CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Providence College men's basketball team was defeated by the Xavier University Musketeers (10-7, 2-4 BIG EAST), 97-84, on Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. With the loss, Providence falls to 8-8 overall and 1-4 in BIG EAST play. Freshman
Stefan Vaaks (Tabasalu, Estonia) led the Friars, with a career-high 21 points. Senior
Jason Edwards (Atlanta, Ga.) added 16 points for Providence.
FIRST HALF:
• Providence won the tip and
Jaylin Sellers (Columbus, Ga.) converted on the first field goal attempt of the game to give the Friars a 2-0 lead (19:31).
• After a 7-0 Xavier run,
Corey Floyd Jr. (Franklin, N.J.) drove and found
Jason Edwards (Atlanta, Ga.) for a corner three-pointer (17:26).
• Sellers came off a screen and knocked down a mid-range jumper to make it 11-7, Xavier (16:31).
•
Stefan Vaaks (Tabasalu, Estonia) got out in transition and earned a trip to the free-throw line, converting on both attempts to make it 17-9, Xavier (12:12).
• On the next possession, Floyd Jr. found Vaaks for a three-pointer and made it 17-12 (11:47).
• Edwards found
Duncan Powell (Dallas, Texas) out of a pick-and-pop action for a top of the key three-pointer and cut the lead to 22-15, Xavier (9:36).
• After two Edwards free throws, the Friars got out in transition and converted on a three-point attempt from Vaaks off of a leave pass from Edwards and made it 24-20, Xavier (8:36).
• Powell got the defense off its feet with a pump fake before driving to the basket and converting a contested layup (7:44).
•
Oswin Erhunmwunse (Benin City, Nigeria) grabbed an offensive rebound and was able to finish at the rim for his first points of the night. Xavier led 28-24(6:34).
• Erhunmwunse found Edwards on a give-and-go as Providence trailed 30-26 (5:46).
•
Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) connected on a floater on a driving effort with under three minutes remaining in the half. On the next possession, Edwards converted on a jumper as Xavier held a 36-30 advantage.
• Vaaks drove to the hoop following a Xavier basket as the Musketeers led by 10. Floyd Jr. cut to the hoop and was found by Vaaks for a dunk to pull Providence within 10, 44-34 (0:55).
• Xavier led at the half 44-35.
• Providence shot 13-35 (37.1%) from the field, 4-18 (22.2%) from three, and 5-7 (71.4%) from the free-throw line.
• Xavier shot 15-37 (40.5%) from the field, 6-16 (35.3%) from three, and 8-10 (80.0%) from the free-throw line.
• Vaaks led the Friars with 10 points on 3-6 shooting
• Edwards chipped in with nine points.
• Malik Messina-Moore led Xavier with 14 points
• Seven different Friars registered points in the first half.
SECOND HALF:
• As the Musketeers found an early rhythm to open the second half, they went on an 8-3 run that extended their lead to 52-38 before a Providence timeout (18:32).
• Xavier continued to hold the momentum, making back-to-back threes. Mela responded with four straight points for the Friars. Xavier led 64-50 at the under-16 media timeout (13:56).
• Out of the timeout, Xavier scored on a fast break layup as the Musketeers took an 18-point lead at 68-50 (12:41).
•
Cole Hargrove (Norristown, Pa.) responded as he scored four straight points for the Friars, leading into the under-12 media timeout. Providence trailed 70-54 (11:22).
• The game pace picked up as Sellers slammed a transition dunk. Xavier went back down the floor with a transition layup of their own and took a game-high 19-point lead (79-60) with eight minutes remaining.
• Vaaks looked to give the Friars a spark as he scored four straight points. As the teams traded buckets, Xavier sank a three and pushed its lead to 21 (5:06).
• With one minute remaining, Edwards made his second three-pointer of the game. Providence trailed by 14-points as the Musketeers held a 95-81 lead (1:01).
• Xavier held a 97-84 advantage after 40 minutes of action.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Providence shot 31-66 (44.9%) from the field, 8-32 (25.0%) from three, and 14-21 (66.7%) from the free-throw line.
• Xavier shot 37-75 (49.3%) from the field, 12-30 (40.0%) from three, and 11-15 (73.3%) from the free-throw line.
• The Friars finished with four players in double figures: Vaaks (21), Edwards (16), Powell (12) and Sellers (12).
• Vaaks registered a career high of 21 points.
• Malik Messina-Moore led all scorers with 23 points for Xavier. Jovan Milicevic added 22 points for the Musketeers.
• Providence held the advantage in bench points, 35-18.
• Xavier held an advantage in past break points, 30-16.
• Providence holds a 12-17 mark all-time versus Xavier.
• The Friars have posted a 3-12 record versus the Musketeers at Xavier.
UP NEXT:
The Friars will return to action when they host Villanova University on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The game will be televised on FS1.
-GO FRIARS!-