Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Late Night Madness on October 4, 2025 at TBA
Men's Basketball
vs Late Night Madness
TBA
Providence College Athletics
Saturday, November 17
Uncasville, Conn.
2:30 P.M.
Providence College
3-1
76
vs
67
South Carolina
2-2
1
2
F
South Carolina
35
32
67
Providence
27
49
76
Men’s Basketball Surges Past South Carolina, 76-67
11/17/2018 5:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College men's basketball team began the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. with a 76-65 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, November 17. The Friars used 49 points in the second half to overcome an eight-point halftime deficit and earn the win. The Friars improve to 6-3 all-time against South Carolina. With the victory, the Friars advance to the Championship game of the Hall of Fame Tip Off, which will be played on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. For the Friars it marks the sixth consecutive season that the team has advanced to the championship game of their in-season tournament. That includes the 2014 Hall of Fame Tip Off which the Friars won by defeating Florida State and Notre Dame.
Freshman David Duke (Providence, R.I.) led the offense with a career-high 20 points. He added three rebounds and two assists in the win.
Providence and South Carolina opened the game in zone defensive schemes, limiting opportunities for both teams to start. Jimmy Nichols, Jr. (Conway, S.C.) was called for his first start this season, in the first couple minutes he grabbed two rebounds and added a block on a fast break chance for the Gamecocks. The South Carolina native ended with four
points and four rebounds, including a key put back dunk to energize the crowd with 9:43 left in the game to put PC up 50-49.
The Friars held a 11-9 lead at the second media timeout (11:52), they looked to attack inside early. Duke finished a strong take to the rim followed by a backdoor cut by Alpha Diallo the following possession for a two-handed flush.
Providence reached the bonus with 11:08 left in the half, they shot 12-14 from the line in the game while keeping South Carolina to just 2-4 from the charity stripe.
South Carolina used a 19-4 run in the last 6:54 of the first half, giving them a 35-27 lead after back-to-back threes (3:55) from Hassani Gravett to power the offense for the Gamecocks.
Duke led the Friars in the half with 8 points and 2 rebounds, he ended the half knocking down a three from the right corner to head into the locker room.
Frank Martin turned to man-to-man defense in the second half, opening opportunities for offensive boards. Diallo brought down five rebounds in the first five minutes of play while the team earned seven second chance opportunities.
Reeves brought the crowd to their feet after cutting the lead to three, he converted an and-one layup in the lane followed by a step-back three the next possession. Head coach Ed Cooley kept the pressure on with the full court press.
Jackson hit two free throws after being bumped on his fast-break layup opportunity, South Carolina struggled with the press as they turned the ball over at mid-court before Diallo passed to Duke for a left-handed finish to cap off a 10-0 run in 1:23 and give Providence a 44-43.
Nichols, Jr. and Watson enforced their size on the South Carolina big men after Maik Kotsar was taken out of the game earlier in the half due to fouls. Nichols, Jr. finished a put-back dunk down the lane followed by Watson receiving a dish on the post for a left-handed flush. Duke brought the crowd alive giving Providence a 54-49 lead.
Duke started an 11-0 run at the 6:00 minute mark for Providence, he finished a layup with the foul then hit a three at the top of the key. Jackson received a pass from the right corner to make it an 11-point lead for the Friars with 4:00 to play after knocking down the three (65-54).
The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half to hand the Friars a 76-67 win. Providence shot 82.4 percent from free-throw line (28-34). Three players finished in double figures: Duke (20), Reeves (10) and Diallo (17). The Friars won the battle of the boards, holding a 39-38 advantage.
The Friars, who are 2-0 all-time versus Michigan, will take on the nation's No. 18 at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN. The Friars last faced the Wolverines on November 25, 2004 when the Friars earned a 72-63 win at Madison Square Garden.
-GO FRIARS-
Freshman David Duke (Providence, R.I.) led the offense with a career-high 20 points. He added three rebounds and two assists in the win.
Providence and South Carolina opened the game in zone defensive schemes, limiting opportunities for both teams to start. Jimmy Nichols, Jr. (Conway, S.C.) was called for his first start this season, in the first couple minutes he grabbed two rebounds and added a block on a fast break chance for the Gamecocks. The South Carolina native ended with four
points and four rebounds, including a key put back dunk to energize the crowd with 9:43 left in the game to put PC up 50-49.
The Friars held a 11-9 lead at the second media timeout (11:52), they looked to attack inside early. Duke finished a strong take to the rim followed by a backdoor cut by Alpha Diallo the following possession for a two-handed flush.
Providence reached the bonus with 11:08 left in the half, they shot 12-14 from the line in the game while keeping South Carolina to just 2-4 from the charity stripe.
South Carolina used a 19-4 run in the last 6:54 of the first half, giving them a 35-27 lead after back-to-back threes (3:55) from Hassani Gravett to power the offense for the Gamecocks.
Duke led the Friars in the half with 8 points and 2 rebounds, he ended the half knocking down a three from the right corner to head into the locker room.
Frank Martin turned to man-to-man defense in the second half, opening opportunities for offensive boards. Diallo brought down five rebounds in the first five minutes of play while the team earned seven second chance opportunities.
Reeves brought the crowd to their feet after cutting the lead to three, he converted an and-one layup in the lane followed by a step-back three the next possession. Head coach Ed Cooley kept the pressure on with the full court press.
Jackson hit two free throws after being bumped on his fast-break layup opportunity, South Carolina struggled with the press as they turned the ball over at mid-court before Diallo passed to Duke for a left-handed finish to cap off a 10-0 run in 1:23 and give Providence a 44-43.
Nichols, Jr. and Watson enforced their size on the South Carolina big men after Maik Kotsar was taken out of the game earlier in the half due to fouls. Nichols, Jr. finished a put-back dunk down the lane followed by Watson receiving a dish on the post for a left-handed flush. Duke brought the crowd alive giving Providence a 54-49 lead.
Duke started an 11-0 run at the 6:00 minute mark for Providence, he finished a layup with the foul then hit a three at the top of the key. Jackson received a pass from the right corner to make it an 11-point lead for the Friars with 4:00 to play after knocking down the three (65-54).
The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half to hand the Friars a 76-67 win. Providence shot 82.4 percent from free-throw line (28-34). Three players finished in double figures: Duke (20), Reeves (10) and Diallo (17). The Friars won the battle of the boards, holding a 39-38 advantage.
The Friars, who are 2-0 all-time versus Michigan, will take on the nation's No. 18 at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN. The Friars last faced the Wolverines on November 25, 2004 when the Friars earned a 72-63 win at Madison Square Garden.
-GO FRIARS-
Team Stats
SC
PC
FG%
.403
.393
3FG%
.240
.308
FT%
.786
.824
RB
38
39
TO
12
12
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
Guard
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