Butler had a late flurry of shots, but none found the basket as Providence escaped with a 71-68 win at the Dunkin' Donuts Center Tuesday night. Kellen Dunham led Butler with 21 points, including six three-pointers. With the win, the Friars are now 16-3 overall and 4-2 in BIG EAST play. Butler falls to 13-5 (2-4).

The Bulldogs took a 66-65 lead with 3:11, but could only convert one more basket down the stretch. A Kris Dunn banked in three-pointer with 1:11 to play proved to be the difference in the three-point decision. 

"We had a chance against a really good team tonight" said Butler coach Chris Holtmann. " We just couldn't make enough plays to get this one on the road." 

Butler shot 47 percent from the field and got 16 points from Roosevelt Jones and an additional 15 from Kelan Martin to go along with 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double.

It was a back and forth game throughout with neither team leading by more than six at any points in the contest. Providence held a 36-33 halftime lead before a 14-6 run gave Butler a 47-42 lead with 16:37 to play.

A five-minute Butler scoring drought gave PC a 56-54 lead with 7:56 to play, but Butler would respond once again anchored by a Dunham three-pointer.

The game was tied at 66 after a Drew Edwards free throw with 2:44 to play before a Ben Bentil dunk and the banked Dunn three-pointer gave PC a 71-66 lead. Jones would get in the lane for a bucket to pull within three and Butler would get the ball back once again with 13 seconds to play, but two contested three-point attempts would not fall.  

Bentil led PC with 20 points. Providence hit 18 of 25 free throw attempts. 

Butler returns to action Saturday with a game in Omaha against Creighton. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (ET) on FS1.