CINCINNATI (AP) — Colby Jones hit a 3-pointer with one tenth of a second leftto lead Xavier to a 74-73 win over Providence on Sunday.
Xavier, which got the ball with 14.5 seconds to play, kept weaving toward the basket until Adam Kunkel drove into the lane, kicked the ball to the right corner for Paul Scruggs, who whipped the ball up top to Jones. Jones hit nothing but net over the outstretched arms of closing Jimmy Nichols Jr.
The basket capped an eight-point flurry for the Musketeers in the final minute to erase a 73-66 deficit, which was built by the Friars’ 11-0 run over the previous two minutes.
A Nate Watson layup with 3:02 to play started the Providence run and followed in quick succession with 3-pointers from AJ Reveves, David Duke and Noah Horschler as the Musketeers came up empty.
Then Nate Johnson hit a 3-pointer with a minute to play, the Friars were called for traveling and Zach Freemantle knocked down a jumper in the lane, and following another giveaway, Jones nailed the winner.
Freemantle had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Musketeers (10-2, 3-2 Big East Conference). Johnson had 14 points for Xavier and Jones scored 9.
Duke scored a season-high 30 points and had six assists for the Friars (7-5, 3-3). Watson added 17 points and 14 rebounds. Jimmy Nichols Jr. had five assists.
In the final 12 minutes, Providence made 12 of 14 shots, five of them triples, and in the last seven, Xavier went 9 of 14 with three 3s.
