Providence dominates Wisconsin in Gavitt Games mismatch

Devin Carter had 21 points and Bryce Hopkins added 16 as Providence routed visiting Wisconsin 72-59 on Tuesday night in the Gavitt Tipoff Games, which pits teams from the Big East and the Big Ten Conferences.

The Friars (3-0) led the entire way. They rolled to a 37-21 halftime lead, then opened the second half with an 8-2 run to put the game out of reach.

Wisconsin (1-2) got within 57-42 on a 3-pointer by AJ Storr with 8:27 remaining, but turned it over on its next possession, and the Friars answered with a 10-point run.

Jayden Pierre and Josh Oduro added 13 points apiece for Providence, which shot 58.5 percent. Carter added a game-high eight rebounds.

Carter hit 6 of 8 shots, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, and Pierre made 5 of 7 and hit all three 3-point attempts. Oduro was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field.

Storr, a transfer from St. John's, had 22 points and John Blackwell added 11 for Wisconsin. The Badgers, who made it respectable with a 13-1 closing run, shot just 33.9 percent, making 21 of 62 shots.

The Friars dominated the first half en route to the 16-point lead at the break. Providence, which came in shooting 44.0 percent overall and 29.6 percent from 3-point range, shot 63.2 percent in the opening half, including 6-of-10 from deep.

Blackwell shot 4-for-7 in the first half, but the rest of the Badgers were 4-of-23. Wisconsin hit just 1 of 11 3-point attempts.

Providence took control with a 17-2 run to go in front 27-9 with 9:24 left in the first half. Carter drained two 3-pointers during that span before Pierre made two triples in a row to punctuate the stretch.

Wisconsin's Chucky Hepburn was limited to eight points on a 2-of-10 shooting performance.