NEW YORK – Heart, hustle and plenty of pluck can only take you so far in a rough and tumble conference like the Big East.
The Providence Friars played with plenty of those ingredients in the Big East’s title game Saturday night at a sold old Madison Square Garden but ultimately couldn’t stop Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges in a 76-66 Villanova win that lasted into overtime.
It was PC’s third o.t. in three days and this time the Friars couldn’t deliver as the second-ranked Wildcats (30-4) won their third Big East tourney in four years.
Providence (22-12) was led by Alpha Diallo’s 22 points, 19 from Kyron Cartwright and 10 by Rodney Bullock.