Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwell combined for 46 points when Xavier finished Big East regular seasonal game with a 76-68 victory over visiting Providence on Saturday in Cincinnati.
Freemantle scored 19 of its team high 25 points during the second half and added eight returns to lead the musketeers (21-10, 13-7) to their seventh victory in a row. Xavier shot 57.7 percent after half time.
Conwell scored 21 points on the strength of four 3 points and added five assists. Jerome Hunter was also a double -digit goal scorer with 12 points.
Providence’s Bensley Joseph had 27 points on 9-AV-14 shooting to lead all scorers, while Ryan Mela had 12 points, seven returns and four assists.
Friars (12-19, 6-14) ended 12-AV-24 from 3-point intervals. Joseph was 7-AV-10 to match his career high for brands in a game. They have dropped five in a row.
Almost the first 30 minutes were played completely inside a five-point window, but Xavier used a 9-2 run to take a lead of 55-49 and Force Providence to call Timeout with 10:15.
After a Joseph Three and Oswin Erhunmwunse’s Dunk led visitors evenly, Fremantle helped to lead to a layout of traffic and a trey before Conwell’s driving. Defending Providence Baskets, Freemantle Layup and Conwells Three kept the musketeers in control through timeout during 8.
Joseph struck another three with 7:10 left, but Hunter’s 3-point game and Freemantle’s layout of a third offensive recovery of the possession helped Xavier breathe with a lead of 65-56.
Freemantle made two free throw and another jumper that looked to remove the game, but Joseph and Floyd responded with consecutive Treys to make things interesting. Successful trips to the line from Conwell and Dayvion McKnight helped manage the game.
Xavier carried 36-32 lead to half time after Foster’s corner triple and a conwell base line operation to the basket in the final 1:31 erased a rich barron three which temporarily lifted providence.
Xavier got his first four points on Freemantle Layups and deleted an early 7-4 deficit with a 7-0 driving that included a Conwell Three.
Two Mela arrangements and Pierre and Joseph Tripplar helped to turn points Providence’s road again, but the hosts took the lead back at 8:08 after Conwell joined from 3-point interval to start another 5-0 spurt.
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