Friars find the five hole
Frustrate Musketeers in upset
PROVIDENCE — Another layup bounced off the rim, Providence forward Rodney Bullock grabbed the defensive rebound with about 20 seconds left and Xavier coach Chris Mack stood in front of his bench with both hands in the air. It was time to surrender. The best start in Musketeers history was over, along with the second-longest winning streak in Mack’s tenure at the school.
“It certainly wasn’t our day,” Mack said yesterday after fifth-ranked Xavier lost to the Friars, 81-72, to snap a 10-game winning streak. “We know who Providence is. We know what each of their strengths is. But being able to take it away, that’s different.”
Kyron Cartwright had 19 points, nine assists and four steals, and Bullock scored 17 with six rebounds and two blocked shots as the Friars (11-6, 2-2 Big East) beat a ranked team for the first time this season.
“Our kids met the challenge (yesterday),” said Providence coach Ed Cooley, whose Friars lost to No. 25 Creighton on Sunday and lost in overtime to Marquette on Wednesday. “Life in the Big East, it’s a monster every single game.”
Kerem Kanter had 24 points and 12 rebounds — eight on the offensive boards — in 20 minutes for Xavier (15-2, 3-1). Tyrique Jones, who had 12 points and seven rebounds, was the only other Musketeer to make more than half his shots.
Trevon Bluiett, who leads Xavier with 19.8 points per game, had 12 points but was scoreless in the second half. “Maybe it just wasn’t his day (yesterday), because I think he’s one of the best players in the country,” Cooley said.
It was the Friars’ 11th win over a top-five team, and their first since beating No. 4 Villanova two years ago.
To counter a 44-28 rebounding advantage for Xavier — and a 22-0 whitewash in second-chance points — Providence had 11 steals, nine blocks and a 19-6 edge in points off turnovers.
“Our errant shots, our wild, reckless shots and our inability to handle the ball in the first half really put us behind the eight ball,” Mack said. “We gave them a lot of confidence for the first 25 minutes because we were throwing the ball in the stands.”