Ed Croswell's Career Day Leads Providence Past Georgetown, 88-68
Following a game against Connecticut in which his team was pummeled on the glass, Ed Croswell took control early in Providence’s 88-68 victory over Georgetown.
Croswell had seven points, four rebounds, and had tied a career high with three assists 11 minutes into Sunday’s game against the Hoyas. He dominated the first half in finishing with 15 points, nine boards, and five assists at the break.
At that point, the Friars led 46-27, and while Georgetown cut PC’s advantage to ten by making 3-pointers on four straight possessions early in the second, the Hoyas never truly threatened.
After Georgetown started the game hot (scoring 11 points on their first seven possessions), Providence went on an 18-2 run to take control. And when Georgetown cut the lead to ten early in the second, the Friars later ripped off a 16-1 run highlighted by consecutive threes by Jared Bynum and Noah Locke that pushed their advantage to 67-42 midway through the half.
Providence was able to dominate Georgetown (in what might have been Patrick Ewing’s final home game as their head coach) even with Bryce Hopkins picking up three fouls in the game’s first four minutes.
Ed Cooley turned to a lineup with Croswell and Clifton Moore, and felt as though their experience and length at the rim were significant factors in Providence’s strong start.
Moore had one of his best sequences in some time when he rejected a shot at one end, then hustled up the floor for a dunk in traffic on the other. Moore finished with eight points, six boards, and three blocks off the PC bench.
“It was a game we had to win, and I thought we played with some desperation,” Cooley noted, while adding that this was probably Ed Croswell’s best game as a Friar.
Croswell has certainly had his share of big games this year. This was the sixth conference game in which he has scored 20 (or more) points, and four of those have come on the road.
In breaking down Providence’s March resume, pundits have pointed to their recent road struggles (Casey Jacobsen on the pregame show, for instance), but this win evened PC’s road Big East record at 5-5. Four of the five losses came against ranked opponents.
Cooley got very good contributions from his backcourt. Jared Bynum followed up his 7-8 shooting from beyond the arc at Georgetown a season ago by making the second most threes in a game of his career (6-9 on Sunday). Bynum could be getting hot at the right time — he’s made 10 3-pointers over the past two games.
Devin Carter was, once again, terrific defensively. He limited Brandon Murray, the player virtually every national publication had listed as the best incoming transfer to the Big East this year, to three points on 0-6 shooting from the field.
Carter added 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals of his own. His best play may have come when he retreated back to come up with a steal and then found Bynum on the other end for a three in a back-breaker of a sequence for the Hoyas.
He also had his customary pick-6.
Between Bynum, Carter, Noah Locke, and Alyn Breed, the Friars knocked down 10 threes on the afternoon.
Still, for all of Providence’s backcourt production this game was won in the paint. PC enjoyed a 46-20 edge in points in the paint and seemingly got something at the rim whenever they pleased. Providence dished out 23 assists and held a 23-11 advantage in fast break points.
It was just the type of effort the Friars needed following a subpar performance on Wednesday. They took control early and didn’t have to sweat through any concerns of a resume-bruising loss to a Georgetown team that sits alone in last place with a 2-17 conference record.
With two home games remaining to close out the regular season, Providence can clinch the second-best record in the league with wins over Xavier and Seton Hall this week (Marquette, needing one win to take the league, will likely at least split at Butler and against St. John’s this week). A pair of wins would also equate to a perfect 17-0 record at home this year.
Make no mistake, Providence has a ton to play for this week. They are currently covering around the dreaded 8/9 matchup in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and a win over a top 25 team in Xavier would give them a badly-needed Quad 1 victory.
A pair of wins this week would also give Providence 23 victories on the season, and 15 wins in league play.
It should be a wild scene in Providence over the next six days.