Jan. 3, 2010

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

QUEENS, N.Y. - The Providence College men's basketball team (9-5, 1-1 BIG EAST) defeated St. John's University (10-4, 0-2 BIG EAST) by the score of 74-59 on Sunday, Jan. 3 at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, N.Y. Trailing 54-50 with under eight minutes to play in the game, the Friars closed the game on a 24-5 run to secure the 15-point victory.

Senior guard Sharaud Curry (Gainesville, Ga.) led PC with a season-high 26 points and dished out five assists. The 26 points was also a BIG EAST career-high for Curry and the effort moved him past Billy Donovan and into 18th place on PC's all-time scoring list.

The Johnnies scored the game's first six points and held a 14-8 lead after five minutes of action. Providence responded with a 7-0 run to take a 15-14 lead, fueled by an effective perimeter defense that led to two steals. A deep 3-pointer by senior Curry gave PC an 18-16 advantage at the 11:26 mark of the first half but St. John's answered back with a 15-6 run over the next 9:22 to take a 31-22 lead with two minutes left in the half. The Friars were held without a field goal for six minutes during that stretch. Despite the drought, PC closed the half well and used a 10-2 run to cut the Johnnies' lead to one (33-32) at the half.

St. John's shot an impressive 56.5 percent (13-23) from the field in the opening stanza, but the Friars overcame the hot shooting by forcing 15 Red Storm turnovers on 10 steals. PC held a 12-2 advantage in points off turnovers in the half. Curry led PC with 15 first-half points.

After the Friars took a 36-35 early in the second half, the Red Storm recorded seven-straight points to take a 42-36 lead. With PC trailing by seven (46-39), a 3-pointer by senior Brian McKenzie (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and a fast-break lay-in by junior guard/forward Marshon Brooks (Stone Mountain, Ga.) moved the Friars back within two at 46-44 with 12:25 to go in the game. PC tied the game at 48 on a free throw by freshman guard Vincent Council (Brooklyn, N.Y.), but the Johnnies scored four quick points to regain the lead at 52-48 with 10:39 remaining.

With the score tied at 54, a good defensive possession by the Friars led to a break-away lay-up by Curry and a two-point PC lead (56-54). Two possessions later, sophomore forward Jamine Peterson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) completed a 3-point play to move the Friars ahead 59-54, and Peterson connected on another 3-point play soon after to give PC a 10-point lead (64-54) with under four minutes to go. The sequence was part of a 14-0 run by the Friars that ultimately clinched the game for PC. St. John's could not move closer than six for the remainder of the game.

The Friars dominated the second half, despite shooting only 36.4 percent (12-33) from the field. PC out-rebounded the Johnnies, 27-20, and made a number of key free throws down the stretch, connecting on 16-of-20 freebies (80.0 percent) in the second half. For the game, Providence forced 23 St. John's turnovers, a season-high for the Red Storm and the most by a Friar opponent since Vermont committed 23 turnovers on November 24, 2008. PC finished the contest with a 21-to-4 advantage in points off turnovers and made 16 steals, the most by the team since the Friars made 19 thefts against the Catamounts.

Providence returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 6 against the University of Louisville at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The 7:00 p.m. ET contest will be the Friars' BIG EAST home opener and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.