Brooks scores 26, Peterson has 22 rebounds as Providence wins 79-77 on Mercer’s missed shot

Brooks scores 26 as Providence edges Mercer 79-77

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Marshon Brooks scored 26 points and Jamine Peterson added 22 rebounds, the most for a Providence player since 2000, as the Friars sneaked past Mercer 79-77 on Sunday.

Brooks came out firing, scoring 14 of his team’s first 18 points as Providence cruised into halftime with a 47-32 lead.

The Friars (3-0), who set a team record with just three turnovers, led 70-54 with 10:34 remaining when Mercer (2-1) used a 17-3 run to pull within three. Free throws by James Florence cut the Friars’ lead to 78-77 with 1:10 remaining, but Brooks missed three foul shots to keep the game within one possession.

Mercer had the ball and the time for a shot, but E.J. Kusnyer’s 3-point attempt with 7 seconds remaining hit the side of the backboard, and the Friars eked out the win along with the World Vision Invitational title.

Florence scored 23 points and Jeff Smith added 19 for Mercer.