PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Kim English, like Ed Cooley before him, sent Shaka Smart and No. 6 Marquette home from Providence with a loss.
Devin Carter had 22 points and eight rebounds to lead the Friars to a 72-57 victory Tuesday night — the third time in five seasons the unranked Friars have beaten a Golden Eagles team in The Associated Press Top 25.
“There’s a humility that you have to have coming into a place like this, and an environment like this,” Smart said after falling to 0-3 in Providence since taking over as coach at Marquette. “I don’t care what number’s next to your name, or what you’ve done in the past, or what anyone says you are individually as a player. If you don’t have that, then you’re not going to be as connected as you need to be. And we didn’t have that tonight.”
Carter made a career-high five 3-pointers and Ticket Gaines also hit five from beyond the arc to score 18 for Providence (10-2, 1-0 Big East), which hasn’t lost at home to Marquette since 2019. Bryce Hopkins had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Playing in English’s first Big East game as Providence coach, the Friars posted their largest win over a Top 10 opponent since beating No. 8 Villanova 83-68 in January 2011.
“This league’s a beast,” English said. “The good thing about opening up with a team as good as Marquette is there’s no time wasted in figuring out what our team is.”
Reigning Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek had 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Marquette (9-3, 0-1). Kam Jones scored 13 and Oso Ighodaro had 11 points and eight rebounds.
But the Golden Eagles — who finished No. 6 in the nation last season and climbed as high as No. 3 three weeks ago — still can’t win at Providence. Then-No. 24 Marquette lost in double overtime to the unranked Friars last year. Providence also beat Marquette when both were ranked in 2022 and when both were unranked in 2021.
“I’ve played at Kansas, played at Kentucky, UCLA. Purdue’s great, too. This is as good of a college basketball environment as there is in America,” English said. “And when our students are gone for break, it just turns into an NBA playoff venue. Honestly. Adult fans — with beer — loud, and love this team. So it’s a treat.”
The Golden Eagles led by five early before Providence scored 12 of the next 15 points to take the lead for good with just under 12 minutes left in the first half. It was a 30-27 Friars lead before they finished the half with a 10-2 run to make it 40-29.
A 10-0 Providence run midway through the second made it 60-41. The Golden Eagles got within 64-53 in the final four minutes before two fouls were called against Marquette on the same play, resulting in four free throws for Josh Oduro. He missed the first two and made the second two to preserve the double-digit lead.
Gaines scored 12 points and Carter had 11 with six rebounds at the break for Providence, which settled in after missing its first six 3-point attempts.
“I never rely on my shot falling,” said Carter, who missed his first two 3-point attempts but had three rebounds and two assists by the time he sank one. “If it isn’t falling, I try to do other things.”
BIG PICTURE
Marquette: The Golden Eagles’ two previous losses this season were to Big Ten teams, including then-No. 2 Purdue on Nov. 22.
Providence: It’s the fifth season in a row the Friars have beaten a ranked team, with three Top 25 victories last year and four the year before.
SIGH OF RELIEF
Marquette guard Chase Ross needed to be helped off with a teammate under each arm when he went down near the end of the first half. He did return in the second half.
UP NEXT
Marquette: Hosts Georgetown and Cooley, the former Providence coach, on Friday night.
Providence: Hosts Butler on Saturday.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
