Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball at Pitt (Exhibition) on October 19, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
Men's Basketball
at Pitt (Exhibition)
2:00 p.m.
Providence College Athletics
Tuesday, November 10
Providence, RI (CoSIDA Classic vs TCU)
6:30 PM
Providence College
77
vs
79
TCU
Men's Basketball Falls to Texas Christian
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 10, 1998
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Texas Christian coach Billy Tubbs is leaving the nation's smallest state to return home to one of the biggest with a 1-1 record and a sigh of relief.
One night after losing their season opener to No. 23 Rhode Island on a shot with 5.4 seconds left, the 25th-ranked Horned Frogs survived a Providence possession in the final 10 seconds for a 79-77 victory Tuesday night in the two-day inaugural CoSIDA Classic.
"We would have liked to have done better but we played two very good ballclubs," Tubbs said.
Faced with dropping to 0-2 after going 27-6 last season, TCU held on when Jamel Thomas missed a 10-footer in the lane with 4.6 seconds left.
"We battled a Top 25 team toe-to-toe for 39 minutes, 56 seconds," Providence coach Tim Welsh said. "If we compete and play at this level every night, we're going to be a good team."
The more physical Horned Frogs were led by Lee Nailon with 30 points and 10 rebounds and Ryan Carroll with 17 points.
On Monday night, Lamar Odom's basket gave Rhode Island an 87-85 victory. On Tuesday night, Providence (0-2) had a chance to tie the game at 79, but Thomas' shot came up short while teammate Sean Connolly, who had 15 points, was open in the corner.
"I considered (passing to him), but I had a 5-foot shot and I thought I could make it," said Thomas, who finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds but missed three shots in the final 1:13.
"He's an outstanding player and we did a good job of getting a hand in his face," Tubbs said.
TCU never had played Providence or Rhode Island and may not be eager to return any time soon.
"I liked Providence's quickness," Tubbs said. "They played our (pressing) game better than we did."
Nailon, the nation's leading returning scorer who was named Monday a preseason All-America by The Associated Press, started slowly but had 16 points at halftime.
"I had some good shots (Monday night), but they weren't falling," he said. "Tonight, I kept shooting and, finally, they started falling for me."
He made 11-of-21 shots one night after going 6-for-13 with 16 points.
One free throw each by Prince Fowler and Nailon gave TCU a 77-75 lead. Thomas and Fowler then missed shots, and Kendrick Moore tied the game with two free throws with 44 seconds left.
Scott Gradney got the final basket on an 8-foot leaner with 28 seconds to go. Providence held the ball the rest of the game but couldn't catch up.
After Thomas missed with 14 seconds remaining, Providence's Jamaal Camah knocked the ball out of bounds off Derale Wilson. Then came Thomas' final shot, a floater that ended up in the hands of Fowler who dribbled to the other end of the court as time ran out.
For the second straight night, Providence went out to a big early lead.
On Monday, the Friars led 17-2 before losing to Vanderbilt 72-66. On Tuesday, they led 21-9 when the Horned Frogs called timeout. Nailon's 6-foot turnaround began a 15-2 surge that gave TCU its first lead 24-23. He also ended it with two free throws.
After he converted an offensive rebound to give TCU a 41-40 lead, Providence got the next three points to go ahead 43-41 at halftime.
2018-2019 Men's Basketball Highlight Video
Saturday, April 13
