Providence guard Isaiah Jackson came off the bench to score a team-high 13 points, and the Friars held Xavier scoreless on three late possessions for a 64-62 victory Wednesday night in Cincinnati.
Jackson hit 6 of 8 shots, including a layup with 3:44 to go that gave Providence a 62-52 lead, its largest of the game.
Xavier rallied with a Ryan Welage 3-pointer, a Tyrique Jones dunk and then two free throws by Naji Marshall with 2:05 left to make it 62-59. The Musketeers had three chances to take the lead with less than 30 seconds to go.
With Xavier down 64-62, Marshall lost control of the ball on a drive, with Alpha Diallo chasing down his fifth steal of the game with 21 seconds left.
After a Providence turnover, Paul Scruggs traveled in the lane while trying to come to a jump stop, committing Xavier's 18th turnover.
Diallo left the door open when he missed the front end of a one-and-one with seven seconds left. Scruggs got off a last-second jumper from inside the 3-point arc, but his shot went off the left side of the rim.
Diallo and Nate Watson each scored 11 points for Providence, which entered in last place in the Big East. Diallo also had six rebounds and five assists. Watson added six rebounds and three blocked shots for the Friars (12-7, 2-4 Big East).
Xavier (11-9, 3-4) fell to 9-3 at home.
Scruggs scored a game-high 14 points, while Jones and Zach Hankins each had 12 for the Musketeers.
Marshall, Xavier's leading scorer (13.3 points per game) and rebounder (7.4), picked up his fourth foul with 13:32 left and his team up by a point. He didn't come back until there was 5:06 left and Xavier was behind 58-52.
Marshall finished with nine points and four rebounds.
Providence still trails the series 8-7, but this was its first victory in eight tries at Xavier. The teams play Feb. 16 at Providence.
--Field Level Media
Providence | Xavier | |
Isaiah Jackson 13 | Scoring | Paul Scruggs 14 |
Alpha Diallo 5 | Assists | Naji Marshall 4 |
Alpha Diallo 6 | Rebounds | Kyle Castlin 10 |
Nate Watson 3 | Free Throws Made | Kyle Castlin 2 |
Alpha Diallo 5 | Steals | Paul Scruggs 3 |
Nate Watson 3 | Blocks | Zach Hankins 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Providence | 64 | 41.0 | 6-22 | 8-10 | 16 | 27 | 5 | 11 | 10 |
Xavier | 62 | 48.1 | 6-17 | 6-6 | 14 | 29 | 3 | 5 | 18 |