Providence sweeps season series against UConn, keeps Big East Tournament hopes alive

Providence swept the season series against UConn on Thursday night, defeating the Huskies 85-76, keeping their Big East tournament hopes alive and kicking. With just a few games remaining in the regular season in the Big East, teams are playing for different things. UConn entered the Dunkin Donuts Center already having clinched a 1st round bye in the Big East tournament. The Huskies were winners of 12 of their last 13 games, but the Friars’ duo of Weyinmi Efejuku and Jeff Xavier knocked UConn down a peg or two.

Efejuku and Xavier combined for 46 points to lead Providence past UConn. Providence sits in the 12th and final spot in the Big East tournament picture, but the Friars have company. DePaul is tied with Providence for the 12th spot. Both teams are 6-11 in conference play, each with one game to go. Providence hosts Villanova in their regular season finale on Saturday. DePaul finishes out the regular season on the road in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Providence defeated DePaul 79-65 on Feb. 5th, so the Friars hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Demons. This Saturday’s game against Villanova is essentially a one-game playoff for Providence; win, and the Friars become the 12th and final team to qualify for the Big East tournament.

UConn has already established themselves as one of the team’s to reckon with in the Big East, but as the Huskies have cemented themselves as a Big East power once again, they turned in one of their worst performances of the year. Despite 16 points each from Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet (Thabeet also had 13 rebounds and six blocks), UConn shot 39 percent, while committing a season-high 21 turnovers, and allowing their second-highest amount of points this season.

> Buy Providence clothing & apparel and more online along with Big East sports merchandise from Big East Fans partner sites.

Providence notched their second win a row after losing five straight. The Friars played desperate, played with their backs against the wall, and picked up their biggest win of the year at the most crucial time. UConn, however, seemed content to mail it in. The Huskies entered the game without much to play for. UConn is still in prime position once the Big East tournament gets under way. The Huskies will be one of the four teams to earn a first-round bye, and not that any loss is ever a good loss, but this loss will remind UConn that they haven’t accomplished anything yet; there’s still a lot of work left to be done. It’s good for UConn to get a bad loss like this out of their system before the tournament, and it also keeps them from reading too much of their own press clippings. Having won 12 of their last 13, the Huskies have received a lot pats on the back and have heard from many people about how good they are, but hopefully for UConn, this loss will get them refocused on playing good, intense basketball.

by Frank Minniti
BigEast-fans.com Director of Content

> More Big East basketball news & headlines

> Follow the Big East Basketball Tournament with online updates from Big East Fans!