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
Wednesday, March 13
New York, N.Y.
7:00 p.m.
Providence College
80
vs
57
Butler
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Men's Basketball Defeats Butler In BIG EAST Tournament First Round, 80-57
3/13/2019 10:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Friars advance to quarterfinals to face top-seeded and 25th-ranked Villanova at Noon on March 14.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The eighth-seeded Providence College men's basketball team defeated Butler, 80-57, in the BIG EAST Tournament First Round on March 13 at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. The Friars improved to 18-14 overall and advance to the quarterfinal round to face top-seeded and 25th-ranked Villanova at Noon on Thursday, March 14.
Playing the Bulldogs for the third time in 16 days, the Friars converted 11 three-point baskets for the second-consecutive game against Butler. This marked the sixth game this season that Providence made double digit three-point field goals. Providence shot 55.8 percent (29-52) from the field to tie a program record in the BIG EAST Tournament. The last time the Friars shot 55.8 percent came in 1993 against Connecticut.
Providence saw four players reach double figures, led by Maliek White (Richmond, Va.), who scored a career-high 19 points on 8-11 shooting. Alpha Diallo (New York, N.Y.) was close behind, dropping 18 points and grabbing a team-high eight rebounds in front of his hometown crowd. He shot 7-13 from the field, including 2-3 from three-point territory and also dished four assists. Senior Isaiah Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.) shot 3-5 from beyond the arc and 4-4 from the charity stripe to finish with 13 points while picking up five rebounds. Freshman David Duke (Providence, R.I.) played a strong game in his BIG EAST Tournament debut. He recorded 16 points on 6-8 shooting from the field, and a 2-3 performance from beyond the arc.
The Friars' defense limited Butler in the early going, holding Butler to 0-4 from the field and scoreless for the first 3:36 of play. The Bulldogs converted three-straight field goals to enter the first media timeout (15:09) with a 6-2 advantage.
Jackson gave Providence a spark off the bench, knocking down a wing three before hitting two free throws after being fouled on the fast break.
Providence shot 42.9 percent (6-14) from three-point territory in the half and 47.8 percent in the game (11-23). A.J. Reeves (Roxbury, Mass.) knocked down his first of the night with 8:27 remaining in the first half to cut the Butler lead to five, 17-12 (8:27). Reeves' fellow classmate Duke brought MSG to their feet after hitting a triple from the top of the key at the 4:11 mark to hand the Friars' their first lead since their first basket of the game (23-21).
White took over from there on out to close out the half. The team shot 8-8 from the field as White scored the final 11 points for the team. White entered the locker room at the break with a team-high 13 on 3-6 shooting from behind the arc. Diallo chipped in eight points and three rebounds. Providence trailed by as many as 10 in the first half but led 38-27 at the break after the Friars caught fire from three-point territory.
The Friars answered every Butler punch in the early portion of the second half. The Bulldogs knocked down two triples to cut the lead to six before White and Duke converted acrobatic layups. Diallo forced Head Coach Lavalle Jordan to call a timeout after drilling a three to build a 50-37 (15:27) lead and bring his hometown crowd to their feet.
White exceeded his career-high of 17 points during a 15-0 run, with 14:21 remaining in the game. It marked his sixth double-digit game of the season, and the 11thof his career. White playing in his fifth career BIG EAST Tournament game has never eclipsed double figures until tonight. Providence led 58-39 after the run bolstered by White and Diallo. Providence extended the run to 23-4 to build a 66-41 advantage with eight minutes remaining.
Butler failed to bring the game inside 20 points as Duke and Jackson combined for nine points after back-to-back threes by Butler with 4:50 remaining.
Jordan Tucker paced the Bulldogs with 14 points. Aaron Thompson added 12 points, while Nate Fowler pulled down a team-best five rebounds.
-GO FRIARS-
Playing the Bulldogs for the third time in 16 days, the Friars converted 11 three-point baskets for the second-consecutive game against Butler. This marked the sixth game this season that Providence made double digit three-point field goals. Providence shot 55.8 percent (29-52) from the field to tie a program record in the BIG EAST Tournament. The last time the Friars shot 55.8 percent came in 1993 against Connecticut.
Providence saw four players reach double figures, led by Maliek White (Richmond, Va.), who scored a career-high 19 points on 8-11 shooting. Alpha Diallo (New York, N.Y.) was close behind, dropping 18 points and grabbing a team-high eight rebounds in front of his hometown crowd. He shot 7-13 from the field, including 2-3 from three-point territory and also dished four assists. Senior Isaiah Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.) shot 3-5 from beyond the arc and 4-4 from the charity stripe to finish with 13 points while picking up five rebounds. Freshman David Duke (Providence, R.I.) played a strong game in his BIG EAST Tournament debut. He recorded 16 points on 6-8 shooting from the field, and a 2-3 performance from beyond the arc.
The Friars' defense limited Butler in the early going, holding Butler to 0-4 from the field and scoreless for the first 3:36 of play. The Bulldogs converted three-straight field goals to enter the first media timeout (15:09) with a 6-2 advantage.
Jackson gave Providence a spark off the bench, knocking down a wing three before hitting two free throws after being fouled on the fast break.
Providence shot 42.9 percent (6-14) from three-point territory in the half and 47.8 percent in the game (11-23). A.J. Reeves (Roxbury, Mass.) knocked down his first of the night with 8:27 remaining in the first half to cut the Butler lead to five, 17-12 (8:27). Reeves' fellow classmate Duke brought MSG to their feet after hitting a triple from the top of the key at the 4:11 mark to hand the Friars' their first lead since their first basket of the game (23-21).
White took over from there on out to close out the half. The team shot 8-8 from the field as White scored the final 11 points for the team. White entered the locker room at the break with a team-high 13 on 3-6 shooting from behind the arc. Diallo chipped in eight points and three rebounds. Providence trailed by as many as 10 in the first half but led 38-27 at the break after the Friars caught fire from three-point territory.
The Friars answered every Butler punch in the early portion of the second half. The Bulldogs knocked down two triples to cut the lead to six before White and Duke converted acrobatic layups. Diallo forced Head Coach Lavalle Jordan to call a timeout after drilling a three to build a 50-37 (15:27) lead and bring his hometown crowd to their feet.
White exceeded his career-high of 17 points during a 15-0 run, with 14:21 remaining in the game. It marked his sixth double-digit game of the season, and the 11thof his career. White playing in his fifth career BIG EAST Tournament game has never eclipsed double figures until tonight. Providence led 58-39 after the run bolstered by White and Diallo. Providence extended the run to 23-4 to build a 66-41 advantage with eight minutes remaining.
Butler failed to bring the game inside 20 points as Duke and Jackson combined for nine points after back-to-back threes by Butler with 4:50 remaining.
Jordan Tucker paced the Bulldogs with 14 points. Aaron Thompson added 12 points, while Nate Fowler pulled down a team-best five rebounds.
-GO FRIARS-
2018-2019 Men's Basketball Highlight Video
Saturday, April 13
