Alpha Diallo had 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists against South Carolina.
MBB Minute -- Providence, Marquette Notch Victories in 2-2 Saturday
Providence and Marquette used strong second half play to record wins and give BIG EAST teams a 2-2 record on Saturday. In a bit of an oddity, three of the four opponents were from the state of South Carolina.
After trailing South Carolina 35-27 in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun, Providence scored 49 points in the second half to post a 76-67 victory. Freshman guard David Duke scored a game-high 20 points and Alpha Diallo added 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The Friars shot 28-of-34 from the foul line.
Marquette overcame a sluggish start and defeated visiting Presbyterian 74-55. The Golden Eagles put the game away with a 29-8 run in the second half. Sam Hauser had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Joseph Chartouny added 16 points and Joey Hauser finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
For the first time in 179 games, Villanova has lost two straight games. The Wildcats lost to Furman 76-68 in overtime. Villanova led 36-31 at halftime, but shot only 9-of-30 from the field in the second half. Phil Booth led the Wildcats with 20 points and Collin Gillespie added 19 points.
Seton Hall lost 66-64 to unbeaten Saint Louis at Prudential Center. The Pirate cut a 12-point deficit to one in the final minute but could not pull out a victory. Myles Powell scored 16 points and Quincy McKnight added 14 points. The Pirates saw their 29-game winning streak against non-league teams at home come to an end.
Two games are set for Sunday. At noon ET, Georgetown plays USF in the Jamaica Classic on CBS Sports Network. At 1:30 p.m., Providence meets Michigan in the title game of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off.