In a thrilling matchup on Tuesday night, Providence demonstrated their strength by defeating BYU with an impressive score of 83-64 in a contest that featured teams from the Big 12 and Big East conferences.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim was a standout for Providence, contributing 21 points to the team’s success. Notably, Bryce Hopkins made his impactful season debut after recovering from an ACL injury he sustained during a game against Seton Hall on January 3. In his 26 minutes on the court, Hopkins scored 16 points along with five rebounds and four assists. The crowd welcomed him with a standing ovation as he exited the game with 2:44 left on the clock. Last season, he showcased his prowess with an average of 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds over the course of 14 games.
Providence’s offensive performance was bolstered by Abdur-Rahim’s strong shooting, as he went 5-of-9 from the field and helped the team connect on four of 12 three-pointers. Teammates Jayden Pierre and Bensley Joseph also played crucial roles, each contributing 12 points to the team’s score.
For BYU, Dawson Baker led the way with 16 points, while Keba Keita contributed by scoring nine points and securing 10 rebounds.
The first half of the game saw Providence displaying a dominant shooting performance, with Abdur-Rahim scoring 11 points and Joseph adding another 10. The Friars capitalized on their shooting accuracy, hitting 71% of their shots (15 of 21) and going 8 of 12 from beyond the arc, which allowed them to build a 46-34 lead at halftime. In the second half, Trevin Knell’s three-pointer sparked a small rally, bringing BYU to within seven points at 53-46, but they struggled to close the gap further.
This victory marked the Friars’ first win against BYU after two previous attempts, and it was their first match against them since December 21, 1982, held in Provo, Utah.
Additionally, this game represented BYU’s first non-conference road appearance in the Eastern Time Zone since November 15, 2007, when they secured a win against Princeton with a score of 65-56.
