Stat Leaders

Starting Lineups

Recap

• Neither team got off to an especially hot start, but Seton Hall managed to get out to an 8-point lead at 12-4 about 5 minutes into the first half. The Friars did a solid job containing Seton Hall leading scorer Myles Powell, who didn’t make his first field goal until the 8:20 mark. Alpha Diallo had a tough half with 4 turnovers, but Providence got some tough minutes in the trenches from Nate Watson and contributions from Isaiah Jackson, Drew Edwards and Kris Monroe off the bench in the first half. Providence used an 8-0 run to take the lead at 30-29 with just over a minute to play in the first half . Those 8 points were a Monroe 3-pointer, 3 points from the free throw line and and jump hook from Watson. Quincy McKnight stopped the run and managed to finish the half with four straight to take a 33-30 lead into the locker room. Powell led the way for Seton Hall with 9 points on just 3/8 from the field and Watson led the Friars with 7 points and 4 rebounds. Both teams had 10 turnovers a piece in the first half.
• Providence showed better offense at the start of the second half and that, paired with a 1/6 shooting start from Seton Hall, got the Friars back up by 2, 37-35, about 4 minutes in. Powell hit a jumper after getting Makai Ashton-Langford in the air on a head fake and that put the Pirates up by 1 after Powell converted on the old-fashioned 3-point play. From there, the pace became more frenzied and the Friars were the more poised team. Providence went on 10-0 run to take a 47-38 lead with just under 13 minutes to go in the second half. A pair of free throws from Taurean Thompson ended the scoring streak for Providence, but Seton Hall’s field goal drought extended more than 5 minutes before Myles Cale made a triple.  McKnight hit one from deep and then converted an old-fashioned 3-point play and, just like that, Providence’s lead was gone, 49-49, with just over 9 minutes to go. The Friars went on a mini run, 6-0, to stretch the lead to 55-49 before Michael Nzei made a pair of free throws to bring the Pirates within 4 with just over 7 minutes to go. The teams traded buckets over the next several minutes until some sloppy possessions by the Pirates kept them at arm’s length at 6. Diallo converted a backdoor cut with just under 2 minutes to go that extended to lead to 8 . Seton Hall failed to score from the 5:32 mark until 1:02, and the Friars salted the game away to get on the board in the Big East. Powell’s last points were at the 15:36 mark with that old-fashioned 3-point play. He was clearly the focal point of Ed Cooley’s scouting report. Duke scored 16 of his 18 in the second half.
• Providence avoids their first 0-4 start in Big East play since 2011-12 during Cooley’s first season in Friartown. The Friars played 10 players in this game.
• Providence was led by Duke with 18 points, including 3/3 from beyond the arc and 7/8 at the free throw line. Diallo was the only other Friar in double figures with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
• Seton Hall was led by McKnight with 14 points. Nzei added 10 points and 8 rebounds and Powell was held to just 12 points on 4/15 shooting.
• Seton Hall had a season-high 22 turnovers. The Pirates turned the ball over one less time than they converted from the field in this game.
• The Friars hit the road to face (15) Marquette at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Sunday. That game against the Golden Eagles tips at 12:00pm and will air on CBSSN.

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Mike Hopkins

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