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Providence College Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The No. 11/10 Providence College men’s basketball team defeated the Xavier Musketeers, 99-92, in triple overtime on Wednesday, February 23 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. With the win, the Friars improved to 23-3 overall and 13-2 in BIG EAST play. This marked the Friars’ longest game since January 28, 1982 where they went into five overtimes in a 79-77 loss against Dayton. Providence earned its 13th BIG EAST win for the first time in program history. Junior Jared Bynum (Largo, Md.) led the Friars in scoring with a game-high 27 points. Senior A.J. Reeves (Roxbury, Mass.) went 5-8 from three-point territory contributing 16 points for the Friars. Graduate student Noah Horchler (Melbourne, Fla.) recorded a team-high nine rebounds and chipped in 10 points.
FIRST HALF:
–Justin Minaya (Harrington Park, N.J.) opened the scoring for the Friars with a breakaway dunk.
-Xavier’s Dwon Odom and Zach Freemantle responded with two quick baskets. The Musketeers held a four-point lead, 6-2.
-At the first media timeout Xavier held a slim lead, 8-5.
-At the 13:35 mark, Reeves tied the score converting on a three-point shot from the right wing, 10-10.
-Bynum knocked down a three-pointer to give the Friars their first lead of the game with 12 minutes left in the half, 13-10.
-The Musketeers went on a 6-0 scoring run holding the Friars scoreless for over two minutes. Horchler ended the scoring drought for the Friars by knocking down a three-pointer at the 10:19 mark.
–Al Durham (Lilburn, Ga.) finished a contested layup heading into the 8-minute media timeout. Xavier held a slim three-point lead, 22-19.
-Heading into the final media timeout of the half, Xavier held a four-point lead, 28-24.
-At the 3:12 mark, Horchler made a timely steal and converted offensively for the Friars. During the next possession, Durham took the ball the full length of the court causing Xavier to call timeout. The Musketeers held a two-point lead, 30-28.
-Reeves and Minaya tied the game with less than a minute left in the half by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers, 34-34.
-The first half finished tied 36-36.
-Freemantle was the only player to reach double-figures with 10 points for Xavier.
-Minaya, Bynum, and Durham all led the Friars with eight points each.
-Providence shot 12-24 (50%) from the field, 7-11 (64%) from three, and 5-7 (71.4%) from the free throw line.
-Xavier shot 14-27 (52%) from the field, 1-6 (17%) from three, and 7-8 (87.5%) from the free throw line.
SECOND HALF:
-Xavier had a strong start to the half and went on a 6-0 scoring run in the first two minutes forcing a Providence timeout, 42-36.
-Minaya and Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.) converted back-to-back dunks to give the Friars their first points of the half. Xavier held a two-point lead, 42-40.
-Bynum slimmed the lead to one heading into the first media timeout by knocking down a three-pointer, 44-43.
-Watson added a layup at the 13:49 mark. On the ensuing possession, Bynum knocked down a three giving the Friars their first lead of the game, 48-47.
-Xavier’s Adam Kunkel responded with a three-pointer heading into the second media timeout, 50-48.
-At the 7:53 mark, the Musketeers led 55-50.
-After going scoreless for over three minutes, Reeves knocked down a three bringing the Friars within two, 55-53.
-With five minutes left in the half, Reeves converted his fourth three of the game to even the score, 60-60.
-The Friars and Musketeers traded baskets before the final media timeout. The Musketeers led by one, 64-63, with 3:34 remaining.
-There was a delay of game due to water leaking onto the court with 2:43 remaining in the game.
-Reeves knocked down yet another three-pointer to tie the game. On the following possession, Durham forced a Musketeer turnover landing him on the free throw line and giving the Friars a one-point edge, 67-66.
-With 48 seconds left, Freemantle converted a layup giving Xavier a two-point lead, 70-68.
-On the ensuing possession, Durham added a floater to even the score with 23.2 seconds remaining, 70-70.
FIRST OVERTIME:
-The Musketeers converted offensively to begin overtime and gain a three-point lead with 3:02 remaining.
-At the 2:06 mark, Bynum completed a three-point play to bring the Friars within two, 75-73.
-Minaya completed the tip-in with 1:22 remaining to even the score at 75.
-After five minutes, the score remained tied at 75-75.
SECOND OVERTIME:
-Bynum gave the Friars a four-point lead converting on back-to-back possessions to open up the second overtime period, 79-75.
-Xavier went on a 6-0 scoring run forcing a Providence timeout. Xavier led by two, 81-79.
-Bynum gave the Friars the lead with 42 seconds remaining in the period, 82-81.
–Alyn Breed (Powder Springs, Ga.) and Watson converted at the free throw line giving Providence a three-point lead, 88-85.
-Xavier’s Paul Scruggs tied the score at the buzzer with a three leading into a third overtime, 88-88.
THIRD OVERTIME:
-Watson converted a dunk off a pass from Horchler to open the scoring for the Friars, 90-88.
-The Friars and Musketeers traded baskets in the following possessions keeping the game knotted at 92.
-Bynum knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the arch to give the Friars their largest lead of the game. The Friars led by five with 27 seconds remaining, 97-92.
-Horchler closed out the win for the Friars from the free throw line, 99-92.
NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS:
-Providence finished 33-68 (48.5%) from the field, 14-29 (48.3%) from three, and 19-29 (65.5%) from the free throw line.
-Xavier finished 33-79 (41.8%) from the field, 5-19 (26.3%) from three, and 21-25 (84%) from the free throw line.
-The Friars had six players score in double figures in Durham (13), Horchler (10), Watson (12), Minaya (12), Reeves (16) and Bynum (27).
-There were 13 lead changes and 15 ties throughout the game.
-The Friars have gone into overtime in three of their last four games and have improved their overtime record to 3-0 this season.
-Tonight’s game was the Friars’ longest game since January 28, 1982 against Dayton.
-The three overtime game was just the fifth game in the history of Friar basketball to go three or more overtimes.
-This was the first BIG EAST triple overtime game since March 5, 2010 (St. John’s 90, DePaul 82 3OT ).
-Providence earned its 13th BIG EAST win for the first time ever.
-The Friars reached their 23rd win in a season for the first time since 2015-16.
-Adam Kunkel led the way for the Musketeers with 20 points.
-Attendance: 12,400
WHATS NEXT:
-The #11/10 Friars will face the Creighton Bluejays in their final home game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. on FS1.
-Providence holds a 17-12 advantage over the Bluejays. This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season. In their last meeting, Providence beat Creighton, 74-70, in Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I.
-Prior to tip-off Providence will honor its six graduating student-athletes in the senior night ceremony.
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