When Providence and Xavier Meet Fireworks Usually Ensue

With the way the Providence/Xavier series has gone since the Musketeers joined the Big East in 2013, no one could have been blamed for expecting Jared Bynum’s corner three to drop as the final buzzer sounded in Cincinnati when the two clubs met on Feb. 1.

Instead, Bynum’s shot just rimmed out, giving Xavier an 85-83 overtime victory over the Friars in what was the latest outstanding game between the two programs.

That win had to have felt great for a Xavier team that had their hearts broken not once, but twice, against Providence last season.

Bynum buried a last-second game-winner at the Cintas Center last year, before making one incredible shot after another in an epic of a triple overtime thriller in the return match at the Dunkin Donuts Center.

The list of terrific games and moments between the two programs feels endless.

In 2016, Providence hosted its first-ever matchup of AP top 10 teams — a game that Xavier led by 17 with under eight minutes to go, only to see their advantage cut to three in the final two minutes. JP Macura ignored Chris Mack’s plea for a timeout after Kris Dunn (16 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 7 steals) made it a one possession game on a lob from Kyron Cartwright. Macura calmly drained a 3-pointer with the Dunk crowd losing its mind to lead X to victory on that night.

Providence exacted more than a measure of revenge in the 2018 Big East Tournament semifinals. Xavier was ranked fifth in the country, and would be a number one seed in the ‘18 NCAA Tournament, but could not hold onto a 14-point second half lead thanks to the stellar play of Cartwright. PC won in overtime after Cartwright hit a game-winning jumper and drew a late charge on Macura. PC’s 2018 Big East Tournament run, and that game in particular, cemented Cartwright’s status as an all-time favorite Friar.

Providence won its first game in seven tries at the Cintas Center in 2019 with a narrow 64-62 victory. A year later, Luwane Pipkins was the hero at the Dunk, making a pair of huge shots in the final 90 seconds of a thriller. In 2021, Colby Jones (then a freshman) buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Xavier a win at the buzzer.

Wednesday night is setting up to be a huge game for both clubs. Xavier and Providence are currently tied for second in the Big East with matching 13-5 conference records.

There is a lot on the line for the Friars this week. Providence is not only playing for Big East Tournament seeding (they will earn the #2 spot with a 2-0 week, #3 if they split with Xavier and Seton Hall), but they could use a Quad 1 victory — which a win over X would qualify as. The Friars are 3-6 in Quad 1 games, and 3-2 in Quad 2, in a measure the NCAA Tournament committee will rely heavily on in two weeks when creating its 2023 bracket.

Providence would also like to avoid the fourth seed in the Big East Tournament. With a PC win (or two) this week, that side of the bracket could be brutal with Creighton, Connecticut, and Marquette facing off prior to Saturday’s final.

Like Providence, Xavier is also 21-8 on the season, but they are currently projected as a five seed, while PC is more in the 7-8 range thanks to having better records against Quad 1 (5-5) and Quad 2 (6-1) opponents. Fifteen of PC’s wins have come against Quad 3 and 4 programs, while only ten of Xavier’s have been versus Quad 3 and 4.

Sean Miller’s club will come to Providence with a bit of desperation on Wednesday night. They have dropped three of their last four games, and all three losses have come in heart-breaking fashion — 69-67 at Butler, 69-68 at Marquette, and 64-63 last week against Villanova. Four of their five Big East losses have come by two points or less, although two of those losses came against Butler and DePaul (programs that are a combined 9-27 in league play).

They are 4-3 since losing veteran power forward Zach Freemantle. The New Jersey native was averaging 15.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game before going down with a foot injury. He could return this week.

UTEP transfer Souley Boum continues to lead them in scoring (16.5 points per game), while Jones is one of the most well-rebounded players in the league (14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists). Devin Carter will likely draw Jones as his assignment.

The frontcourt battle could determine how this one ends. Seven footer Jack Nunge (14.3 points, 7.9 rebounds) has the length advantage over Ed Croswell, while Jerome Hunter was terrific in matching the power of Bryce Hopkins in Cincinnati in the first meeting.

X can really shoot it. Boum, Nunge, and Adam Kunkel are all shooting over 40% from three this year, while Jones checks in at 38.8%. Freshman Desmond Claude is a Connecticut native who is the future of Miller’s backcourt — a 6’5 guard capable of playing either spot.

The X-factor in this one could be the home crowd. Providence’s students will be on break for the season finale against Seton Hall, so this will be their last opportunity to make their presence felt this year.

How do Providence and Xavier match up statistically? Here is a comparison of the two programs in Big East play:

• Offensive Rating: Xavier 114.5 (points/100 possessions) vs. PC at 113.0. Xavier’s mark ranks in the 96th percentile nationally, while the Friars are 91st.

• Defensive Rating: Xavier 106.4 (40th percentile) vs. Providence’s 104.1 (58th)

• Xavier is averaging a league best 81.1 points per game. The Friars are third at 77.9.

• Xavier is shooting 54% inside the 3-point arc, and 38.9% from beyond. PC is at 48.9% inside the arc and 37.5% from three.

• The Musketeers’ 19.9 assists per game in league play ranks in the 100th percentile nationally.

• Providence is tops in the league, drawing 17.9 fouls per game. X is third with 16.3.

• PC takes 22.1 free throws per game, as opposed to Xavier’s 17.2.

• Both teams average 11.6 bench points per game — tied for the third lowest mark in the league.