Providence dominates early, cruises past Brown

Devin Carter scored a team-high 18 points as Providence used a dominant first half to cruise past crosstown rival Brown 74-54 on Sunday afternoon.

Carter was 5-for-10 from the field and made three 3-pointers to lead four double-figure scorers for Providence (8-2), which shot 51.0 percent from the floor to win for the fifth time in six games.

Bryce Hopkins had 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals for the Friars. Josh Oduro eclipsed the 1,500-point mark for his career on Providence's first basket to highlight his 13-point effort, while Corey Floyd Jr. added 10 points.

The Friars had a 37-13 halftime lead by shooting 57.7 percent (15 of 26) in the opening 20 minutes. Providence led by as many as 27 points twice in the second half.

Nana Owusu-Anane led Brown (3-9) with 15 points — including 11 of the team's 13 first-half points — and nine rebounds.

Brown outscored Providence 41-37 in the second half while shooting 62.5 percent (15 of 24). Kino Lilly Jr. shook an 0 of 8 start to score 13 points.

Brown stayed in the game through the first five-plus minutes before Providence went on a

12-0 run over a 5:37 span to take a 19-7 lead. A Hopkins 3-point play moved the Providence run to 15-2 before Brown scored another field goal on Owusu-Anane's jumper with 7:38 left before halftime.

Brown opened the second half on a 6-3 run, which included Lilly's first 3-pointer during the opening minute.

Two more consecutive baskets brought Brown within 19, but Ticket Gaines' corner 3-pointer started a 3-for-3 spurt from distance for the Friars that upped the lead to 51-26 with 14:29 left.

Floyd's three-point play off a drive through the lane gave Providence the momentum back after the visitors had more than doubled their first-half output before the halfway mark of the second half.

Lilly's open 3-pointer with 5:10 to go helped Brown finish a 10-2 run that cut into its largest deficit.

—Field Level Media