Miles Byrd had 17 points and seven rebounds and Providence overcame a difficult shooting night to defeat Colorado, 67-53, Saturday in Providence, R.I.
Arrinten Page added 13 points for the Friars, who were 24-of-66 from the floor (36.4%) and missed 30 of their 39 3-point attempts.
Colorado (2-2) trailed by six with 4:44 to play but didn’t score again in the game. Barrington Hargress had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Buffaloes, who committed 22 turnovers. Colorado received 16 points from Jalin Holland, and six points and seven rebounds from Noah Feddersen.
Malik Mack added nine points, four rebounds and five assists for the Friars (3-1). Providence’s Jacob Bannarbie had a game-high eight rebounds.
Providence scored 24 points off turnovers and had a 30-18 edge in points in the paint.
Providence played without leading scorer Devin Vanterpool because of a shoulder injury. Vanterpool is averaging 16.0 points per game in two contests this season. He has also been dealing with an ankle injury.
The Friars had their first lead when Page made a 3-pointer that put Providence up 15-14 with 12:33 remaining in the first half. It was part of an 18-2 spurt that gave Providence a 27-14 lead.
A Mack 3-pointer matched the Friars’ largest lead of the first half, 34-18, with 3:55 remaining before halftime. Colorado answered with an 8-0 run and trailed 34-26 at the half.
The Buffaloes committed 15 first-half turnovers.
Colorado was within seven points following a Holland 3-pointer with 9:49 to play, but Providence led 59-47 following a Mack jumper with 5:48 left.
A Holland 3-pointer cut Providence’s lead to 59-53 with 4:44 left, but Clyde Walters hit a 3-pointer that extended the lead to 62-53 with 1:53 to play.
