Stephon Castle scores 20 as top-ranked UConn beats Providence 74-65 in foul-filled game
Freshman guard Stephon Castle scored a season-high 20 points and top-ranked UConn held off Providence 74-65 Wednesday night in a foul-filled Big East battle.
Tristen Newton added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Cam Spencer scored 15 as the Huskies (19-2, 9-1) won their ninth straight in a game that included 48 fouls.
Devin Carter and Josh Oduro each had 20 points for Providence (14-7, 5-5). But like Castle, Oduro fouled out.
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UConn led by just a point at halftime. But an offensive foul on Carter and a technical on the Providence bench helped spark a 13-2 run that gave the Huskies a 44-36 lead. That was one of four technicals called in the game.
Six players had four fouls with five minutes left and UConn up 58-54.
Jayden Pierre became the first to foul out with 3:43 remaining on a drive by Spencer. His free throws stretched the lead back to eight.
Castle fouled out with just under two minutes left, and Providence cut the deficit to five.
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But after Donovan Clingan blocked a shot, Oduro fouled out on the other end and — fittingly — UConn closed it out from the free-throw line.
Providence entered on a three-game winning streak that followed four consecutive losses after star forward Bryce Hopkins went down with a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 3.
Clingan, who missed almost a month with a foot injury, picked up two fouls in the first four minutes and played just four minutes in the first half.
With the 7-foot-2 sophomore out, Providence went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-6 lead.
UConn forward Alex Karaban also missed six minutes of the first half after injuring his right ankle. He came down awkwardly after making a driving layup and had to be helped to the locker room. But he was able to return to the floor and hit a 3-pointer that gave UConn a 25-24 lead.
The Huskies led 29-28 at halftime.
BIG PICTURE
Providence: The Friars fell to 2-16 against top-ranked teams. They have never beaten a No. 1 squad on the road.
UConn: The Huskies have not lost in 2024, going 8-0 during January.
UP NEXT
Providence: The Friars travel to Philadelphia for a game against Villanova on Sunday.
UConn: The Huskies head back to Madison Square Garden to face St. John's on Saturday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.