No. 2 UConn overcomes 15-2 deficit to beat Providence 74-60 and likely seal No. 1 NCAA seed
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) UConn coach Dan Hurley didn't like the way Saturday night's game against Providence started.
He made sure to enjoy the finish.
Hurley spent much of the last minute of the Huskies' 74-60 victory over PC jawing with a Friars fan in the second row. The coach of the defending NCAA champions also waved his arms to encourage the considerable contingent of fans rooting for the road team, then left the court with both index fingers raised in the air.
“I just told him, ‘I’ve got a national championship ring, and we won the regular season in the Big East, and we’re champions,’” Hurley said. “'And you should shut up, and you shouldn’t be running your mouth at that point in the game. You know, just get out of here. You know? Just go.'”
Alex Karaban scored 16 points and Tristen Newton had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists as second-ranked UConn bounced back after falling behind 15-2 early in the regular-season finale. Stephon Castle added 14 points for the Huskies (28-3, 18-2 Big East), who finished with four straight wins and 18 victories in their last 19 games.
“I'm not going to lie, it felt pretty good,” said Hurley, who previously coached at PC rival Rhode Island and was 0-5 in the building originally known as the Providence Civic Center. “I've had to eat (expletive) in this building a bunch.”
Big East player of the year candidate Devin Carter scored 24 points with 15 rebounds for Providence (19-12, 10-10) and finished the season as the conference's leading scorer. The Friars fell to 2-4 versus ranked teams this season.
“Disappointing effort. Disappointing outcome. Disappointment all around,” coach Kim English said. “Got off to a really good start, obviously, and then immaturity set in. You’re not going to knock a team out five minutes into the game.”
The Friars scored 15 of the first 17 points, including a free throw when Hurley was called for a technical foul for arguing with the referees. PC led 19-9 before UConn scored 30 of the next 35 points, tying it 21-all when English was called for a technical.
The Huskies took the lead on back-to-back 3-pointers from Castle and Newton, then added a couple more 3s from Karaban and Cam Spencer during a 15-0 run that made it 42-24 at halftime.
Providence did not make a basket in the last 8:46 of the first half.
“Didn't expect quite that start,” Hurley said. “I just think they jumped us.”
BIG PICTURE
UConn has likely wrapped up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, regardless of what happens in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden next week. It will be the Huskies’ sixth time as a No. 1 seed.
“We’re thinking history here. We're thinking legacy. We’re thinking exclamation point on the regular season,” Hurley said.
Providence is on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament and might need to go far in the Big East Tournament to make it.
UP NEXT
UConn: Has a bye in the Big East Tournament to the quarterfinals on Thursday, when it will play the winner of the first-round game between Xavier and Butler.
Providence: Will be the No. 7 seed in the Big East Tournament and face No. 10 seed Georgetown on Wednesday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Donovan Clingan vs. Josh Oduro (Friars gains possession) | |||
19:46 | +2 | Devin Carter makes two point layup | 0-2 | |
19:29 | Tristen Newton turnover (lost ball) (Devin Carter steals) | |||
19:14 | Donovan Clingan shooting foul (Josh Oduro draws the foul) | |||
19:14 | +1 | Josh Oduro makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 0-3 | |
19:14 | +1 | Josh Oduro makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-4 | |
18:54 | Alex Karaban misses two point jump shot | |||
18:52 | Josh Oduro defensive rebound | |||
18:45 | +3 | Devin Carter makes three point jump shot | 0-7 | |
18:23 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
18:21 | Josh Oduro defensive rebound | |||
18:15 | Ticket Gaines misses three point jump shot | |||
18:13 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
18:04 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point dunk (Cam Spencer assists) | 2-7 | |
17:39 | +2 | Devin Carter makes two point layup | 2-9 | |
17:26 | Tristen Newton misses two point jump shot | |||
17:24 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
17:10 | Stephon Castle personal foul (Devin Carter draws the foul) | |||
17:10 | Dan Hurley technical foul | |||
17:10 | +1 | Jayden Pierre makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 2-10 | |
17:10 | Jayden Pierre misses technical free throw 2 of 2 | |||
17:07 | +3 | Devin Carter makes three point jump shot (Josh Oduro assists) | 2-13 | |
16:51 | Stephon Castle misses two point jump shot | |||
16:49 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
16:43 | Devin Carter misses three point jump shot | |||
16:41 | Corey Floyd Jr. offensive rebound | |||
16:35 | Josh Oduro misses three point jump shot | |||
16:33 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
16:22 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
16:20 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
15:59 | +2 | Devin Carter makes two point jump shot | 2-15 | |
15:49 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point jump shot | 4-15 | |
15:36 | Jayden Pierre misses two point layup | |||
15:34 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
15:29 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
15:27 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
15:01 | Jayden Pierre turnover (bad pass) (Stephon Castle steals) | |||
14:56 | +3 | Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Stephon Castle assists) | 7-15 | |
14:24 | Jayden Pierre misses three point jump shot | |||
14:22 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
14:12 | Cam Spencer misses two point jump shot | |||
14:10 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
14:02 | Alex Karaban misses two point jump shot | |||
14:00 | Alex Karaban offensive rebound | |||
13:56 | +2 | Alex Karaban makes two point layup | 9-15 | |
13:37 | +2 | Josh Oduro makes two point layup | 9-17 | |
13:13 | Jayden Pierre personal foul (Cam Spencer draws the foul) | |||
13:13 | TV timeout | |||
13:02 | Samson Johnson offensive foul (Ticket Gaines draws the foul) | |||
13:02 | Samson Johnson turnover (offensive foul) | |||
12:51 | Jayden Pierre turnover (bad pass) (Alex Karaban steals) | |||
12:40 | Cam Spencer misses two point jump shot | |||
12:38 | Samson Johnson offensive rebound | |||
12:38 | Josh Oduro personal foul (Samson Johnson draws the foul) | |||
12:28 | Alex Karaban misses two point layup | |||
12:26 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
12:14 | +2 | Josh Oduro makes two point layup (Devin Carter assists) | 9-19 | |
12:02 | Josh Oduro shooting foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
12:02 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-19 | |
12:02 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-19 | |
12:00 | TV timeout | |||
11:48 | Jayden Pierre turnover (lost ball) (Stephon Castle steals) | |||
11:43 | Devin Carter personal foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
11:32 | Devin Carter blocks Cam Spencer's three point jump shot | |||
11:30 | Rafael Castro defensive rebound | |||
11:18 | Jayden Pierre misses two point layup | |||
11:16 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
11:00 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point hook shot | 13-19 | |
10:42 | Rich Barron turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:30 | Hassan Diarra turnover (bad pass) (Ticket Gaines steals) | |||
10:14 | Ticket Gaines misses three point jump shot | |||
10:12 | Rich Barron offensive rebound | |||
10:08 | Jayden Pierre misses three point jump shot | |||
10:06 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
10:00 | +3 | Tristen Newton makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists) | 16-19 | |
9:35 | Devin Carter misses three point jump shot | |||
9:33 | Jayden Pierre offensive rebound | |||
9:23 | Ticket Gaines turnover (traveling) | |||
9:00 | Jayden Pierre personal foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
8:53 | Devin Carter blocks Tristen Newton's three point jump shot | |||
8:51 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
8:47 | +2 | Devin Carter makes two point dunk | 16-21 | |
8:30 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
8:28 | Jayden Pierre defensive rebound | |||
8:26 | Hassan Diarra personal foul (Jayden Pierre draws the foul) | |||
8:13 | Josh Oduro misses two point layup | |||
8:11 | Josh Oduro offensive rebound | |||
8:07 | Josh Oduro misses two point layup | |||
8:05 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
8:00 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point jump shot | 18-21 | |
7:34 | Donovan Clingan blocks Josh Oduro's two point jump shot | |||
7:32 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
7:26 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point layup | 20-21 | |
7:26 | Friars 30 second timeout | |||
7:26 | TV timeout | |||
7:26 | Kim English technical foul | |||
7:26 | Friars turnover | |||
7:26 | Cam Spencer misses technical free throw 1 of 2 | |||
7:26 | +1 | Cam Spencer makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 21-21 | |
7:08 | Devin Carter misses two point jump shot | |||
7:06 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
7:01 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
6:59 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
6:53 | +3 | Stephon Castle makes three point jump shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 24-21 | |
6:24 | Jaylin Stewart personal foul (Jayden Pierre draws the foul) | |||
6:17 | Stephon Castle shooting foul (Devin Carter draws the foul) | |||
6:17 | +1 | Devin Carter makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 24-22 | |
6:17 | Devin Carter misses regular free throw 2 of 3 | |||
6:17 | Devin Carter misses regular free throw 3 of 3 | |||
6:17 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
6:01 | Hassan Diarra misses two point jump shot | |||
5:59 | Devin Carter defensive rebound | |||
5:51 | Devin Carter turnover (bad pass) (Hassan Diarra steals) | |||
5:39 | Jump ball. Donovan Clingan vs. Rich Barron (Donovan Clingan gains possession) | |||
5:36 | +3 | Tristen Newton makes three point jump shot (Cam Spencer assists) | 27-22 | |
5:06 | Devin Carter misses two point layup | |||
5:04 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
4:57 | +2 | Tristen Newton makes two point layup | 29-22 | |
4:37 | Tristen Newton personal foul (Corey Floyd Jr. draws the foul) | |||
4:37 | +1 | Corey Floyd Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-23 | |
4:37 | +1 | Corey Floyd Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-24 | |
4:18 | Tristen Newton turnover (lost ball) (Rich Barron steals) | |||
4:09 | Devin Carter misses two point layup | |||
4:07 | Samson Johnson defensive rebound | |||
4:02 | +3 | Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Cam Spencer assists) | 32-24 | |
3:33 | Ticket Gaines turnover (lost ball) (Cam Spencer steals) | |||
3:24 | +3 | Cam Spencer makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists) | 35-24 | |
3:21 | Friars 30 second timeout | |||
3:21 | TV timeout | |||
3:06 | Corey Floyd Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
3:04 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
2:41 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
2:39 | Samson Johnson offensive rebound | |||
2:36 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point putback dunk | 37-24 | |
2:21 | Samson Johnson blocks Rafael Castro's two point layup | |||
2:19 | Rafael Castro offensive rebound | |||
2:12 | Jayden Pierre misses three point jump shot | |||
2:10 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
1:43 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
1:41 | Samson Johnson offensive rebound | |||
1:35 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point layup (Tristen Newton assists) | 39-24 | |
1:10 | Samson Johnson blocks Josh Oduro's two point layup | |||
1:08 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
0:56 | Tristen Newton turnover (bad pass) | |||
0:41 | Josh Oduro misses two point jump shot | |||
0:39 | Hassan Diarra defensive rebound | |||
0:33 | Huskies 30 second timeout | |||
0:11 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
0:09 | Hassan Diarra offensive rebound | |||
0:01 | +3 | Hassan Diarra makes three point jump shot | 42-24 | |
0:00 | End of period |