NEW YORK — Big East Player of the Year Devin Carter had 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead seventh-seeded Providence to a 78-73 victory over No. 8-ranked Creighton on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals.
The Friars fended off a late comeback by the second-seeded Bluejays to hang on for the victory.
Providence (21-12) is headed to its second Big East tournament semifinals in three years.
Creighton (23-9) trailed by as many as 13 points early in the second half before using a 13-2 run to rally. Trey Alexander sparked the run and ended it with a jumper to give the Bluejays a 64-63 lead, with 5:37 remaining.
It didn’t last long though, as there were five lead changes in the next two minutes, including Jayden Pierre’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:37 left to give the Friars a 70-68 lead.
Providence stayed in front and made Creighton pay for missing potential game-tying free-throw opportunities. Ryan Kalkbrenner missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Trey Alexander went 0-for-2 at the free-throw line down the stretch. Carter and Josh Oduro responded with back-to-back layups to help Providence pull away.
Oduro had 17 points and nine rebounds, while Pierre finished with 15 points, four rebounds and seven assists. The Friars shot 29 of 70 (41.4 percent) and 6 of 23 (26.1 percent) from the 3-point arc.
Creighton struggled offensively early on. A stingy defensive effort by the Friars restricted the Bluejays to shooting just 25.8 percent in the first half, as Providence held a 33-30 halftime lead.
The Bluejays regrouped in a much improved second half and shot 14 of 27 (51.9 percent) after the break. Four players scored in double figures in the loss.
Kalkbrenner, the three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, played a key role in the comeback effort with his play on both ends, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and two steals. Alexander also had 19 points for the Bluejays. Baylor Scheierman and Steven Ashworth each had 16 points.
–Eugene Rapay, Field Level Media