Big East Conference Tournament Recaps
New York, NY (Sports Network) – Sean Kilpatrick scored a team-leading 17 points and JaQuon Parker chipped in a double-double as the Cincinnati Bearcats defeated Providence, 61-44, in second-round play of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
Parker finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Cincinnati (22-10), which held Providence to just 28.1 percent shooting and will face top-seeded Georgetown in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
The Friars (17-14) staged a late run at the end of the first half to come within four points early in the second, but couldn’t overcome a miserable start.
Kadeem Batts tallied 14 points with eight rebounds and Bryce Cotton scored 12 in the defeat, which ultimately doomed Providence’s NCAA Tournament hopes.
The Bearcats held the Friars to just a single basket 6 1/2 minutes through the game and raced out to an early 13-2 lead, which later expanded to 26-8 at the 6:25 mark of the first half following back-to-back 3-pointers from Parker.
Providence, however, went on a 19-5 run from there to come within 31-27 early in the second half. Batts’ fourth straight bucket kept the Friars within six, 41-35, with seven minutes remaining, but they couldn’t come any closer.
A Kilpatrick 3-pointer and a 3-point play from Parker ensued soon after during a 10-4 run that staked Cincinnati to a 51-39 lead and put the contest out of reach.
Final Score: (19) Syracuse 75, Seton Hall 63
New York, NY (Sports Network) – James Southerland was lights-out from beyond the arc and No. 19 Syracuse snapped out of its funk with a strong second half to down Seton Hall, 75-63, in second-round play of the Big East Tournament.
Syracuse (24-8) had dropped four of its final five regular-season contests, but Southerland tallied 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range to get the fifth-seeded Orange back on track and set up a quarterfinals matchup with fourth-seeded Pittsburgh on Thursday.
C.J. Fair had 14 of his 16 points over the final 20 minutes for Syracuse, while Brandon Triche donated 17 points and Michael Carter-Williams facilitated the offense with 14 assists in the victory.
The Pirates (15-18) jumped out to an early lead, but struggled to keep pace in the second half. Aaron Cosby scored a game-high 22 points, Eugene Teague added 13 and Fuquan Edwin finished with 11 points in defeat.
The Orange got out to a slow start, but rallied to tie the score at 34-34 by the break after Southerland’s fifth triple sparked a 9-2 push to close out the half.
Syracuse carried the momentum out of the locker room and ran away with the contest following a 21-4 run. Fair scored eight points during the surge and bookended it with a pair of jumpers, staking the Orange to a 67-50 lead that all but sealed the victory.
Edwin and Cosby were the only scorers for the Pirates through the initial 18 1/2 minutes of the second half, with the duo combining for 24 of Seton Hall’s 29 points.
The Pirates got out to a fast start, leading 16-6 following Kyle Smyth’s third 3-pointer in the first six-plus minutes of the contest.
They kept a 10-point advantage following an 8-0 surge midway through the period, but after the Orange tied the game by halftime, Seton Hall never led again.
A pair of free throws from Cosby tied the contest at 46-46 prior to Syracuse’s decisive run.
Game Notes
The Orange shot 56.3 percent from the field, including 9-for-15 from long distance … The Pirates were 10-for-20 from 3-point range … Syracuse outrebounded Seton Hall, 29-18.
Categorized in: NCAA Basketball