Shorthanded Friars Fall at Butler

The Providence College men’s basketball team was defeated by the Butler Bulldogs (16-8, 7-6 BIG EAST), 75-72, on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The Friars fell to 15-9 overall and 6-7 in BIG EAST play. Corey Floyd, Jr. (Franklin, N.J.) scored a career-high 20 points, tacking on four rebounds and two assists. Devin Carter (Miami, Fla.) aided the team with 18 points, five rebounds and two assists.

“Disappointing ending for our group” Head Coach Kim English said. “It was a game we should’ve won… we have to have a short memory. Proud of our group. We will have to regroup as we have a great opponent on Tuesday.”
FIRST HALF:

•With graduate Josh Oduro (Gainesville, Va.) unavailable to play, redshirt-sophomore Rafael Castro (Dover, N.J.) started his first career game for the Friars.

•Providence started the first half in a four-point deficit, missing all seven shots. Carter landed the Friars on the scoreboard with a driving layup. At the first media timeout (15:40 mark), the Friars trailed, 4-2.
•After the timeout, Carter flushed three free-throws. Butler answered with six points over a 1:26 minute span. Bulldogs led, 10-5.

•The bulldogs tacked on another seven points. At the under-12 timeout (11:41 mark), the Friars trailed 17-8.

• Floyd, Jr. knocked down back-to-back field goals. Devin Carter followed with a three on a fast break. The Friars closed the gap to two, trailing 17-15.

•Both teams endured a three-minute scoring drought entering the under-8 timeout. Friars trailed 22-17 with 7:17 remaining on the clock.

•The Bulldogs found a 7-0 surge over the last two minutes of the first half. Entering the locker room, Providence trailed 34-25.

•Providence shot 9-32 (28.1%) from the field, 2-13 (15.4%) from three, and 5-7 (71.4%) from the free-throw line.
•Butler shot 13-29 (44.8%) from the field, 5-12 (41.7%) from three, and 3-5 (60.0%) from the free-throw line.

SECOND HALF:
•Castro sank an emphatic dunk to open the second half scoring. At the first media timeout (15:11 mark), Butler led 47-38.

•Providence improved its shooting in the second half, shooting 9-13 in field goals and 5-5 from three. By the under-12 timeout (11:26 mark), the Friars were within three, 53-50.

•The Friars continued strong offensively with an 8-0 scoring run. With 10:41 on the clock, Floyd, Jr. drained a three from the corner to tie the score at 53.

•At the 9:01 mark, Ticket Gaines (Buffalo, N.Y) flushed a three to give Providence its first lead of the game, 58-55.

•Jayden Pierre (Elizabeth, N.J.) scored off a three from the top of the key to give the Friars their largest lead of the game, 71-64.

•The Friars endured a 2:47 minute scoring drought. With 1:29 remaining, Butler narrowed the game’s margin to three points, 72-68.

•Butler’s Jahmyl Telfort landed a second-chance turnaround jumper to close the gap to one. Pierre Brooks followed with another field goal to give the Bulldogs the lead with 0:19 left to play.

•The Friars were unable to find the answer. At the final whistle, Butler finished on top, 75-72.

NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS:
•Providence finished 26-52 (41.9%) from the field, 10-26 (38.5%) from three and 10-16 (62.5%) from the free throw line.
•Butler finished 28-54 (51.9%) from the field, 7-19 (36.8%) from three and 12-16 (75.0%) from the free throw line.

•Floyd, Jr., finished with a career-high 20 points. His previous career high was 12 against Butler on Jan. 25, 2023.

•Two Friars finished in double figures: Floyd, Jr. (20) and Carter (18)

•DJ Davis led the way for Butler with 20 points (6-9 FG, 4-7 3P, 4-4 FT).

•The Friars are 14-2 when scoring 71 or more points.
•Providence has a 10-1 record when scoring 10 or more threes.
•Providence outscored Butler 27-13 in points off the bench and 16-5 in fast-break points.

• The Friars were outrebounded by a margin of 40-28.

WHAT’S NEXT:
•The Friars will host St. John’s University (14-9, 6-6 BIG EAST) on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at the Amica Mutal Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

•The Red Storm hold a 66-57 all-time series advantage over the Friars. PC has posted a 30-24 mark at home. In the first meeting this season, the Friars fell 75-73 to SJU on Jan.10 at the MSG Garden.