PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Jared Bynum had 27 points, including a key 3-pointer to help 11th-ranked Providence hold off Xavier 99-92 in triple overtime Wednesday night.
A.J. Reeves added 16 points and Al Durham had 13 to help the first-place Friars (23-3, 13-3 Big East) win their second consecutive overtime game. They are 3-0 in OT this season — all in the past four games — and it's the first time in school history Providence has notched 13 Big East wins.
A charter member of the Big East in 1979, the Friars can clinch their first regular-season conference championship by winning one of their final two games. They host Creighton on Saturday and visit No. 8 Villanova next Tuesday.
Adam Kunkel had 20 points and Paul Scruggs added 19 for Xavier, which has lost two straight and seven of 10. Scruggs hit a tying 3-pointer as time expired in the second overtime.
A putback by Nate Watson put the Friars up 94-92. Kunkel missed a 3 on Xavier’s next possession and Bynum’s 3-pointer found the bottom of the basket to increase Providence’s lead to five with 27.8 seconds left.
Xavier missed a 3 and putback attempt on its next touch and Noah Horchler was fouled. He hit two free throws and, after another Musketeers miss, Providence was able to run out the clock.
The last sequence followed wild finishes in each of the first two extra periods.
Zach Fremantle scored the first five points of the first OT to put Xavier up 75-70. But the Friars scored the final five points to send it to a second.
They carried that momentum forward and Bynum scored four quick points in the second OT to give the Friars a 79-75 lead.
The lead was down to 79-77 when a turnover gave the ball back to the Musketeers. Scruggs was fouled and hit both of his free throws to tie it.
The Friars turned it over again and Kunkel was able to get a floater in the lane to drop with 1:43 left.
Bynum was fouled but made only one of his two free throws.
Xavier missed its next time down the floor and Bynum knocked down a 15-foot jumper that made it 82-81.
Kunkel got caught in the air in the lane and turned it over, leading to a Xavier foul. Alyn Breed, who hadn’t attempted a shot to that point, sank two free throws to make it 84-81.
Scruggs got it back to a point with his jumper on the other end before two more free throws by Breed.
Two more free throws by Scruggs cut it to 86-85, but Xavier fouled Watson before the next inbounds — a flagrant foul. Watson made one of two, but Providence was immediately fouled again with six seconds left.
Breed hit the first but missed the second, allowing Scruggs to race up the court and swish a tying 3 from the wing at the buzzer.
BIG PICTURE
Providence hasn’t played it best basketball over the past two games, but remains in the driver’s seat to capture its first Big East regular-season title with two games to play.
IN REGULATION
Providence struggled to find an offensive flow in Sunday's overtime win at Butler without Durham, who sat out with a sports hernia. He returned to the starting lineup, but some of the same rhythm issues again were an issue against the Musketeers.
Xavier led by as many as five points in the second half before Reeves’ 3-pointer tied the game at 60 with 5:08 to play in regulation.
The Musketeers responded with a backdoor layup by Scruggs, followed by a corner 3-pointer by Horchler.
A short jumper by Kunkel put the Musketeers back in front 64-63.
The Friars missed twice coming out of a timeout, then turned it over when Justin Minaya’s inbounds pass was intercepted by Scruggs and passed ahead to Dwon Odom for a layup with 2:43 left.
Play was then stopped after condensation began to form on the court. The delay lasted about 15 minutes before play resumed.
Reeves knocked down a 3 to tie it on the ensuing possession, followed by a steal by Durham. He was fouled but connected on only one of two free throws to make it 67-66.
A tip-in by Nunge put Xaiver back in front before a foul on Providence’s next trip put Watson on the line. He also went 1 for 2 to leave the game tied.
Fremantle then got free for a layup to give the Musketeers a 70-68 edge with 45.2 seconds showing on the clock.
A turnaround jumper by Durham tied it again with 23 seconds left.
UP NEXT
Xavier returns home to host Seton Hall on Saturday.
Providence celebrates Senior Day on Saturday when it hosts Creighton.
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