeout, the Friars held a tight, one-point advantage over the Mountain Hawks, 14-13.
•The two teams played an even game during the first part of the first half. Over the first 7:59 minutes, there were two lead changes, and four game-ties.
• With 11:18 left to play, the Friars went on a 6-0 scoring run to extend their lead to five, the largest yet of the game. Friars led, 20-13, at the 9:18 mark.
• Oduro entered double-digit scoring following a textbook layup (10:45 mark). Oduro led the Friar offense with 10 points.
• With 8:42 on the clock, Bryce Hopkins scored an empathetic dunk. Oduro followed with a layup to force a Lehigh timeout. Friars led, 24-15.
• Hopkins made a layup in traffic to give Providence a nine-point advantage entering the final media timeout. Friars led, 38-27.
• Two Providence players entered double-digit scoring in the first half. Oduro closed out the first half with 14 points, Hopkins with 12. Providence led, 41-29, at halftime.
•Providence shot 16-29 (55.2 %) from the field, 2-6 (33.3 %) from three and 4-7 (57.1 %) from the free throw line.
•Lehigh shot 12-28 (42.9%) from the field, 3-8 (37.5%) from three and 0-0 (0%) from the free throw line. Keith Higgins, Jr., led Lehigh with 14 points in the first half.
SECOND HALF:
• Hopkins flushed a layup to start the scoring for the second half.
• Hopkins continued his scoring-streak by scoring all eight points for Providence in the first 2:09 minutes of the second half. At the first media timeout (15:59 mark), Friars led, 50-39.
• With 14:54 on the clock, Hopkins secured his 10th rebound of the night to clinch a double-double game, his third of the season and 13th of his career. Hopkins led the Friar offense with 21 points.
• Lehigh went on a 4-0 scoring run before the second media timeout. At the 10:28 minute mark, Providence led, 58-48.
• With about five left to play, Lehigh scored seven uncontested shots over a 1:12 minute span. At the 3:34 mark, Oduro flushed two free-throws to snap the 2:26 scoring drought for the Friars.
• With 9:54 left to play, Rich Barron (Chicago, Ill.) drained a three-pointer to give the Friars a 15-point lead. Oduro followed with a dunk to force a Lehigh timeout. Friars led, 65-48.
• Hopkins and Bryce powered the Friar offense with 25 points and 29 points, respectively.
NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS:
•Providence finished 32-62 (51.6%) from the field, 5-15 (33.3%) from three and 9-13 (69.3%) from the free throw line.
•Lehigh finished 27-60 (45.0%) from the field, 6-17 (35.3%) from three and 4-6 (66.7%) from the free throw line.
•Three players finished in double figures for the Friars: Josh Oduro (29), Bryce Hopkins (25), and Devin Carter (10).
• With 25 points and 14 rebounds, Bryce Hopkins registered his third double-double of the season, and 13th of his career.
• Josh Oduro scored a season-high 29 points.
• Lehigh’s Keith Higgins, Jr., led the Mountain Hawk offense with 16 points.
• This marked the first meeting ever between the two teams and the first time since 2018 that the Friars have faced a Patriot League rival. The Friars have posted a 57-34 mark all-time versus teams from the Patriot League.
WHAT’S NEXT:
•The Friars will play Wagner College in a non-conference match on Tuesday, Nov.28 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. on FS1.
