Video and Analysis from the 2nd Half and Overtime vs Connecticut

Takeaways from a second look at Providence’s 63-59 overtime loss at Connecticut.

1. Providence has been a team of runs all season, and they got an early one in the second half.  Ed Cooley said he thought his team controlled the second, and they certainly did so over the first 10 minutes.  Keys to the run were Kris Dunn and Kadeem Batts.

Batts took just four shots in the first half, but the Friars found him early.  Dunn assisted on a Batts dunk 13 seconds into the second half, and when Dunn followed by making an open three pointer a six point halftime deficit was down to just one two possessions in.

Connecticut helped offensively by going away from DeAndre Daniels, who had dominated the first half, opting instead to go 1:1 with Ryan Boatright and Shabazz Napier who were both ineffective early in the second.

Providence went on a 17-7 run over the first eight minutes of the second half, a streak that was capped by a transition Josh Fortune three pointer to make it 43-39 Friars.

2. UConn’s defense stiffened over the next five minutes.  They held PC to just one field goal over that span and seemed primed to take control of the game, going on an 8-3 run to take the lead with under eight minutes to go.  They had the ball with an opportunity to extend that lead, but Dunn came up with a critical steal that he took 65 feet for a dunk on the other end to give PC the lead.

3. Dunn’s dunk was one of only three Providence field goals over the final 10 minutes of regulation.  LaDontae Henton made the other two shots — each was huge.  He knocked down a baseline jumper with about 5:30 left to give Providence a 50-48 lead, and PC trailed 53-50 after going without a point for nearly four minutes before Henton drained a three with 1:57 to play to tie it.

4. In overtime it was the youngsters again stepping up for Providence.  The Friars hadn’t scored for over three minutes of the OT session when Fortune grabbed a Henton miss and laid it home in traffic to make it a two point game with 1:30 left.

The Friars got a stop and nearly had an opportunity to take the lead with under 50 seconds to go when Henton was fouled on a shot near the rim, but it slipped off.  He did come through clutch once again, making both foul shots setting up Ryan Boatright’s dramatic game-winner.

In a frustrating loss, PC’s ability to tie the game in overtime said a lot about the fight in this bunch.  It looked all but over when Connecticut had a pair of free throws that could have pushed it to six with under three minutes left, but they missed both and Providence clawed their way back to a tie before falling late.

Between tying it in overtime and losing a late two point lead in regulation, a painful loss hurt that much more for Friartown.

535 Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment Login