No. 8 West Virginia snaps 2-game slide with 88-74 win over Providence

Ebanks scores 21 as Mountaineers beat Friars 88-74

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Devin Ebanks scored 21 points and No. 8 West Virginia used its big height advantage to dominate inside and break a two-game losing streak with an 88-74 win over Providence on Wednesday night.

The Mountaineers took a 25-4 lead by scoring 23 straight points, but Providence cut that to 46-28 at halftime and 48-42 with a 14-2 really to open the second half. West Virginia then recovered by scoring the next nine points and stayed in front by at least 10 the rest of the way.

West Virginia (20-5, 9-4 Big East) had dropped from the No. 5 ranking with losses to Villanova and to Pittsburgh in triple overtime. Providence (12-14, 4-10) lost its sixth straight game. The Friars were led by Jamine Peterson, their tallest starter at 6-foot-6, with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Four starters for the Mountaineers were taller.

The challenge doesn’t get any easier for Providence, which will face its fourth consecutive Top 10 opponent when it hosts No. 5 Syracuse on Tuesday night.

The Mountaineers lost their two previous games to ranked teams. They fell 82-75 at home against Villanova, and 98-95 at Pittsburgh in a game in which the Panthers overcame a five-point deficit in the last 35 seconds of regulation and a one-point deficit in the last 40 seconds of the final overtime.

Wednesday’s win broke a tie for third place in the Big East with Pittsburgh. Villanova and Syracuse lead the conference at 11-2.

The Mountaineers were much better inside from the start.

Providence led 4-2 before Wellington Smith began the 23-0 run when he converted an offensive rebound. Da’Sean Butler scored seven points in the surge, including two three-point plays, as the Mountaineers rolled to a 25-4 lead with 11:04 left in the half. Six of their nine baskets in that spurt were layups.

The Friars finally scored on two free throws by Marshon Brooks with 10:40 remaining as they outscored the Mountaineers 24-21 after the 23-point outburst.

Providence kept rolling in the second half when Peterson and Duke Mondy hit 3-pointers and Mondy converted an offensive rebound, forcing West Virginia coach Bob Huggins to call a time out.

But Peterson made a layup when play resumed before Smith ended the 10-0 run with a tip-in. Then Sharaud Curry hit two free throws and Vincent Council sank a layup. Suddenly, the Mountaineers’ lead was down to 48-42 and there was still 16:37 remaining.

That’s when the Mountaineers resumed playing like the highly ranked — and much taller — team that they are.

Ebanks, Kevin Jones and Smith made consecutive layups and Smith tacked on a free throw. Butler’s basket made it 57-42 with 13:09 to go. Smith finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Butler also scored 16.