In Wednesday’s only BIG EAST contest, Providence ended a three-game losing streak with a 74-70 victory at 11th-ranked Creighton.

The Friars (8-6, 4-4 BIG EAST) raced to a 23-6 lead, then held off a late Bluejay rally.  PC’s Nate Watson scored a career-high 29 points and pulled down six rebounds. Freshman point guard Alyn Breed, who has been filling in for injured Jared Bynam, added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.  He went into the game with only 24 points for the season.  Damien Jefferson sparked Creighton (10-4, 6-3 BIG EAST) with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor.  Marcus Zegarowski returned from a hamstring injury and added 17 points.

BIG EAST action picks up again on Friday with Seton Hall meeting Butler at 9 p.m. ET on FS1.  The Bulldogs (5-7, 4-5 BIG EAST) have won their last two games, beating Creighton and DePaul.  In Tuesday’s win at DePaul, Jair Bolden was the game’s high scorer with 21 points.  The grad transfer leads the BIG EAST with 37 3-pointers made.  Seton Hall also played Tuesday, dropping a 76-74 decision at Villanova.  The Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili posted a game-high 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists.  Four of the last five meetings between the Pirates and Bulldogs have been decided by one or two points.  In last year’s game at Hinkle, Seton Hall won 78-70.    

Going into Friday, home teams are only 21-18 (.538) in league games.  Four of the last five conference games have been decided by four points or less.