The Huskies never led in the second half, didn’t tie it until the final 12.3 seconds of regulation, but took over in overtime to earn the hard-fought win
PROVIDENCE – What looked likely to be the finest win in two-plus years under Kim English ended with some Providence men’s basketball fans leaving Amica Mutual Pavilion prior to the close of overtime.
They couldn’t stand to watch the conclusion of a spirited comeback by No. 4 Connecticut, as the premier program in the Big East proved its championship mettle yet again.
UConn's championship mettle prevails
The Huskies never led in the second half, didn’t tie it until the final 12.3 seconds of regulation and finally gained control after a Braylon Mullins 3-pointer with 3:26 to play in overtime. Their mental and physical toughness remains a cut above the Friars, who lost in painful fashion for the seventh straight time in the series.
UConn erased an 11-point deficit to maintain its perfect start in league play, and Providence fell just shy of consecutive wins against the preseason co-favorites. The Huskies pulled out a 103-98 thriller thanks to four 20-point scorers and some help down the stretch from the Friars.
“If that’s the best team in our league, I like where we are,” English said. “I like where we can be. But the challenge is to stay together.”
Providence was coming off a road stunner against St. John’s and looked poised to take out UConn in decidedly different fashion. The Friars surged late for a 77-71 triumph over the Red Storm but were in command for the majority of this one. Ryan Mela went behind the back and out the other side for a reverse layup to make it 86-75 with 3:12 left, and the 11,789 on hand could taste a first Providence win against a top-5 opponent since beating these same Huskies here in January 2023.
“The pressure just bothered them a little bit,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “When you have a lead like they had and the other team is pressing, I just think maybe they weren’t quite as aggressive as they were throughout the game when they had us on our heels.”
UConn responded with a 9-0 burst, some of which was aided by three costly Friars turnovers. Alex Karaban’s push shot in the lane made it 86-84, and Providence called timeout with 1:32 left. Karaban answered what could have been a crushing Jaylin Sellers 3-pointer with one of his own, and it was the Huskies calling timeout in an 89-87 game with 54.7 seconds to play.
“We’ve just got to keep pushing,” Karaban said. “We’re a championship program. We’re never going to back down no matter what the circumstances are.”
Missed rebound sends game to OT
Oswin Erhunmwunse rimmed out a short jumper in the lane on the ensuing possession and UConn went the other way. Karaban’s potential go-ahead 3-pointer from the left wing wouldn’t go down, but Tarris Reed Jr. overpowered Erhunmwunse along the left side for the offensive board and tying layup. The Friars sped down the left side and Corey Floyd Jr. popped a baseline jumper short, pushing the game to overtime tied at 89-89.
“It came down to a rebound,” English said. “No different than the Virginia Tech game at the end of regulation (a 107-101 loss on Nov. 9). Alex Karaban missed a shot like Ben Hammond did, and we didn’t come up with the rebound.”
Silas Demary Jr. missed a 50-foot heave at the buzzer for the win, but the Huskies (15-1, 5-0 Big East) seemed to welcome the five extra minutes and quickly asserted themselves. Mullins went 3-for-3 from the field and netted eight of his team-high 24 points, including a killer 3-pointer from the left wing that made it a 99-95 lead with 1:53 left. Reed followed with a layup inside off a pretty pass by Jaylin Stewart and UConn was just about safe.
“They’re running sets for me,” Mullins said. “I’m going to come in there confident, and I’m going to shoot the ball.”
Providence (8-7, 1-3) cut the deficit in half on a Duncan Powell 3-pointer and was one stop away from a potential tying possession. Demary denied the Friars that chance on a stepback jumper from the left elbow with 10.9 seconds left, handing the Huskies two-possession cushion. That was the end of a 23-point, 15-assist, five-steal night for the Georgia transfer, who played 41 minutes.
“This was a game where I had to step up,” Demary said. “They were giving me confidence throughout the whole game.”
Friars shooters started hot
Elite shooting carried Providence to a 13-point lead in the first half and a 47-37 advantage at the break. The Friars checked in at 59.3% from the field, 7-for-12 from 3-point range and a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line through the opening 20 minutes. UConn cut its deficit to five on a pair of occasions in the second half, but Providence seemed in prime position to finish out the upset when Powell drained a 3-pointer that made it a 68-57 game with 10:09 left.
“I just talked to the guys about how right now we have to stay together,” English said. “All of us – myself included – need to look in the mirror.
“A lot of things I wish I could do over – like normal – as a coach. I wish I could do this differently, do that differently. We’ve got to all look in the mirror, and we will.”
CONNECTICUT (103): Tarris Reed Jr. 8-13 4-6 20, Alex Karaban 8-18 2-2 23, Solo Ball 3-10 2-2 10, Silas Demary Jr. 7-11 5-5 23, Braylon Mullins 8-14 2-3 24, Malachi Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Jaylin Stewart 1-2 0-0 3, Eric Reibe 0-3 0-0 0, Jayden Ross 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-71 15-18 103.
PROVIDENCE (98): Jamier Jones 6-9 3-6 18, Oswin Erhunmwunse 4-8 0-1 8, Jason Edwards 3-9 0-0 8, Jaylin Sellers 3-6 4-5 11, Corey Floyd Jr. 4-7 2-2 12, Stefan Vaaks 3-9 3-4 11, Ryan Mela 5-9 8-9 19, Duncan Powell 4-7 0-0 11, Cole Hargrove 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-64 20-27 98.
Halftime – P, 47-37. End of regulation – 89-89. 3-point FG – C 18-32 (Karaban 5-9, Ball 2-5, Demary 4-6, Mullins 6-10, Stewart 1-1, Reibe 0-1), P 14-24 (Jones 3-4, Edwards 2-4, Sellers 1-1, Floyd 2-3, Vaaks 2-7, Mela 1-1, Powell 3-4). Rebounds – C 33 (Reed 8), P 37 (Erhunmwunse 7, Team 7). Assists – C 25 (Demary 15), P 15 (Floyd 4). Turnovers – C 12 (Ball 3), P 17 (Sellers 6). Blocked shots – C 2 (Reed 2), P 2 (Erhunmwunse 2). Steals – C 11 (Demary 5), P 4 (Sellers 2, Vaaks 2). Attendance – 11,789.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence basketball loses to UConn in overtime 103-98 in OT on Jan. 7
Category: General Sports
