CINCINNATI — Richard Pitino saw the kind of rebound he was looking for the most Saturday in a blowout win over Providence.
Just 72 hours after his team suffered a gut-punching 66-65 loss at Marquette, the Musketeers had four players in double figures and had command from the beginning in a 97-84 win over the Friars Saturday at Cintas. In snapping a three-game losing streak, Xavier shot a blazing 49.3 percent from the field, draining 37-of-75 shots.
Most impressive was the team’s assist-to-turnover ratio, with the Musketeers recording 23 assists on 37 baskets and committing just four turnovers in the game.
All three of Xavier’s losses in the three-game skid came in Big East play, and Xavier had yet to win a conference home game with losses to UConn and Creighton coming at Cintas.
“I think obviously we’re most proud of is giving our fans a good moment in this building,” Xavier coach Richard Pitino sid. “The UC game, obviously was a great moment for them. We know that we’re starting from scratch. We’re going to build a championship team. I really, really believe it, in time, but it does take time.
“People aren’t as patient anymore because of NIL transfer portal, but it takes time. But the one thing that we do have – we didn’t have any players besides Roddy (Anderson) and the walk-ons – was a home court advantage, and we just haven’t given our fans a lot of great moments in here, and they’re still showing up. It’s great to see some students back. But just the response after the disappointment (of having) that Marquette game won, and then to bounce back and probably play the best kind of complete game of the year. Very, very proud of just the character in the locker room.”
Jovan Milicevic added 22 points while Filip Borovicanin had another strong all-around game, with 15 points, 10 rebounds and six rebounds. Tre Carroll was the fourth Musketeer in double figures with 18 points.
Xavier (10-7, 2-4) won for just the second time in six Big East games and has a chance for another home conference win Wednesday against Butler. Providence (8-8, 1-4) fell again, just three days after a heartbreaking 103-98 overtime loss at home to No. 4 Connecticut.
“We just had to come out with great spirit, great energy,” Milicevic said. “I feel like that’s what we were lacking. We just have to keep sticking together and I feel like we did a great job of that and performed really well.”
Perhaps the most important part of the game for the Musketeers and a good sign of things to come was the balance between the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Pape N’Diaye was a big part of that Saturday. In 22 minutes, the big man had six rebounds and two blocks.
“When we have Jovan and Tre (Carroll) out there, we are a very good offensive team. When we don’t, our defense may be better, like it was at Marquette, but our offense suffers a little bit,” Pitino said. “Now, Pape is getting better. You’re seeing it right in front of our eyes. But when we do have that lineup on the court in their battle like that, good things happen. I think we’re a very, very good offensive team; 23 assists, four turnovers in a Big East game is amazing, but a lot of that has to do with just those guys being on the court.”
Jaylin Sellers connected for a jumper in the paint 29 seconds in for Providence’s only lead of the game, 2-0. Malik Messina-Moore hit a jumper 18 seconds later to start a 7-0 run and Xavier never trailed from there.
As a matter of fact, Messina-Moore, like he was on Wednesday night in Milwaukee with 22 points, carried the Musketeers offensively early on. He scored all six points in a 6-0 spurt that put Xavier up, 17-7. The senior from Ventura, Calif. scored 14 of his xx points in the first half.
Providence closed to within 30-26 with 5:46 left in the first half. But the Musketeers closed the first half on a 14-9 run to take a 44-36 halftime lead.
Xavier opened the second half on a 10-3 surge to take a 54-39 lead and Xavier led by double figures the rest of the way, leading by as many as 21 twice in the final five minutes.
Xavier held Providence to just 37.1 percent shooting in the first half, including 4-of-18 from 3-point range.
“I thought the defense was terrific, especially to start the game,” Pitino said. “To be able to play that defense in the first half, I thought it set the tone.”
