Senior center Romaro Gill tied a career high with 17 points and set a career high with eight blocked shots as No. 10 Seton Hall posted a 73-64 victory over the Providence Friars on Wednesday in Newark, N.J.
Jared Rhoden had 15 points and eight rebounds, Myles Powell had 14 points, and Quincy McKnight contributed 11 points and eight assists to help the Pirates (15-4, 7-0 Big East) extend their winning streak to nine games.
Seton Hall returned to the Top 10 this week for the first time since Dec. 19, 2000, when they were ranked eighth.
Alpha Diallo had 13 points and eight rebounds, Nate Watson had 10 points, and David Duke had nine points and five assists for the Friars (11-9, 4-3). Providence has lost three of four, including the first two in a stretch of four consecutive games against ranked opponents.
Only No. 4 San Diego State (20), No. 1 Baylor (15) and No. 2 Gonzaga (12) have longer winning streaks than the Pirates, who are off to their best start in Big East history and have won nine in a row for the first time since Jan. 29-March 1, 2003. No. 5 Florida State also has won nine in a row.
Gill has scored in double figures in six straight games after having only one such game in his two-year Seton Hall career.
Gill made 8 of 10 field-goal attempts, and the Pirates shot 57.8 percent from the field, their second-highest percentage of the season. The Friars had a 33-27 rebounding edge, and their 19 offensive rebounds enabled them to stay in the game with a 21-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Rhoden had a pair of jumpers in a 10-4 run to give the Pirates a 63-54 lead with 5:56 remaining. The Friars got within five twice in the last 2:08 but never were closer. Seton Hall made its last 12 free throw attempts.
Powell, an All-America candidate who had three points in the first half, had his lowest scoring total this season in a game in which he was not forced out because of an injury.
Kevin Willard earned his 78th Big East victory, tying P.J. Carlesimo for the most in program history.
--Field Level Media
Providence | Seton Hall | |
Alpha Diallo 13 | Scoring | Romaro Gill 17 |
David Duke 5 | Assists | Quincy McKnight 8 |
Alpha Diallo 8 | Rebounds | Jared Rhoden 8 |
Greg Gantt 5 | Free Throws Made | Myles Powell 8 |
Alpha Diallo 2 | Steals | Quincy McKnight 3 |
Alpha Diallo 1 | Blocks | Romaro Gill 8 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Providence | 64 | 35.9 | 4-24 | 14-16 | 10 | 31 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
Seton Hall | 73 | 57.8 | 3-13 | 18-25 | 16 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 13 |