NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. – How a team performs under pressure, usually will determine whether they’re contenders or pretenders. The Providence Friars looked like a real contender today against the Creighton Blue Jays.
Marcus Foster (19 points) paced the Blue Jays scoring attack, as Creighton outscored the Friars in the first half 30-26. Creighton really had good defensive pressure, and took Providence out of their comfort zone. Providence struggled to get into their offensive sets, and didn’t really look in rhythm.
The Friars shot just 22% (5 for 22) from beyond the arc, and just 36% (24 for 65) from the field overall. Still Providence never quit, and willed their way back in the second half. Alpha Diallo (19 points) came up huge for the Friars and provided a putback layup with :12 seconds left, which sent the game into OT.
Admist the poor shooting, the Friars found a way to get key stops in the overtime period. Kyron Cartwright (13 points) scored go ahead free throws and a bucket late, to help Providence deliver a 72-68 win.
This win from Providence, pits them against the top seeded Xavier Muskateers Friday. There was a strong Providence fan base presence in the Garden, which could give the Friars somewhat of a home court advantage. Providence will need everything it can get, to try to take down the Big East Conference regular season champions.
This win also was a huge boost for the NCAA Tournament resume for the Friars. Some have Providence as a bubble team, so a win against Xavier could make them a lock for the tournament.
Barry Holmes is a Senior Writer for PureSportsNY.com. Follow him on Twitter @BHO732
(Featured Photo Credit: Barry Holmes/PureSportsNY)