Day two of the Big East Tournament tipped off Thursday afternoon with quarterfinal action. Villanova received more than it asked for from Georgetown before pulling away from the Hoyas in the final 10 minutes to win, 81-67. In the second game, a surging Providence team dominated a Butler squad that had been playing very well coming into the postseason. The Friars and Wildcats will meet in Friday night’s semifinals for the second straight season; it will be Providence’s third consecutive trip since the Big East was reconfigured prior to the 2013-14 season.
Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn combined for 53 points in Providence’s victory over Butler. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
Georgetown (15-18): It was a strong effort from the Hoyas for the better part of 30 minutes but in the end Georgetown just didn’t have enough to deal with Villanova’s toughness and cohesiveness. Bradley Hayes made an immediate impact in the paint, a performance that kept Georgetown in the game and especially important with Villanova center Daniel Ochefu limited to 13 minutes by a nagging injury. L.J. Peak continued his quality play with 18 points but a lack of scoring production from senior D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera was an important factor in Georgetown fading down the stretch.
Villanova (28-4): The Wildcats broke open a close game with a 14-1 run midway through the second half that was keyed by a number of hustle plays leading to transition opportunities. Josh Hart had an outstanding game with 25 points, scoring from all over the floor and especially lethal in transition. After the game, head coach Jay Wright called Hart one of the nation’s best players running the floor and it’s easy to see why after today’s performance. Ryan Arcidiacono was his usual self, diving into the MSG crowd for two lost balls and igniting his team in transition. Two pull-up threes when he didn’t have numbers were gutsy shots that allowed Villanova to create some separation.
Butler (21-10): Winners of seven of their last nine games coming into Madison Square Garden this week, the Bulldogs’ hot streak came grinding to a halt Thursday afernoon. Plagued by an inability to score inside, Butler relied on three-pointers to keep it close even though it had been outplayed by Providence to that point. The Friars broke it open in the second half as Butler had no answer whatsoever for Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn. Head coach Chris Holtmann admitted as much after the game, saying that his team tried everything to no avail. Kelan Martin never got going today, nor did Roosevelt Jones. Butler should wind up in the field of 68 but a win here would have greatly helped its seeding.
Providence (23-9): After a disappointing February, the Friars are starting to again look like the team that beat Arizona and Villanova earlier this season. Bentil and Dunn combined for 53 of the team’s 74 points, with Bentil hanging a ridiculous 38 on the Bulldogs — the second-most points ever scored in a Big East Tournament game. Even more important for the Friars was holding a dynamic Butler offense to just 60 points. Providence prides itself on defense so it was impressive to watch the Friars hold one of the most efficient offenses in the nation to 1.02 points per possession. Ed Cooley always gets his team psyched up for the Big East Tournament and the Friars look ready to give Villanova all it can handle in tomorrow night’s first semifinal.