Butler @ Providence preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 13, 2019 ) Butler 57, Providence 80

Providence has become a totally different team over the last three weeks, and the Friars will go after a fifth consecutive victory when they host sixth-ranked Butler on Friday night in a Big East showdown. Providence was 6-6 before knocking off Texas four days before Christmas and has run off three straight wins to open the conference season, capped by Tuesday’s 81-80 overtime triumph at Marquette.

“We’re a lot more dialed in,” Friars senior center Kalif Young told the Providence Journal. “There’s a sense of urgency understanding where we’re at. We know we have to step up and make a better effort and right now anybody can step up. Everyone has a chance to show up and play big for us.” The Friars won all three meetings last season - the final two by a combined 36 points - and have taken five of six against Butler, which has built a five-game winning streak since its lone loss to Baylor (53-52) on Dec. 10. The Bulldogs knocked off St. John’s by two before rolling past Creighton 71-57 in their first two Big East contests and entered Thursday fourth in the nation in scoring defense (54.1) while 18th in least turnovers per outing (11.1), but coach LaVall Jordan said he thinks they have more to give. “I keep telling the guys I’m waiting for us to play well for 40 minutes,” Jordan told the media. “I think we’re getting closer.”

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: Fox Sports 1

ABOUT BUTLER (14-1, 2-0 Big East): Senior guard Kamar Baldwin, who was hampered by an ankle injury, missed his first nine shots Saturday against Creighton before finishing with 20 points and Jordan told reporters: “Everyone is going to have a different game plan for him and so it’s a matter of adjusting.” Baldwin averages a team-high 14.7 points - 19.5 in two Big East games - and senior forward Sean McDermott adds 11.8 on 54.5 percent shooting from the field with a team-best 34 makes from 3-point range. Junior forward Bryce Nze contributes 9.8 points on 62.4 percent shooting along with a team-high 71 rebounds.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (10-6, 3-0): Senior guard Alpha Diallo leads a balanced offense (13.6 points) while also topping the team in rebounds (8.9) and steals (2.1) after registering his seventh double-double of the season against Marquette. Sophomore guard David Duke scored 12 on Tuesday to boost his season average to 11.8 and junior center Nate Watson adds 9.8 points per game on 50.5 percent field goal shooting after pouring in 13 off the bench versus Marquette. Senior guard Luwane Pipkins was held to one point Tuesday after averaging 14.3 in his previous three games while leading the team with 4.2 assists per contest.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Butler junior G Aaron Thompson adds 7.1 points per game while sitting second in the Big East in assists (5.3).

2. Providence senior G Maliek White averaged 17.5 points - nine more than his season mark - in the last two contests.

3. Baldwin is 10th in program history with 1,673 points and has 175 steals, two from taking over fifth place.

PREDICTION: Providence 75, Butler 74