Xavier defeats Providence for seventh straight win

Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwell combined for 46 points as Xavier concluded Big East regular-season play with a 76-68 win over visiting Providence on Saturday in Cincinnati.

Freemantle scored 19 of his team-high 25 points in the second half and added eight rebounds to lead the Musketeers (21-10, 13-7) to their seventh consecutive victory. Xavier shot 57.7 percent after halftime.

Conwell scored 21 points on the strength of four 3-pointers and added five assists. Jerome Hunter was also a double-figure scorer with 12 points.

Providence's Bensley Joseph had 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting to lead all scorers, while Ryan Mela had 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

The Friars (12-19, 6-14) finished 12-of-24 from 3-point range. Joseph was 7-of-10 to match his career high for makes in a game. They have lost five in a row.

Nearly the first 30 minutes were played entirely inside of a five-point window, but Xavier used a 9-2 run to take a 55-49 lead and force Providence to call timeout with 10:15 left.

After a Joseph three and Oswin Erhunmwunse's dunk brought the visitors even, Fremantle helped lead the surge with a layup in traffic and a trey before Conwell's drive. Answering Providence baskets, Freemantle layup and Conwell's three kept the Musketeers in control through the under-8 timeout.

Joseph banged down another three with 7:10 left, but Hunter's 3-point play and Freemantle's layup off a third offensive rebound of the possession helped Xavier breathe with a 65-56 lead.

Freemantle scored two free throws and another jumper that looked to put the game away, but Joseph and Floyd answered with consecutive treys to make things interesting. Successful trips to the line from Conwell and Dayvion McKnight helped clinch the game.

Xavier carried a 36-32 lead into halftime after Foster's corner triple and a Conwell baseline drive to the basket in the final 1:31 erased a Rich Barron three that temporarily lifted Providence.

Xavier got its first four points on Freemantle layups and erased an early 7-4 deficit with a 7-0 run that included a Conwell three.

Two Mela layups and Pierre and Joseph triples helped flip the score Providence's way again, but the hosts took the lead back at 8:08 after Conwell connected from 3-point range again to start another 5-0 spurt.

--Field Level Media