Providence's Rodney Bullock
MBB Minute -- Providence Takes 2K Title; Villanova Moves To 3-0
Providence rolled to the 2K Classic championship at Madison Square Garden Friday night with a 90-63 victory over Saint Louis. The Friars used an early 22-5 run to break away from the Billikens and then closed the first half with a 13-2 spurt to grab a 41-21 lead at intermission.
Rodney Bullock scored a team-high 15 points. Kyron Cartwright was named tournament MVP after posting nine points and eight assists. The title was the first in-season tournament crown for the Friars since 2014.
Villanova was not challenged in its 104-57 victory over Lafayette at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa. Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson posted remarkable stat lines. Bridges scored 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-6 from 3-point range. Brunson had 22 points and six assists on 9-of-11 shooting and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. He also dealt six assists.
In the final 2017 Gavitt Tipoff Games battle, DePaul lost 82-73 at Illinois. After scoring only five points in his first two games, reserve guard Justin Roberts had a team-high 19 points for the Blue Demons. Max Strus added 15 points.
Saturday’s BIG EAST schedule starts at noon ET with Georgetown (2-0) hosting Maryland-Eastern Shore on FSN. At 2 p.m., FS2 has a doubleheader that starts with Butler meeting Furman at Hinkle Fieldhouse followed by Seton Hall hosting NJIT at 4 p.m.