Paced by potent paint presence NJ Benson, DePaul is in position to record its longest Big East winning streak of the season.
Meanwhile, Providence seems to be its own worst enemy.
Looking to win three in a row, the Blue Demons can also hand the Friars a third consecutive defeat Saturday night in Chicago.
DePaul (14-12, 6-9 Big East) dropped four straight from Jan. 28-Feb. 7, a rut that culminated with its 90-72 loss at Providence. Since, the Blue Demons outlasted Creighton for a 72-71 victory, then used a closing 18-5 run to win 69-57 at Seton Hall on Wednesday.
Benson, averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds, has scored 44 combined on 18-of-20 shooting in the last two contests. He also totaled 18 rebounds in those games.
“He’s getting better at playing around the paint and using the ball fake, shot fake,” DePaul coach Chris Holtmann said of the 6-foot-8, 235-pound Benson.
“He’s playing with more physicality and he’s playing really well right now.”
Benson had 10 points and seven rebounds at Providence earlier this month. DePaul, which has already matched its win total from last season, has won just twice in its last 14 meetings with the Friars.
Providence (11-15, 4-11), though, has dropped two straight since beating the Blue Demons. Last weekend against then-No. 17 St. John’s, the Friars led 40-39 with 14:25 remaining in the second half when Duncan Powell delivered a hard foul on former Providence star and key Red Storm contributor Bryce Hopkins.
The play resulted in a fight that saw six players ejected, and ended the Friars’ rally en route to a 79-69 defeat. Powell, who averages 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds, drew a three-game suspension.
“Providence College holds its student-athletes and coaches to the highest standards,” athletic director Steve Napolillo said in a release.
“We fully support the suspension that the Big East has issued.”
Providence’s Stefan Vaaks (15.8 ppg) has posted back-to-back 20-point games and scored at least that many in four of the last five. But, he had just eight with four fouls against DePaul during that stretch.
