Tarris Reed Jr. scored 19 points and had six rebounds to help second-ranked UConn extend its winning streak to 16 games by beating visiting Providence 87-81 Tuesday night in Storrs, Conn.
Solo Ball added 17 points for the Huskies (20-1, 10-0 Big East), who made 11 of 24 3-point attempts (45.8%). UConn received 14 points and eight rebounds from Eric Reibe.
Providence (9-12, 2-8) trailed 76-73 with 2:41 to play, but UConn scored the next five points to go up 81-73 with 1:04 remaining. The UConn lead didn’t dip below six points the rest of the way.
Providence freshman Jamier Jones led all scorers with 20 points. He also had seven rebounds and four assists. Jaylin Sellers added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Friars, who received 14 points and 10 boards from Oswin Erhunmwunse.
The loss extended Providence’s losing streak to three games.
UConn freshman guard Braylon Mullins didn’t dress for Tuesday’s game. According to UConn coach Dan Hurley, Mullins has been in concussion protocol since being hit in the head during the second half of Saturday’s victory over Villanova.
Mullins scored a team-high 24 points when UConn beat host Providence 103-98 in overtime earlier this season. He is averaging 11.4 points in 14 games.
Jason Edwards, Providence’s leading scorer (17.2 ppg), missed his fifth straight game with plantar fasciitis.
UConn had its first double-digit lead after Silas DeMary Jr.’s 3-pointer made it 29-19 with 9:39 left in the first half.
Providence climbed back into the game by scoring the next nine points but trailed 41-37 at halftime. The Huskies did not have a field goal in the final 3:20 of the first half.
The Friars trailed by one with 7:32 remaining in the game, but UConn went on a 7-0 run and had a 74-66 lead with 4:38 to play.
–Field Level Media
