STORRS, Conn. — More than one superb half of basketball was required to knock out the team that has won the men’s national championship two times in a row.
Providence was terrific through 20 minutes Sunday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion. The Friars simply couldn’t come up with a finishing touch against the current power in the Big East and beyond.
The Huskies reached a different level in terms of offensive execution out of the break, and Providence was unable keep pace. No. 11 UConn rallied to build a double-digit lead and held on for an 87-84 victory in front of a sellout crowd, a comeback that spoiled what would have been a first taste of success here for the Friars in more than two decades.
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Aidan Mahaney’s 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:58 to play was effectively the dagger. The Huskies built their largest lead at 77-65 and connected on enough free throws down the stretch to keep the Friars in the rearview mirror and win their eighth straight. Providence slipped below .500 overall this late in a season for the first time since 2020-21 and dropped as many as three of its first four league games for the first time since 2018-19.
“We disrupted them in the first half,” Providence coach Kim English said. “They made some great adjustments. For the third time this season, we relinquished a pretty good lead.”
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The Friars ultimately lost their advantage for good during a field goal drought that lasted 7:09. Providence was blanked between Jayden Pierre’s open 3-pointer off the right wing and a spin to the glass by Wesley Cardet Jr. with 5:09 left. It was a 58-48 advantage when Pierre notched a portion his game-high 24 points and a 68-64 hole after Cardet banked home a tough jumper through contact.
“We cheated death in this one here today,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “We’re going to have to win games in this type of manner.”
Rich Barron gave the Friars a pair of 14-point leads early in the second half thanks to a layup and two free throws. Providence owned a 43-29 cushion with 18:04 to play before UConn steadily grinded its way back into striking distance. Mahaney banked home an acrobatic left-hand layup as part of a 10-2 run and Tarris Reed Jr. scored in the lane with 7:24 left to push the Huskies out to a 62-60 advantage.
“They really heated up,” English said. “They heated us up defensively in the second half. Their offense was really, really good in the second half.”
UConn (12-3, 4-0 Big East) shot 72.7% from the floor, owned a 12-2 advantage off eight Friars turnovers and closed 25-for-29 at the foul line in the second half. Reed and Mahaney were a combined plus-28 in 23 minutes, finishing 6-for-8 from the field and 9-for-10 at the stripe. The Huskies averaged a sizzling 1.82 points on 33 possessions after managing just 0.96 through the opening 20 minutes.
“We actually had a chance to get out of there with a double-figure win,” Hurley said. “Credit Providence for showing the character and the culture and the fact that Kim is one of the best young coaches in the country.”
The Friars (7-8, 1-3) haven’t looked better over an extended stretch this season than they did through off the opening tip. Providence dominated the final 9:23 to build a 39-27 cushion at the break. UConn managed just one field goal during that stretch while the visitors closed on an 8-for-12 heater.
“It was a much, much different effort than the other night against Marquette,” English said. “Proud of our guys for that.”
The Friars committed just two turnovers before the break after suffering through a season-high 22 in a New Year’s Eve loss to Marquette. They shot 56.7% from the floor and enjoyed an impressive 28-16 advantage in the paint. Ryan Mela’s pair of rim attacks against Alex Karaban inside the final two minutes added the exclamation points.
“Marquette, we just simply did not do anything we prepared for,” English said. “UConn is more similar to us defensively — getting to shooters, disallowing assists.”
Providence played again with three players in sweatsuits — Bryce Hopkins (left knee), Christ Essandoko (hamstring) and Eli DeLaurier (hamstring). Cardet came back into the starting lineup for Bensley Joseph while Oswin Erhunmwunse totaled 6 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in a career-high 32 minutes. The Friars should be favored in each of their next two games, a homestand that starts Wednesday with a visit from Butler.
“I felt like we were more together, more connected,” English said. “And we played that way. That’s a step in the right direction.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Connecticut Huskies defeat Providence Friars basketball, 87-84, Sunday
