Jared Bynum scored 25 points and Al Durham scored eight of his 16 points in overtime as No. 11 Providence rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit and outlasted visiting DePaul, 76-73, in overtime in a Big East game Saturday night.
Nate Watson scored 16 points for the Friars (21-2, 11-1), who made 19 of 22 free throws and are off to their best start since the 1972-73 Final Four team, which started 24-2.
David Jones had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Jalen Terry added 15 points for the Blue Demons (12-11, 3-10), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Nick Ongenda scored 11 points and Brandon Johnson and Courvoisier McCauley each had 10 for the visitors.
Durham made two foul shots with 4.9 seconds left to give the Friars a 76-73 lead and a desperation heave from beyond half court by DePaul went off the front rim as time expired.
In overtime, Providence scored on two free throws by Durham and a power move by Watson, making it 64-60. DePaul cut the lead to 68-67 on a three-point play by Jones with 1:41 to go. Durham then hit a jumper and Bynum made two foul shots for a 72-67 lead with 1:04 left.
A Terry layup and a turnover by Bynum kept DePaul alive, and Terry sneaked inside for another layup to cut the deficit to 72-71 with 18 seconds left in OT. Durham’s two free throws with 10.9 seconds left restored the Friars’ three-point lead, and Providence coach Ed Cooley chose to foul with 6.6 seconds left. Terry made both foul shots to trim the margin to 74-73.
Noah Horchler’s three with 4:32 to go in regulation cut DePaul’s lead to 57-54. After DePaul’s Ongenda split a pair of foul shots, Durham canned two free throws with 2:20 to go to trim the deficit to 58-56. After Terry missed a mid-range jumper, Watson laid in a pass from Durham to tie the score with 1:34 to go.
Jones badly missed a contested shot for DePaul and complained that he was fouled, but got no call. Meanwhile, Durham blocked Ongenda’s layup attempt at the other end.
Still, the ball went out of bounds and Providence retained possession. Watson was fouled while shooting and made both free throws to give the Friars a 60-58 lead with 44 seconds left in regulation.
Ongenda’s one-handed jumper over Watson with 20 seconds left tied the score, and Bynum’s three-point attempt missed, forcing overtime.
–Field Level Media
