Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Villanova on January 13, 2026 , Loss , 82, to, 88
Men's Basketball
vs Villanova
Final
82
-
88
Providence College Athletics
Tuesday, January 27
Storrs, Conn.
7:30 p.m.
Providence College
9-12,2-8Big East
81
at
87
Connecticut
20-1,10-0Big East
1
2
F
Providence
37
44
81
UConn
41
46
87
Men’s Basketball Defeated at No. 2/3 UConn, 87-81
1/27/2026 10:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jamier Jones led the Friars with 20 points and seven rebounds.
STORRS, CONN. - The Providence College men's basketball team was defeated by the No. 2/3 University of Connecticut Huskies (20-1, 10-0 BIG EAST), 87-81, on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. With the loss, Providence fell to 9-12 overall and 2-8 in BIG EAST play. Freshman Jamier Jones (Sarasota, Fla.) (20 points), graduate student Jaylin Sellers (Columbus, Ga.) (18 points), sophomore Oswin Erhunmwunse (Benin City, Nigeria) (14 points) and freshman Stefan Vaaks (Tabasalu, Estonia) (12 points) all had double figures for the Friars. Erhunmwunse all grabbed 10 rebounds to register his third double-double of the season.
FIRST HALF:
• The Friars got on the board when Sellers found the cutting Erhunmwunse for a baseline dunk to tie the game at 2 (18:43).
• Stefan Vaaks responded to a quick 4-0 UConn run with a driving and-one layup to make it 6-5 (17:21).
• Sellers drove through the lane again and was able to convert on a contested layup and Vaaks was able to come off a screen and knock down a mid-range jumper, allowing Providence to take its first lead of the game going into the first media timeout, 9-8 (15:51).
• Out of the timeout, Erhunmwunse was able to grab an offensive rebound and dunk the ball to extend the Friar lead to three. On the following possession, Sellers knocked down a pair of free throws to make it 13-8 (15:10).
• Erhunmwunse found another Providence miss and was able to slam it back home for his third dunk of the night to tie the game at 17 (12:54).
• Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) recorded a steal and was able to take it the distance himself for his first points of the night to make it 23-19, UConn (11:01).
• A driving Jones found Peteris Pinnis (Salaspils, Latvia) for a lay up to cut the deficit back to single digits. Jones followed that possession with a pair of free throws to make it 29-23 (8:19).
• Jones grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast, finishing with a spin move. On the following possession, Jones stepped into a three to pull the Friars within one (7:01).
• Sellers was able to get to the rim off the dribble and convert on another heavily contested layup to make it 31-30, UConn (6:21).
• After the UConn lead grew back to seven, Vaaks was able to connect on a mid-range jump shot to make it 40-35, UConn (3:07).
• Vaaks found the rolling Pinnis for his second bucket of the night and pulled the Friars within three points with under two minutes remaining (1:52).
• UConn led at the half, 41-37.
• Providence shot 13-27 (48.1%) from the field, 1-3 (33.3%) from three, and 10-14 (71.4%) from the free-throw line.
• UConn shot 13-31 (41.9%) from the field, 6-12 (50%) from three, and 9-15 (60%) from the free-throw line.
• Vaaks led the Friars with nine points.
• The Friars led in points in the paint, 20-14.
• The Friars had 11 fast break points, UConn finished with zero.
SECOND HALF:
• Vaaks found Jones in a pick-and-roll action to open up the half and pull the Friars within two, 41-39 (19:16).
• Sellers got to the line and converted on both attempts to tie the game at 41 (18:40).
• Vaaks connected on his first three-pointer of the night to make it 47-46, UConn (16:14).
• Erhunmwunse gathered another offensive board and converted on a layup. Jones followed it with a pull up jumper to pull the Friars within four (14:43).
• Nilivan Daniels (St. Louis, Mo.) checked into the game and knocked down a corner three (13:14).
• Jones drove through the land and found Daniels again in the corner for another three-pointer to make it 63-59, UConn (10:59).
• Erhunmwunse converted on another tip-dunk off a Providence miss to make it a one possession game and give him 10 points on the evening, 63-61 (10:00).
• Jones muscled his way to the hoop and was able to connect on a layup to make it 65-63, UConn, forcing Dan Hurley to use a timeout (8:34).
• Daniels recorded a steal and got out in transition before being fouled, converting on one of the two free throws to make it 65-63, UConn (8:18).
• Sellers got down hill again and was able to convert and and-one layup to keep the Friars within striking distance, 74-69 (4:20).
• Jones slithered through the lane and found an opening for a two-hand dunk to make it a one possession game, 74-71 (3:28).
• Out of the timeout, after a UConn bucket, Jones beat his man off the dribble and was able to lay it in to keep it a one possession game (2:41).
• UConn won 87-81.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Providence shot 26-54 (48.1%) from the field, 5-14 (35.7%) from three, and 24-31 (77.4%) from the free-throw line.
• UConn shot 29-65 (44.6%) from the field, 11-24 (45.8%) from three, and 18-28 (64.3%) from the free-throw line.
• Four players finished in double figures for the Friars: Jones (20), Sellers (18), Erhunmwunse (14) and Vaaks (12)
• Erhunmwunse recorded his third double-double of the season. It was his seventh game this season recording double digit rebounds. He also had four blocks.
• Jamier Jones tied his career high with four assists.
• Daniels (7) and Pinnis (4) both recorded career highs in points.
• Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 19 points on 8-9 shooting.
UP NEXT:
The Friars will return to action when they travel to Villanova, Pa. to take on the Villanova University Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be on FS1.
-GO FRIARS!-
FIRST HALF:
• The Friars got on the board when Sellers found the cutting Erhunmwunse for a baseline dunk to tie the game at 2 (18:43).
• Stefan Vaaks responded to a quick 4-0 UConn run with a driving and-one layup to make it 6-5 (17:21).
• Sellers drove through the lane again and was able to convert on a contested layup and Vaaks was able to come off a screen and knock down a mid-range jumper, allowing Providence to take its first lead of the game going into the first media timeout, 9-8 (15:51).
• Out of the timeout, Erhunmwunse was able to grab an offensive rebound and dunk the ball to extend the Friar lead to three. On the following possession, Sellers knocked down a pair of free throws to make it 13-8 (15:10).
• Erhunmwunse found another Providence miss and was able to slam it back home for his third dunk of the night to tie the game at 17 (12:54).
• Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) recorded a steal and was able to take it the distance himself for his first points of the night to make it 23-19, UConn (11:01).
• A driving Jones found Peteris Pinnis (Salaspils, Latvia) for a lay up to cut the deficit back to single digits. Jones followed that possession with a pair of free throws to make it 29-23 (8:19).
• Jones grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast, finishing with a spin move. On the following possession, Jones stepped into a three to pull the Friars within one (7:01).
• Sellers was able to get to the rim off the dribble and convert on another heavily contested layup to make it 31-30, UConn (6:21).
• After the UConn lead grew back to seven, Vaaks was able to connect on a mid-range jump shot to make it 40-35, UConn (3:07).
• Vaaks found the rolling Pinnis for his second bucket of the night and pulled the Friars within three points with under two minutes remaining (1:52).
• UConn led at the half, 41-37.
• Providence shot 13-27 (48.1%) from the field, 1-3 (33.3%) from three, and 10-14 (71.4%) from the free-throw line.
• UConn shot 13-31 (41.9%) from the field, 6-12 (50%) from three, and 9-15 (60%) from the free-throw line.
• Vaaks led the Friars with nine points.
• The Friars led in points in the paint, 20-14.
• The Friars had 11 fast break points, UConn finished with zero.
SECOND HALF:
• Vaaks found Jones in a pick-and-roll action to open up the half and pull the Friars within two, 41-39 (19:16).
• Sellers got to the line and converted on both attempts to tie the game at 41 (18:40).
• Vaaks connected on his first three-pointer of the night to make it 47-46, UConn (16:14).
• Erhunmwunse gathered another offensive board and converted on a layup. Jones followed it with a pull up jumper to pull the Friars within four (14:43).
• Nilivan Daniels (St. Louis, Mo.) checked into the game and knocked down a corner three (13:14).
• Jones drove through the land and found Daniels again in the corner for another three-pointer to make it 63-59, UConn (10:59).
• Erhunmwunse converted on another tip-dunk off a Providence miss to make it a one possession game and give him 10 points on the evening, 63-61 (10:00).
• Jones muscled his way to the hoop and was able to connect on a layup to make it 65-63, UConn, forcing Dan Hurley to use a timeout (8:34).
• Daniels recorded a steal and got out in transition before being fouled, converting on one of the two free throws to make it 65-63, UConn (8:18).
• Sellers got down hill again and was able to convert and and-one layup to keep the Friars within striking distance, 74-69 (4:20).
• Jones slithered through the lane and found an opening for a two-hand dunk to make it a one possession game, 74-71 (3:28).
• Out of the timeout, after a UConn bucket, Jones beat his man off the dribble and was able to lay it in to keep it a one possession game (2:41).
• UConn won 87-81.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Providence shot 26-54 (48.1%) from the field, 5-14 (35.7%) from three, and 24-31 (77.4%) from the free-throw line.
• UConn shot 29-65 (44.6%) from the field, 11-24 (45.8%) from three, and 18-28 (64.3%) from the free-throw line.
• Four players finished in double figures for the Friars: Jones (20), Sellers (18), Erhunmwunse (14) and Vaaks (12)
• Erhunmwunse recorded his third double-double of the season. It was his seventh game this season recording double digit rebounds. He also had four blocks.
• Jamier Jones tied his career high with four assists.
• Daniels (7) and Pinnis (4) both recorded career highs in points.
• Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 19 points on 8-9 shooting.
UP NEXT:
The Friars will return to action when they travel to Villanova, Pa. to take on the Villanova University Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be on FS1.
-GO FRIARS!-
Team Stats
PROV
UConn
FG%
.481
.446
3FG%
.357
.458
FT%
.774
.643
RB
35
37
TO
11
10
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
18
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
12
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
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