PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence found its shooting touch and sent Syracuse searching for answers.
Donnie McGrath and Marcus Douthit scored 16 points apiece to lead the 23rd-ranked Friars to a 74-61 win over the 18th-ranked Orangemen on Saturday.
"We had to go back and refocus in the last few days, both mentally and on the court," said Providence coach Tim Welsh. "Our guys understood it was time to step back up."
Providence (15-5, 6-3 Big East) ended a two-game slide that included a season-low 46 points against Seton Hall, while Syracuse (14-5, 4-4) has now lost four of its past five.
"We're just really struggling," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "For us to get better, we just got to get our offense going again."
McGrath and Sheiku Kabba each hit two 3-pointers during a 22-7 second-half run, giving Providence a 55-36 lead with less than 11 minutes to play. Providence hit 10 3-pointers for the game, with McGrath hitting four.
Providence beat Syracuse at home for the first time in seven tries.
Ryan Gomes added 12 points, 8 below his average, as four Providence starters scored in double figures. Welsh was not concerned with Gomes' lack of production.
"You look at the numbers again, and it was balance," Welsh said. "We can't have Ryan get 24, and the rest get 4."
Early in the second half, Syracuse pulled within four points, 33-29, on a 3-pointer by Demetris Nichols, who led the Orangemen with 17 points.
Providence then went on its winning run that included five consecutive 3-pointers.
"Sometimes the cure of evils is making shots," Welsh said, "and we certainly made some."
For Syracuse, leading scorer Hakim Warrick had 10 points, all after halftime. Gerry McNamara had 9 points, on 3-of-8 shooting, before fouling out.
"We rushed things a little bit," Warrick said. "We missed a lot of open shots. We threw the ball away."
Syracuse opened with a 6-0 lead, but Providence went on a 15-5 run, then extended its lead to 33-22 at the half.
Douthit also added 11 rebounds.
"Marcus had the look of a big-time player today," Welsh said. "He worked hard at getting position, and we worked hard at getting him the ball."
Providence's largest lead was 63-42. Syracuse cut the lead to 67-58 on a 3-pointer by McNamara with 2:23 left.
Providence hit four free throws and Dwight Brewington added a basket down the stretch that made it 74-58.
The Friars shot 42 percent from the field. Syracuse shot 41 percent, and had 16 turnovers.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
