DePaul upsets No. 11 Providence 77-70

BY JAY COHEN

Associated Press

Myke Henry had 27 points and 11 rebounds, and DePaul held off No. 11 Providence for a surprising 77-70 victory Tuesday night.

The Blue Demons (8-14, 2-8 Big East) had lost eight of nine, but they outrebounded the athletic Friars 48-24 on the way to just their second victory of the season against a Top 25 team. Billy Garrett Jr. added 16 points and Rashaun Stimage had nine points on 4-for-4 shooting.

Kris Dunn had 14 points and eight assists for Providence (18-5, 6-4), but was 5 for 20 from the field. The star guard was coming off a 26-point performance in a 73-69 victory over Georgetown on Saturday.

It was the Friars’ first road loss of the season, and they have to push this one aside in a hurry. Next up is a home game against No. 3 Villanova on Saturday.

Providence forward Ben Bentil, who was averaging a Big East-best 20.3 points coming into the night, missed part of the first half with a right leg injury and wasn’t the same when he returned. He finished with just six points in 14 minutes.

DePaul broke open a close game in the second half with a 13-2 run that included a scoring drought of almost 4 1/2 minutes for Providence. Henry made a go-ahead 3-pointer and a layup, and Darrick Wood’s transition layup with 14:25 left lifted the Blue Demons to a 51-43 lead.

Providence made a couple more charges, but DePaul answered each time.

After Rodney Bullock’s layup got the Friars within one point with 9:33 remaining, Henry made two straight jumpers and Stimage had a big dunk to run the lead back out to seven. Providence trailed 73-70 with 29 seconds left, but Henry had a layup and Wood got loose for a dunk to close out the win.

TIP-INS

Providence: One of Dunn’s two career triple-doubles came against DePaul on Jan. 29, 2015, when he had 27 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in an 83-72 victory.

DePaul: Garrett got an assist in the first half to become the 16th player in school history with 300 or more for his career.

UP NEXT

Providence hosts No. 3 Villanova on Saturday.

DePaul visits Creighton on Saturday.