Women's Hoops Leads Wire-To-Wire In 71-58 Victory Over Xavier

PROVIDENCE, R.I.– The Providence College women's basketball team led wire-to-wire on Jan. 20 to defeat Xavier, 71-58, at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I.  The Friars improved to 12-8 overall and 4-4 in the BIG EAST Conference.  Xavier dropped to 10-8 overall (1-6 BIG EAST). The Friars' four victories through eight games marks the team's best start in league play since 2011-12.  That year, Providence also started the conference slate, 4-4.

Freshman Kaela Webb (Pontiac, Mich.) put the Friars on the board with a three-pointer just 13-seconds into the game and Providence never looked back.  The squad outscored Xavier, 23-14, in the first quarter and held a 46-31 advantage at halftime.  The Friars' 15-point margin at the at the break matched a season-best. Additionally, Providence's 46 points marked a season-high in a half, having previously tallied 45 in the second half vs. La Salle (Dec. 21).

Webb paced the Friars through the first 20 minutes with 12 points on 4-4 shooting from the field, including a 3-3 performance from beyond the arc.

Providence opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 22-point lead (53-31) with 5:31 on the clock. Xavier cut the deficit to 13 (53-40) with 2:40 remaining in the quarter, but that proved to be as close as the Musketeers would get the rest of the way.

Senior Jovana Nogic (Belgrade, Serbia) led four Friars in double figures with 16 points, and she added four rebounds and a game-high four assists.  Webb completed the afternoon with 15 point on 5-8 shooting from the field, including a 4-4 showing from three-point territory.  She also dished three assists and grabbed one steal, and did not commit a turnover in 29 minutes of action.

Freshman Mary Baskerville (Enfield, Conn.) and sophomore Kyra Spiwak (Arlington Heights, Ill.) each posted 11 points and six rebounds to lead PC on the glass.  For Spiwak, her 11 points marked a career high and the first time she has eclipsed double figures as a Friar.

A'Riana Gray recorded a double-double for Xavier on 13 points and 14 rebounds.

The Friars held a 39-28 advantage on the glass for the game.  Providence owns an 8-0 record this season when they out-rebound or post the same number of rebounds as their opponents.

Providence has won four of its last five games in league play and with today's win over Xavier, the Friars have swept a weekend BIG EAST series for the first time since conference realignment.

The Friars return to action on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Creighton.  The game will be played at D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb. and is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 p.m. (ET).

- GO FRIARS! -

Players Mentioned

Mary Baskerville

Jovana Nogic

Kyra Spiwak

Kaela Webb