Now without two key players for the season, Providence will try to shake off a three-game Big East losing streak when Xavier pays a visit to Rhode Island’s capital city on Wednesday night.
In the absence of Bryce Hopkins and Jabri Abdur-Rahim (season-ending knee injuries), senior Miami transfer Bensley Joseph poured in a game-high 26 points and sophomore Rich Barron added a career-high 23 in an 82-81 loss Saturday for the Friars (11-13, 5-8) at Butler.
The duo combined for 12 3-pointers (seven by Barron), and Joseph eclipsed the 20-point mark for the fifth time as a Friar, but it was not enough as Providence allowed a 50 percent shooting night by the Bulldogs.
“We dug ourselves in a hole (as many as 13 points in the second half) by not having a sustainable, disciplined effort defensively throughout,” Friars coach Kim English said. “The guys showed great resolve to make it a game.”
The coach called it a “wasted” game due to a lack of defensive effort from the Friars, who are just 1-5 in games decided by two points or fewer. Two of their last three losses have been in one-possession games.
Xavier (14-10, 6-7) is also coming off a down defensive effort, which led to an 80-68 loss Sunday at Villanova. The Musketeers have allowed at least 40 second-half points in their last three games.
“Some of it is execution and us detailing a number of things to get better at. Some of it is that it has to come from within yourself,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said.
Miller and the Musketeers will be looking to get more out of Ryan Conwell, the second-leading scorer (15.5 points per game) to Zach Freemantle (16.6), who scored just three points Sunday after dropping 34 against the Wildcats earlier this season.
“In February, in the Big East, you’re not gonna run around and get open 3s off. You’re gonna be guarded by a very driven, talented player,” Miller said. “We have to do a better job as a team executing to free Ryan up.”
Dante Maddox Jr. scored a season-high 24 points.
Wednesday will be Xavier’s fifth road contest in the last seven and its first meeting with Providence this season. Xavier is 12-11 against Providence since joining the Big East. The teams will also play March 8 in Cincinnati to close the regular season.
–Field Level Media
