Here's how Providence basketball opened its Big East season in style vs. No. 6 Marquette
PROVIDENCE — What better way to make a statement on the opening night of Big East play.
There had only been three victories like this since Providence authored one of its signature men’s basketball moments. Hammering a top-10 opponent by double digits simply doesn’t happen all that often.
That’s exactly what the Friars did at an electric Amica Mutual Pavilion on this Tuesday night, and No. 6 Marquette was the victim. The Golden Eagles started defense of their conference regular season and tournament titles by falling from the sky.
Providence absorbed an early push in the second half and landed a hard counterpunch. The Friars pulled away from there and had this sellout crowd of 12,108 fans on its feet through the final whistle, a 72-57 triumph secured long before the horn.
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Devin Carter and Ticket Gaines sparked the offense. Garwey Dual didn’t need to score – he helped Providence produce a defensive masterclass over 40 minutes. The Friars announced their presence among potential league contenders by grabbing the lead midway through the first half and never relenting.
“It was great energy,” Carter said. “Hard place to play and just a great community to be part of.”
Providence beat eventual national champion Connecticut by 12 in January. The Friars drilled Villanova by 15 in January 2011, a victory that came late in the ill-fated tenure of Keno Davis. Providence stung the Huskies again by 10 in January 2004, a result that prompted Jim Calhoun’s infamous rant regarding a lack of recruiting attention paid to state native Ryan Gomes.
Those performances stood alone after a storybook run to the Elite Eight in 1997. The Friars felled Duke in a second round upset, a 98-87 thunderbolt in Charlotte. It’s outcomes like those and opponents like these, when married together, that create truly special moments.
“This league is a beast,” Providence coach Kim English said. “The good thing about opening up with a team as good as Marquette is there’s no time wasted.”
Providence (10-2, 1-0 Big East) surged in front by melting the ice from 3-point range. The Friars missed their opening five attempts before closing the first half at a 6-for-12 clip. Gaines and Carter were a combined 10-for-19 in the game, splitting those makes evenly.
“They encourage me to shoot it every time,” Gaines said. “If I get some space and teammates find me, it’s going up.”
Gaines was fouled on an attempt from deep with 2:42 left before the break. His three conversions at the line helped launch a 10-2 run into the locker room, and Providence owned a 40-29 cushion. Carter’s 3-pointer from the left wing was his team’s lone field goal in the last 4:38 – the Friars expanded their lead by nine regardless.
“Some of their plays in transition in the first half were domino plays for them and for us,” Marquette coach Shaka Smart said.
Tyler Kolek opened the second half on a personal 7-0 run, and it seemed like Marquette (9-3, 0-1) was poised to hang tough the rest of the way. Carter answered from 3-point range and Josh Oduro drew a charge to put a third personal foul on Oso Ighodaro. Providence ultimately buried the Golden Eagles with a 10-0 run, a burst that featured a Bryce Hopkins baseline slam off a slick feed from Dual.
“(Dual is) really starting to figure out what we want,” English said. “He’ll make shots. He’ll finish. But he’s making the right play.”
The Friars have now won five straight home games against Marquette. Four of those victories have come in this building – one was on campus at Alumni Hall in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions during the 2020-21 season. The Golden Eagles exit having dropped only 10 of their last 40 games against league foes, and three of those defeats have come against Providence.
“This place is incredible,” English said. “It’s as good as any.
“I’ve played at Kansas. I’ve played at Kentucky, UCLA. I know Purdue is great. This is as good of a college basketball environment as there is in America.
“When our students are gone for break, it just turns into an NBA playoff venue honestly. Adult fans with beer – it's loud. And they love this team. It’s a treat.”
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MARQUETTE (57): Ighodaro 2-6 7-8 11, Joplin 2-6 1-2 5, K.Jones 5-14 2-3 13, Kolek 7-15 5-5 21, Ross 0-7 1-2 1, S. Jones 1-6 0-0 3, Norman 1-2 1-1 3, Gold 0-0 0-0 0, Lowery 0-0 0-0 0.; totals 18-56 17-21 57. PROVIDENCE (72): Oduro 3-4 4-6 10, Hopkins 3-10 5-10 11, Carter 6-10 5-7 22, Gaines 5-11 3-5 18, Pierre 2-5 0-0 4, Dual 0-4 0-0 0, Floyd 1-4 0-0 2, Barron 1-2 0-0 3, Castro 1-1 0-0 2; totals 22-51 17-28 72.
Halftime — Providence 40-29. 3-point goals — Marquette 4-20 (Kolek 2-5, S.Jones 1-3, K.Jones 1-6, Norman 0-1, Joplin 0-2, Ross 0-3), Providence 11-32 (Carter 5-9, Gaines 5-10, Barron 1-1, Floyd 0-2, Dual 0-3, Pierre 0-3, Hopkins 0-4). Fouled out — Norman, Oduro. Rebounds — Marquette 34 (Kolek 9), Providence 36 (Oduro, Hopkins 9). Assists — Marquette 7 (Kolek 5), Providence 17 (Dual 7). Total fouls — Marquette 22, Providence 18. Records — Marquette 9-3, Providence 10-2.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence Friars basketball beat No. 6 Marquette in Big East opener
