PC Bounced From Big East Tournament - First 20 Loss Season For Friars in 40 Years

PC Bounced From Big East Tournament - First 20 Loss Season For Friars in 40 Years

The Providence College men’s basketball team was defeated by the Butler Bulldogs, 75-69, on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in the first round of the Big East tournament.

The Friars finished the 2024-25 season with a 12-20 overall record.

The dubious 20 losses in a season had not happened since the 1984-85 season under coach Joe Mullaney during his second tenure with the Friars. He was just 48–70.

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During his first tenure with the Friars, Mullaney coached from 1955 to 1969 and was 271–94. His teams won two NIT Championships.

Bensley Joseph led the Providence offense with 20 points, 17 of which came in the second half. The senior also reached a career milestone, recording his 1,000th career point and finishing with 1,005 career points. 

Freshman Oswin Erhunmwunse scored a career-high 16 points and added 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. 

FIRST HALF: 

• Erhunmwunse kicked off PC's scoring with an alley-oop dunk off the hands of Corey Floyd Jr. The Friars trailed 9-7 through the first four minutes of action (15:59). 

• The two teams went back-and-forth with the Bulldogs maintaining a slight edge over the Friars. 

• Providence mounted a late push, outscoring the Bulldogs 11-2 to narrow the gap to 32-29. Ryan Mela (Natick, Mass.) played a key role, scoring six of those 11 points. 

• Butler extended its lead back to 39-31 entering halftime.  

• Mela led the Friars at half with 12 points. 

 

SECOND HALF: 

• Joseph opened the half's scoring with a layup. Joseph accounted for all seven Friar points through the first six minutes (14:24). The Friars trailed, 45-38.  

• The Bulldogs began to pull away. PC trailed, 68-57, entering the final media timeout (3:58).  

• Despite a late-game push, the Friars fell, 75-69. 

• Joseph finished with 17 points in just the second half.  

 

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Three Friars finished in double figures: Joseph (20), Erhunmwunse (16) and Mela (14). 

• Butler's Brooks Pierre II led the Bulldogs with 25 points and seven rebounds.  

• Joseph recorded his 1,000th career point in the game.

• Oswin Erhunmwunse finished with his second double-double of the season on a career-high 16 points and 11 rebounds. 

• The Friars outrebounded the Bulldogs by a margin of 53-29 including a 25-27 mark in offense boards. 

• It marked the first time the Friars had 50 or more rebounds versus a BIG EAST opponent since January 31, 2013 versus UConn. 

• The Friars have now registered a 20-8 mark all-time versus Butler, including a 3-1 record in the Big East Tourney. 

• PC has now posted a 27-42 mark all-time in the Big East Tournament.