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Second-half fireworks propel Xavier past Providence: 'Our guys are believing'

PROVIDENCE – A little fun goes a long way and it had been a while since Xavier had as much fun on a basketball court as it did Saturday.

Xavier's second-half performance was its best half of basketball this season, turning a six-point halftime deficit into a runaway win at Providence, 75-61.

There were no impassioned speeches or broken whiteboards at intermission. Xavier head coach Travis Steele preached positivity to his team and it paid off with a season-high 49 points on 73 percent shooting in the second half and a defensive effort that left the first-year head coach with an ear-to-ear grin that might last well into Sunday.