ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) – Tyler Harris scored 15 points, including a key 3-pointer during a late 18-0 run, as Providence won 67-60 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Vanderbilt in the Paradise Jam on Friday.
Providence trailed 56-40 with 10:42 left, but caught fire and Vanderbilt crashed and burned. The Friars held Vanderbilt scoreless for nearly 9 minutes, ending on Rod Odom’s 3-pointer to give Vanderbilt a 59-57 lead with 2:55 left.
Providence scored the next eight points to build its biggest lead of the game at 65-59. The Friars hadn’t led since 9-7 early in the game.
Bryce Cotton added 14 for Providence (5-0) and LaDontae Henton had 12.
Odom led Vanderbilt (2-2) with 17 points, Eric McClellan added 13 and Josh Henderson tied a career-high with 13 points. Henderson scored a combined 11 points in Vanderbilt’s first three games, 6, 1, and 4 respectively.
The Friars will play the winner of the Morgan State-La Salle matchup.
Throughout most of the second half, Providence couldn’t get the stops when it needed to. The Friars didn’t score more than five consecutive points in the second half until the 6:34 mark.
But Providence rallied back, going on an 18-0 run, with 3-pointers by Harris, Kris Dunn and a three-point play by Carson Desrosiers.
Damian Jones missed two crucial free throws with 3:53 left that would have given Vanderbilt its first points in nearly 7 minutes.
Providence trailed for a majority of the first half too.
The Friars were held to without a field goal for over 4 minutes, but LaDontae Henton’s 3-pointer pulled the Friars to 19-18 with 7:43 left.
Vanderbilt led 31-22 with 1:41 remaining but did not make a field goal in the final 2 minutes and Providence scored the next four to trail 31-26 at halftime.
Providence was held to 34.5 percent shooting, including 2 of 15 3-pointers, in the first half.
Kevin Stallings commented at halftime about Vanderbilt’s defense in the first half, saying “…defensively, that’s the best 20 minutes of basketball we’ve played this season.”
Vanderbilt out-rebounded the Friars 23-15 in the opening half and made 42 percent of its shots, mostly coming in the paint.
The Commodores are one of three teams to have made a 3-pointer in every game since the line was established in 1986.
