No. 3 Xavier loses 17-point lead, game

NEW YORK» After spending a season overcoming injuries, disappointments and doubters, Providence made another statement with one of the greatest comebacks in Big East Tournament history.

Alpha Diallo hit a go-ahead jumper with 2:22 left in overtime and fifth-seeded Providence rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit and stunned top-seeded and No. 3 Xavier 75-72 in the conference semifinals Friday night.

“What a win for Providence College and the character of the young men,” Friars coach Ed Cooley said. “I’m proud of them. We played a great team and we’re fortunate to move on.”

Not bad for a team that a couple of days ago was considered a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament. Two overtime wins in two days has put that to bed.

“We never thought about the bubble. We just played with confidence,” said senior forward Rodney Bullock after Providence (2112) beat Xavier (28-5) for the second time in three meetings. “That’s how we play.”

The Friars did that in the final 25 minutes in advancing to the title game Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Big East Tournament record for comebacks is based on halftime deficits. Coming back from a 14-point deficit at the intermission ties the third best in league history, set by Louisville in 2011 against Notre Dame.

This one was stunning. Xavier was cruising with a 52-35 lead five minutes into the second half, and all of a sudden the game changed.

Providence started hitting and the Musketeers, who ran it up on St. John’s in the quarterfinals, starting missing and may have shut it down too soon, making only nine field goals.

Cartwright’s jumper gave Providence a 7370 lead, but Trevon Bluiett cut the margin to a point with two free throws with 41 seconds to go.

Isaiah Jackson missed a layup attempt with about 12 seconds to play and the Musketeers rushed the ball up court. Macura went to the rim but Cartwright stood his ground and drew the offensive foul call from referee Jeff Anderson.

Diallo added two free throws with six seconds to go, but Xavier never got off a final shot until the final buzzer when Kerem Kanter hit a shot.

By that time, Providence players were running on the court to celebrate at halfcourt after their second overtime victory in as many days. The Friars edged fourth-seeded Creighton 72-68 on Thursday.