Xavier Musketeers vs Providence Friars Box Score on Feb 24, 2021

Noah Horchler scored a season-best 20 points and also collected nine rebounds to help host Providence notch an 83-68 victory over Xavier in Big East play on Wednesday night.

Junior David Duke added 18 points and nine rebounds and matched his career best of nine assists for the Friars (12-11, 8-9 Big East). A.J. Reeves scored 16 points, Nate Watson added 15 points and seven rebounds and Jared Bynum had 10 points for Providence.

Zach Freemantle registered 24 points and 12 rebounds and Paul Scruggs scored 22 points for Xavier (12-5, 5-5). Dwon Odom added 11 points for the Musketeers.

Xavier played without third-leading scorer Nate Johnson (11.4 points per game), who has a left foot injury.

The victory allowed the Friars to split the regular-season series with Xavier. The Musketeers won the first matchup 74-73 on Jan. 10 when Colby Jones made a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds left.

Providence shot 53.7 percent from the field, including 11 of 21 from 3-point range.

The Musketeers connected on 44.3 percent of their field-goal attempts and were just 3 of 17 from behind the arc.

The Musketeers cut their 10-point halftime deficit to four early in the second half, but Providence pushed the lead to 49-40 on Horchler's ferocious dunk with 13:05 left in the game.

Bynum's long 3-pointer gave the Friars a 58-47 lead with 9:44 remaining.

Adam Kunkel connected on a 3-pointer to bring Xavier within 60-54 with 7:57 left, but Horchler knocked down two 3-pointers and Reeves made one during a 9-2 burst to give Providence a 13-point lead with 5:54 to play.

Freemantle drained a 3-pointer and added a fastbreak dunk as the Musketeers moved within 69-61 with 5:25 left. Horchler was fouled 18 seconds later while shooting a 3-pointer and sank all three and Bynum added a jumper to push Providence's lead back to 13 with 4:19 left.

Duke barely beat the shot clock to hit a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 77-63 with 3:05 remaining, and the Friars avoided an eventful finish in the rematch.

Duke scored 10 first-half points to reach an even 1,000 for his career as Providence led 35-25 at the break.

Reeves knocked down two 3-pointers during a 17-6 surge as the Friars took a 25-12 lead with 7:51 left in the half.

--Field Level Media