Pitt Is Upset in Big East Game

PITTSBURGH —  Providence upset a ranked team for the second time in four days, riding momentum-turning runs in each half and Jamel Thomas’ 25 points to an 83-68 victory over No. 23 Pittsburgh Wednesday night.

Thomas, the Big East Conference’s leading scorer with a 23.7 average, had 22 points as the Friars defeated then-No. 9 Purdue, 87-82, on Sunday.

Providence (8-4) is 3-1 against ranked teams but was 0-2 in the Big East--losing to Notre Dame and Rutgers--before defeating the emotionally flat Panthers (8-5, 0-3), who have lost four of five and five of seven.

Pittsburgh, which has beaten only Howard and Prairie View since upsetting defending national champion Kentucky on Nov. 27, may drop out of the Top 25 before playing again Tuesday at Notre Dame.

The Friars trailed, 44-42, with 15:41 remaining after Pittsburgh scored 14 of the first 18 points in the second half, but relied on their three-point shooting, pressure defense and ball movement to go on runs of 11-1 and 11-2.

Llewellyn Cole’s tap-in gave Providence the lead for good at 46-44, and Corey Wright quickly followed with a three-point basket, a driving layup and a baseline jump shot to make it 53-45 with 11:18 to play.

With standout Vonteego Cummings battling flu and visibly off his game, the Panthers were outscored, 25-8, over a 9 1/2-minute stretch in which the Friars increased their lead to 16 points.