CINCINNATI (AP) — Jared Bynum's 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted No. 17 Providence to a 65-62 victory over No. 21 Xavier on Wednesday night.
Al Durham led the Friars with 22 points, helping them improve to 17-2 for the first time since the 1976-77 season.
Paul Scruggs, who led Xavier with 16 points, hit a 3-pointer to give the Musketeers a 62-60 lead with 56 seconds left. But he missed a go-ahead floater to help set up Bynum's game-winner.
Providence (17-2, 7-1 Big East) has won 11 of 13.
Jack Nunge, who leads the Musketeers in scoring despite coming off the bench, made only his second start of the season and scored 15 points.
A.J. Reeves, the Friars' third-leading scorer, missed his fifth straight game due to an injured finger.
Durham helped the Friars get off to a fast start with 12 first-half points.
It was another slow start for the Musketeers who trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half as the Friars connected on their first four 3-point attempts.
Xavier finished the first half strong behind Nunge, who had 13 points in the half including a 3-pointer just before halftime to cut the Friars' lead to 35-29.
Consecutive baskets by Freemantle got the Musketeers within two early in the second half. He scored 12 points.
A block by Nunge led to a layup by Freemantle to tie it at 53 with 6:11 left.
Scruggs' 3-pointer with 51 seconds remaining gave the Musketeers their first lead since the first minute of the game.
Durham hit two free throws to tie it with 36 seconds left to set up Bynum's heroics.
The Friars won despite leading scorer Nate Watson going scoreless. He picked up his fourth foul with 9:19 remaining.
BIG PICTURE
Providence: The Friars have five graduate students on their roster for the first time in program history. Those players have combined for 549 games played, and that experience was evident in a raucous Cintas Center.
Xavier: It was off night for a couple of the Musketeers' best shooters. Adam Kunkel and Nate Johnson, the team's leading scorer, were a combined 0 for 10 from the floor and 0 for 8 from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
Providence: hosts No. 22 Marquette on Saturday.
Xavier: plays at Creighton on Saturday.
—
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
