NEW YORK — Providence and Butler were responsible for two of the more exciting games of the Big East season, with each team claiming a double-overtime victory on its home floor.
The Friars’ high-octane offense, coupled with their penchant for finding another gear at Madison Square Garden, supplied the latest dose of excitement. Their sensational shooting made sure an additional ten minutes would not be necessary in the rubber match with the Bulldogs.
Trailing by a 25-9 margin nine minutes into the first half, Providence used runs of 15-4 and 11-2 to pull even with Butler late in the opening stanza, then seized control with 12 unanswered points early in the second half to defeat the Bulldogs, 91-81, in the first game of the 2026 Big East tournament.
“I thought our guys were awesome,” Friars head coach Kim English said after three Providence players — Stefan Vaaks, Ryan Mela and Jaylin Sellers — topped the 20-point plateau and nearly outscored Butler among themselves. “Rough start, but I felt like our shot quality was good to start the game. We just had to get our defense to be better. Once that defense got better, we’re a high-possession team, so a 16-point deficit is not the end of the world. Our guys showed great resolve.”
Vaaks’ 28 points led all scorers Wednesday, and his eight 3-pointers tied a single-game Big East tournament record set by Boston College’s Dana Barros and matched later by Marquette’s Matt Carlino. The freshman sharpshooter was also instrumental in Providence’s win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden in January, adding to his Garden magic even though he admitted he prepares for each game no differently.
“I treat every game the same,” Vaaks said. “I guess the rims are good here, I don’t know. It felt good to be really back in the rhythm.”
Mela’s 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting, along with nine rebounds and five assists, signified the breakthrough game many were looking for from the sophomore, who praised his coach and teammates for never losing their confidence in him.
“Kim’s been telling me to shoot for two years,” Mela admitted. “I started to finally listen to him. They give me a lot of confidence to shoot the ball. It’s part of our offense, they want us to take the open threes.”
As for Butler, the Bulldogs were the primary aggressor. After spotting Providence the game’s first points, Butler unleashed a 15-0 run to establish a double-digit advantage as senior forward and first team all-Big East selection Michael Ajayi flirted with a double-double before halftime. But as the Friars’ perimeter explosion and rebounding gained steam, the Bulldogs were forced to play uphill for a majority of the game’s conclusion.
“I think our transition defense and our rebounding declined a little bit in the second half,” Ajayi surmised. “(Providence) hit some big shots, guys stepped up on their team and we couldn’t find an answer.”
“I was hoping they didn’t get going,” Butler head coach Thad Matta said of the Friars. “We knew they were going to make a run, we’ve seen it all year. They were hitting shots, we had a couple turnovers, (Jamier) Jones got a couple baskets in transition. When you play them, you’ve gotta get back.”
With the win, Providence advances to the quarterfinals on Thursday, where waiting for the Friars will be regular season champion and reigning Big East tournament champion St. John’s. The emotionally-charged rivalry between the Friars and Red Storm adds an additional layer of intrigue to the proceedings, but for the victorious Providence side, the extra juice is unnecessary on this business trip.
“No extra motivation,” Friars guard Jaylin Sellers said. “They’re on the list, so we’ve gotta take care of business to keep our season alive. It’s just time to be a leader and make sure that my guys are ready to play the next 40 (minutes).”