No. 8 Providence was able to overcome a 19-point deficit to force overtime and eventually take a 71-70 win over Butler Sunday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
"That's a tough one to swallow," said Butler coach LaVall Jordan. "(Ed Cooley) has a really good team and they gritted it out a man down (without second-leading scorer Al Durham). Our guys fought and we had some chances late. We've been close with this group a lot, right there at the end. We just couldn't get a late stop when we needed it."
 
With the win, Providence improves to 22-3 overall and 12-2 in BIG EAST play. Butler falls to 13-15 (6-11).
 
Butler had a 33-20 lead at the half and extended that lead to 19 (43-24) with 17:16 remaining in regulation with an 8-0 run. Providence cut the lead to single digits (47-39) with 11 minutes to play, the first single-digit advantage since 15-7.
 
A.J. Reeves made back-to-back three-pointers to pull PC within one at 61-60. Three Butler free throws and a Providence basket made it a two-point game before Noah Horchler tied the game 64-64 with 23 seconds to play. Butler was unable to convert in the closing seconds of regulation. The Friars went 7-for-12 from three-point in the second half.
 
Jared Bynum hit two free throws with 38 seconds remaining in overtime to give Providence a 71-70 lead. A Butler three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining was off the mark and Providence was able to swing the ball around until the clock ran out.
 
Nate Watson led the Friars with 22 points; Bynum (18) and Horchler (15) also reached double figures. Providence shot 62 percent from the field in the second half and 42 percent for the game.
 
Chuck Harris led Butler with 17. Aaron Thompson had 16 points, while Bo Hodges and Bryce Nze added 13 and 11 points, respectively. Butler had 38 points in the paint, including 24 in the first half as they took an early lead. Butler went 15-of-21 from the free throw line.
 
Hodges returned to the Butler line-up after missing the past two games with a muscle strain sustained in the Feb. 12 win over Marquette.
 
Butler takes to the road for its next two games, beginning with a Wednesday night tip at Seton Hall.