Providence Friars vs DePaul Blue Demons Match Player Stats On Jan 04, 2020

Nate Watson sank the second of two free throws with 1.1 seconds left to give Providence a 66-65 Big East victory over DePaul on Saturday afternoon at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

Watson was fouled by DePaul's Paul Reed after grabbing Maliek White's miss. Watson missed his first shot to ramp up the noise on DePaul's home court, but made the second to give Providence (9-6, 2-0) a share of the Big East lead.

Luwane Pipkins, a Chicago native, scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half for the Friars while White added 16 off the bench.

Reed paced DePaul (12-3, 0-2) with 24 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and three steals to join William & Mary's Nathan Knight as the nation's only players with 11 double-doubles this season.

Jalen Coleman-Lands contributed 15 points for the Blue Demons, including three free throws with 16 seconds left to cap a rally from 10 points down. Charlie Moore added 11 points and five assists.

The Friars and Blue Demons swapped the lead much of the first half before Providence produced an 11-2 run that gave the visitors a 27-18 lead with 6:32 left in the half.

When Reed cashed a jumper with 28 seconds left in the half, DePaul took a 33-31 lead into the break and Reed owned 10 points with eight rebounds.

Pipkins drilled four 3-pointers in the first 5:16 of the second half to give Providence a 48-42 lead.

DePaul responded with a quick burst and tied it 50-50 on Devin Gage's 3-pointer with 11:06 left, but then the Blue Demons suffered through a 5:22 dry spell. Providence seized a 60-50 advantage as Holt and White delivered five points apiece.

Once again, the Blue Demons rallied and pulled within 65-62 on Gage's 3-pointer with 1:21 to play. The Blue Demons had two chances in the final minute to forge a tie, but Moore airballed a 3-point attempt with 46 seconds left. Coleman-Lands drew a foul on a 3-point try with 16 ticks to go and sank all three free throws for a 65-65 tie.

DePaul played most of the way without starting center Jaylen Butz, who suffered a leg injury in the first half and did not return.

--Field Level Media