National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Xavier 84, Providence 74
When: 6:30 PM ET, Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Where: Cintas Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Officials: # Jeff Clark, # Tony Chiazza, # John Gaffney
Attendance: 10715
Trevon Bluiett and Quentin Goodin combined for 41 points, and No. 3 Xavier clinched at least a share of the Big East regular-season title with an 84-74 win over Providence on Wednesday at Cintas Center in Cincinnati.

Bluiett scored 23 points and Goodin finished with 18 points for the Musketeers (26-4, 14-3 Big East). Xavier has won 11 of 12 and can lock up the regular-season conference title with a win over DePaul on Saturday.

Maliek White scored 15 points off the bench and Alpha Diallo and Isaiah Jackson each added 13 points for the Friars (18-12, 9-8). Providence has work to do in next week's Big East tournament to secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier built double-digit leads at multiple points in the game but struggled to put away the Friars, who stayed within striking distance until late in the second half.

A jump-hook from Rodney Bullock off the left block cut Xavier's lead to 65-59 with six minutes to play.

Xavier answered with a 3-pointer from Naji Marshall and got enough stops down the stretch to hold off the Friars.

Xavier started hot, surging out to a 21-8 lead midway through the first half. Bluiett hit an early 3-pointer, and Kerem Kanter scored six quick points in the paint to fuel the Musketeers' strong start.

Providence battled back late in the first half. Jackson and White made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, and the Friars closed the half with a 13-4 run that was capped by an up-and-under bank shot by Makai Ashton-Langford.

Xavier, which led by as many as 13 in the first half, went to the locker room with only a 40-37 lead. Bluiett and Goodin each had 11 points to lead the Musketeers in the first half.

Kyron Cartwright added 10 points for the Friars.

Providence closes out the regular season at home against St. John's on Saturday.

The Big East tournament tips offs March 7 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Providence   Xavier
Maliek White 15 Scoring Trevon Bluiett 23
Kyron Cartwright 5 Assists Quentin Goodin 4
Isaiah Jackson 7 Rebounds Trevon Bluiett 6
Isaiah Jackson 4 Free Throws Made Trevon Bluiett 8
Kyron Cartwright 3 Steals Trevon Bluiett 2
Nate Watson 3 Blocks Kaiser Gates 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Providence 74 52.7 3-18 13-16 14 22 4 5 17
Xavier 84 50.0 5-14 23-26 15 30 3 8 13