Jayden Pierre scored 16 points and Providence withstood a late comeback by Seton Hall to prevail 69-67 in a Big East battle on Tuesday in Newark, N.J.
The Friars (11-10, 5-5 Big East) improved to 2-4 in true road games this season.
The Pirates (6-15, 1-9) took their sixth straight loss and fell for the 11th time in 12 games.
Providence got 13 points from Jabri Abdur-Rahim, 12 from Bensley Joseph and 11 apiece from Oswin Erhunmwunse and Corey Floyd Jr. Floyd also contributed seven rebounds and five assists.
Prince Aligbe paced Seton Hall with 19 points. Garwey Dual and Dylan Addae-Wusu each posted 13 points.
Providence appeared to have things in hand, building a 15-point lead with 15 minutes to play, but Seton Hall put on a full-court press and Aligbe began dominating inside, scoring 17 points in the second half.
Seton Hall surged ahead 53-51 on a three-point play by Aligbe with 6:01 left, setting the stage for a tight finish. Providence retook the lead with a seven-point run, capped by a 3-pointer and a jumper both from Abdur-Rahim, to go up 60-55 with 3:56 left.
Rich Barron banked in a runner and Providence led 65-61 with 31 seconds left, and the rest of the game was decided at the free-throw line.
Seton Hall’s Isaiah Coleman made 1 of 2 at the foul line with three seconds remaining, bringing the Pirates within 69-67.
Friars center Christ Essandoko was fouled with two seconds left and missed both free throws. Seton Hall rebounded to second miss, and Coleman’s heave from 60 feet away bounced off the back iron.
Coleman, the Pirates’ leading scorer, made his return to the lineup after missing one game with a back injury. However, he finished 0-for-10 from the floor and managed only two points.
Seton Hall had the pace they preferred in the first half, playing tight defense and slowing the game down. The Friars started the game 3-12 from the floor, but Seton Hall’s offense was also sluggish.
Down by eight late in the first half, Seton Hall went on a 7-0 run highlighted by a 3-pointer from Dual. Providence subsequently led 30-26 at the break.
–Field Level Media
