Nate Watson’s late-game takeover finished off a second-half comeback as No. 17 Providence topped visiting No. 22 Marquette 65-63 on Sunday afternoon to remain flawless at home this season.
Watson scored seven of the last 10 points for the Friars (18-2, 8-1 Big East) and finished with 17 as they improved to 13-0 in Providence, R.I.
Justin Lewis had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds but missed a floater in the paint, snapping a seven-game winning streak for the Golden Eagles (15-7, 7-4).
Justin Minaya added 14 points, and Al Durham and Noah Horchler each chipped in 11 for Providence. Second-chance points also proved to be pivotal, as the Friars finished with a whopping 22-1 advantage in that category.
Darryl Morsell paced Marquette with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Tyler Kolek and Lewis both added 13 points and six rebounds. The Golden Eagles struggled from deep, hitting just 5 of 19 shots from 3-point range.
A critical 16-7 run by the Friars that started with 17:52 left to play tied things at 42-42. Minaya and Horchler led the charge, scoring four points apiece.
Following a low-scoring first half, the Golden Eagles went into the break with a 29-23 lead. They led by just two after A.J. Reeves hit a 3-pointer with just over three minutes remaining, but a 6-2 scoring spurt over the final 2:48 of the half pushed their lead to six.
Kolek led all scorers in the opening half with eight points and Morsell added six. Minaya and Watson kept the Friars within striking distance, combining for 13 points of their own. Providence also won the battle on the glass, hauling in six more rebounds than the Golden Eagles.
The Marquette defense made an early impact, holding the Friars to just nine points through the first 10 minutes of action. Providence made just 4 of 14 shots from the field over that span.
–Field Level Media
