Jaylin Sellers scored 27 of his game-high 36 points after halftime as Providence edged past visiting Butler for a 97-87 win in Big East play on Wednesday night.
Sellers finished 11-for-20 from the field and had six 3-pointers to lead Providence (10-13, 3-9 Big East), which had lost its first four overtime games this season. Stefan Vaaks scored 10 of his 20 points at the free-throw line, while Ryan Mela had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Friars went more than 2:30 without a made field goal in the first overtime before Nilavan Daniels’ go-ahead corner trey with 17.8 seconds left. Then, Butler’s Michael Ajayi made one free throw to force another period.
In the second extra session, Duncan Powell’s 3-point play fueled Providence’s opening 10-0 run to take its largest lead and never looked back. Sellers scored eight in that period alone.
Finley Bizjack scored 30 points with five assists and Ajayi added 20 points for Butler (13-10, 4-8).
Butler led for the final 3:09 of the first half to take a 34-32 score into the break, thanks to two 6-0 runs in the latter half of the period. Bizjack scored seven of the Bulldogs’ first eight points.
Providence scored an 8-2 run out of halftime, including five straight points from Vaaks, to take a 40-36 lead. Following a back-and-forth segment, multiple turnovers led to an Ajayi dunk and Bizjack transition layup during an 8-1 Butler response.
After Sellers’ game-tying 3-point play with 10:43 left, Ajayi responded with back-to-back buckets and scored all eight during another 8-2 run that put Butler up 60-54.
A Sellers 3-pointer and Jamier Jones jumper made up a quick 5-0 Providence run, but Evan Haywood hit his second triple from the corner to give the visitors a 66-61 lead before the final timeout.
Bizjack made a driving assist to set up a Yohan Traore 3-point play. Sellers later made a 5-0 run by himself, knocking down a long trey with 55 seconds left for a 72-71 Friar lead.
After Haywood’s runner flipped Butler back in front, missed free throws on both sides — one by Vaaks and two on one trip by Bizjack within the final 20 seconds — loomed large and forced overtime.
