PC Basketball Beats Columbia 78-64
GoLocalProv Sports Team
PC Basketball Beats Columbia 78-64
Columbia was picked to finish last in the Ivy League preseason poll.
PC Freshman Jayden Pierre brought a spark off the bench with 13 points, including a 3-3 clip from three-point territory. Graduate student Ed Croswell added 13 points and five rebounds.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Breed and Pierre off the bench were the keys to the win," Head Coach Ed Cooley said. "Both players are great ball-handlers and scorers. We are giving our men a chance to grow and develop with a challenging opponent ahead."
FIRST HALF:
- Bryce Hopkins (Oak Park, Ill.) put the Friars on the board first. Noah Locke (Baltimore, Md.) knocked down the game's first three-pointer. PC led 7-4 at the first media timeout.
- The Friars were held scoreless for over two minutes after Locke's three-ball. At the 13:55 mark, Croswell converted a two-handed slam. The score was knotted at nine.
- With 11:33 remaining in the half, Rafael Castro hit Pierre in stride on a full-court pass for the fastbreak dunk. PC trailed 13-11.
- With less than seven minutes until the half, Devin Carter and Columbia's Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa traded three-pointers. The game was tied at 20.
- In the final stretch of the half, the Friars went on a 15-2 scoring run, which began with six unanswered points. The Friars gained a 35-22 lead.
- Columbia buried back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute of the half. The Lions narrowed the gap to seven, 35-28.
- Carter had a wide-open look from three-point range and knocked it down with five seconds left in the half.
- PC took a 38-28 lead into the locker room.
- Croswell (10 points) was the only player in double figures at the half.
- Providence shot 15-36 (41.7%) from the field, 4-11 (36.4%) from three and 4-4 (100%) from the free throw line.
- Columbia shot 11-32 (34.4%) from the field, 4-9 (44.4%) from three and 2-3 (66.7%) from the free throw line.
SECOND HALF:
- Locke scored the first basket of the second half from three-point land. Jared Bynum assisted on the play. PC led 41-30.
- Columbia's Zine Eddine Bedri was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim. Bynum capitalized with the free throw and a perfect alley-oop pass to Croswell on the ensuing possession. PC led 46-32.
- The Lions went on a 9-1 run to cut the deficit to six. The Friars responded with eight unanswered points, including three consecutive baskets by Alyn Breed. The Friars held a 55-41 lead.
- As the Friars' run continued, Pierre and Breed buried back-to-back three-pointers. Hopkins added yet another three-ball at the 8:36 mark, extending the lead to 19.
- After starting 1-7 from the field in the second half, the Friars then shot 7-14 (50%) with less than eight minutes remaining.
- The Friars held a 15-point advantage, 72-57, at the final media timeout.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Providence finished 30-68 (44.1%) from the field, 10-28 (35.7%) from three and 8-11 (72.7%) from the free throw line.
- Columbia finished 24-62 (38.7%) from the field, 6-18 (33.3%) from three and 10-13 (76.9%) from the free throw line.
- Three players finished in double figures for the Friars in Croswell (13), Pierre (13) and Locke (10).
- The Friars out-scored the Lions by a margin of 33-13 in points off the bench.
- The Friars dished 13 more assists and hauled in eight more rebounds.
- Providence has posted a 133-50 mark all-time versus teams from the Ivy League.
- Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa led the way for the Lions with a double-double, 17 points, and 10 rebounds (both game highs).
Attendance – 9,215
NEXT:
The Friars will travel to take on Texas Christian University (TCU) on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas as part of the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
Providence holds a 1-1 all-time record against TCU. In their last matchup, the Friars earned a 79-70 victory in Lubbock, Texas on Dec. 9, 2020 in the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle.