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
Saturday, January 5
Providence, R.I.
2:00 P.M.
Providence College
10-5, 0-2
59
vs
65
Villanova
11-4, 2-0
1
2
F
Villanova
43
22
65
Providence
25
34
59
Photo by: Ryan Feeney
Comeback Ends Short As Men’s Basketball Falls To Villanova, 65-59
1/5/2019 5:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College men's basketball team fell to Villanova University, 64-59 on Jan. 5 in the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The Friars made a desperate push late in the game with a 19-5 run in the final 7:54. However, it was not enough to overcome being outscored 43-25 in the first half.
Makai-Ashton Langford (Worcester, Mass.) scored a career-high 20 points including four treys for the Friars. His previous highs were 12 points and two threes respectively. Ashton-Langford shot a perfect 4-4 from three-point territory and hit clutch shots down the stretch.
Villanova built an early 12-2 cushion heading into the first media timeout at the 14:41 mark. The Wildcats first 12 points were all scored from three-point baskets. Phil Booth opened the game 3-3 from deep while Eric Paschall connected on a contested three at the end of the shot clock.
The Friars shot 0-3 from the field during Villanova's 9-0 run, David Duke (Providence, R.I.) stopped the run with a layup in transition with 16:20 left in the half.
Head Coach Jay Wright stifled the Friar offense in the first half by employing multiple defensive schemes. The Friars shot just 8-27 in the half and 1-11 from the three-point distance.
Head Coach Ed Cooley attempted a three-quarter court press and one-three-one defense after their man-to-man proved not to be enough, but Villanova's shooting prevailed. The Wildcats finished 15-26 from the floor in the half and 6-13 from three-point range.
Isaiah Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.) attempted to lead a comeback with 6:19 left in the half, he finished a layup in the paint that he was fouled on before stealing a pass the next possession. The Friars finished on the other end with a Nate Watson tip-in that brought the deficit to 31-17. Jackson finished with 11 points and six rebounds.
In his first start of the season, Watson finished with six points and eight rebounds including a strong alley-oop during their 19-5 run to close the game.
Ashton Langford led the Friars in the half with eight points, he knocked down a buzzer beater three in the corner to cut the lead to 43-25 heading into the half.
Providence shot 13-25 from the free-throw line compared to Villanova's 12-15 from the charity stripe.
Jackson and Ashton-Langford led the Friars in a 5-0 run to open the half to bring the game within 13. The Wildcats answered with an 8-0 run of their own to increase their lead to 49-30 with 14:40 left to play.
The Dunkin' Donuts Center got to their feet with 6:00 left which contributed to a Providence 15-0 run. The Friars continued to cut the lead to ten, 60-50, with 3:12 left to play. Jackson converted a layup before Diallo hit a jumper from the elbow, Watson and Ashton-Langford both made layups before the team hit two free throws.
During the Friars run they held Villanova scoreless for a seven-minute span.
Ashton-Langford brought the game within single digits for the first time since the opening minutes after he knocked down his third three of the afternoon. The trey forced Head Coach Jay Wright to call a timeout with 2:43 left in the game. Out of the timeout Ashton-Langford then found Diallo on a backdoor cut to decrease the lead to four, 60-56.
Providence failed to bring the game closer than four points down the stretch.
Phil Booth paced the Wildcats with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Up next, Providence will travel to Washington, D.C. to take on the Georgetown Hoyas on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 12:00 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on FS1.
-GO FRIARS-
Makai-Ashton Langford (Worcester, Mass.) scored a career-high 20 points including four treys for the Friars. His previous highs were 12 points and two threes respectively. Ashton-Langford shot a perfect 4-4 from three-point territory and hit clutch shots down the stretch.
Villanova built an early 12-2 cushion heading into the first media timeout at the 14:41 mark. The Wildcats first 12 points were all scored from three-point baskets. Phil Booth opened the game 3-3 from deep while Eric Paschall connected on a contested three at the end of the shot clock.
The Friars shot 0-3 from the field during Villanova's 9-0 run, David Duke (Providence, R.I.) stopped the run with a layup in transition with 16:20 left in the half.
Head Coach Jay Wright stifled the Friar offense in the first half by employing multiple defensive schemes. The Friars shot just 8-27 in the half and 1-11 from the three-point distance.
Head Coach Ed Cooley attempted a three-quarter court press and one-three-one defense after their man-to-man proved not to be enough, but Villanova's shooting prevailed. The Wildcats finished 15-26 from the floor in the half and 6-13 from three-point range.
Isaiah Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.) attempted to lead a comeback with 6:19 left in the half, he finished a layup in the paint that he was fouled on before stealing a pass the next possession. The Friars finished on the other end with a Nate Watson tip-in that brought the deficit to 31-17. Jackson finished with 11 points and six rebounds.
In his first start of the season, Watson finished with six points and eight rebounds including a strong alley-oop during their 19-5 run to close the game.
Ashton Langford led the Friars in the half with eight points, he knocked down a buzzer beater three in the corner to cut the lead to 43-25 heading into the half.
Providence shot 13-25 from the free-throw line compared to Villanova's 12-15 from the charity stripe.
Jackson and Ashton-Langford led the Friars in a 5-0 run to open the half to bring the game within 13. The Wildcats answered with an 8-0 run of their own to increase their lead to 49-30 with 14:40 left to play.
The Dunkin' Donuts Center got to their feet with 6:00 left which contributed to a Providence 15-0 run. The Friars continued to cut the lead to ten, 60-50, with 3:12 left to play. Jackson converted a layup before Diallo hit a jumper from the elbow, Watson and Ashton-Langford both made layups before the team hit two free throws.
During the Friars run they held Villanova scoreless for a seven-minute span.
Ashton-Langford brought the game within single digits for the first time since the opening minutes after he knocked down his third three of the afternoon. The trey forced Head Coach Jay Wright to call a timeout with 2:43 left in the game. Out of the timeout Ashton-Langford then found Diallo on a backdoor cut to decrease the lead to four, 60-56.
Providence failed to bring the game closer than four points down the stretch.
Phil Booth paced the Wildcats with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Up next, Providence will travel to Washington, D.C. to take on the Georgetown Hoyas on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 12:00 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on FS1.
-GO FRIARS-
Team Stats
VU
PC
FG%
.451
.345
3FG%
.318
.240
FT%
.800
.520
RB
36
41
TO
16
12
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
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