Men's Basketball Falls at Providence

Wednesday, February 24

Providence, R.I.

9:00 p.m.

Xavier University

12-5,5-5Big East

Providence

12-11,8-9Big East

Xavier

Providence

02.24.21 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Zach Freemantle, Paul Scruggs lead the way with 20-point performances

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

PROVIDENCE, R.I.- A pair of Musketeers hit the 20-point mark but it wasn't enough to over come a hot-shooting night by the Providence Friars, with Xavier falling 83-68 in Providence on Wednesday evening. Xavier moves to 12-5 on the season and 5-5 in BIG EAST play.

Zach Freemantle led all-scorers with 24 points and Paul Scruggs added 22, but the Musketeers as a whole finished shooting 44 percent, including a 3-of-17 clip from three, compared to 53 percent from PC, which connected on 11 of 21 threes.

FIRST HALF

After going into the first media timeout with Xavier trailing in a two-point game, 8-6, Providence went on an 8-2 run to take a 16-8 run with just over 11 minutes to play before halftime.
The Friars led by as many as 13, 25-12, when Xavier responded with a 7-0 run, capped by a Dwon Odom three pointer to pull within six.
PC would push the lead back out to 11, and the Musketeers would get no closer than seven, 30-23, in the final five minutes of the half before going into the break down 10, 35-25.
Zach Freemantle had eight points and eight boards to lead the way for Xavier in the first half. Paul Scruggs also had eight points.
Xavier held an 18-17 advantage on rebounds in the first half.

SECOND HALF

Xavier opened the second half with an 8-2 run to pull within four, the closest the Musketeers would get the rest of the way, trailing 37-33 with 17 minutes to play.
Providence would maintain a 7-to-11 point lead most of the remainder of the game until the final minute of the game, when the Friars pushed the lead out to 15, 83-68, the final score.
Zach Freemantle was 6-of-8 from the floor in the second half, scoring a team-high 16 points.
Paul Scruggs added 14 for the Musketeers.
Dwon Odom added eight after the break.
Xavier was out-rebounded 16-10 after halftime.

NOTABLES

Zach Freemantle finished with a double-double for the fourth-straight game, scoring 24 and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Paul Scruggs added 22 points for the Musketeers.
Dwon Odom finished with 11 in the start, one off his career high. Odom hit his first collegiate three in the first half.
Xavier was out-rebounded 33-28 overall but had a 6-4 advantage on the offensive glass.