The last time Providence and St. John’s met, the Friars came away with a 63-58 victory, thanks in large part to their ability to slow leading scorers Mustapha Heron and LJ Figueroa. Heron shot 2-9 from the field, and Figueroa was even worse, finishing 4-17 and 2-12 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Providence got 19 points (7-15 from the field) from Alpha Diallo. Diallo was the only Friar to score in double figures on a night in which PC shot 35% from the field and 23% from deep, yet still pulled out the win.
Another defensive struggle would not be a surprise when these two clubs meet again in Queens on Wednesday night.