Providence College Athletics

Saturday, January 10
Cincinnati, Ohio
4:00 p.m.

Providence College

8-8,1-4Big East

84
at
97

Xavier

10-7,2-4Big East

1
2
F
Providence
35
49
84
Xavier
44
53
97
Stefan Vaaks runs up the court at Madison Square Garden at St. John's.

Men’s Basketball Defeated At Xavier, 97-84

1/10/2026 6:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Stefan Vaaks led the Friars with 21 points.

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!-   

Next Event

Villanova

Jan 13 (Tue)

6:30 p.m.
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Team Stats

PROV
XU
FG%
.449
.493
3FG%
.250
.400
FT%
.667
.733
RB
41
38
TO
9
4
STL
1
4

Game Leaders

Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2

Players Mentioned

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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball