Providence Beats South Carolina in HOF Tip-Off Tournament

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — David Duke scored 20 points to rally Providence to a 76-65 win over South Carolina and into the finals of the Air Force Reserve Tip-Off tournament on Saturday.

Alpha Diallo added 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Friars (3-1).

Hassani Gravett scored 14 points to lead four players in double figures for South Carolina (2-2).

The Gamecocks led 35-27 at halftime and by nine points early in the second half. But A.J. Reeves scored eight of his 10 points during a 10-0 Friars’ run that put Providence on top 44-43.

The teams went back and forth before three straight dunks gave the Friars a 54-49 lead. Consecutive 3-pointers from Duke and Isaiah Jackson made it 65-54, and brought the raucous pro-Providence crowd to its feet.

Providence will play Michigan on Sunday for the tournament title. South Carolina with face George Washington in the consolation game.

KEY STATS
> After shooting 44 percent the first half with five made 3s, the Gamecocks went 11-for-30 (37 percent) in the second half and 1-for-9 (11 percent) from distance.
> Providence was 28-for-34 (82 percent) at the charity stripe, attempting 17 more free throws than Carolina.
 
NOTABLES
> Senior guard Hassani Gravett tallied his second straight double-figure outing, scoring 14 points while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds.
> Freshman point guard T.J. Moss scored a career-high 12 points in 20 minutes off the bench. He went 5-for-10 from the field with a pair of 3s.
> Sophomore wing Justin Minaya and freshman guard A.J. Lawson each finished with 10 points.  
> The Gamecocks’ bench scored a season-high 33 points.

UP NEXT
Carolina finishes its trip to Mohegan Sun Arena tomorrow against George Washington in the team’s final game of the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament.  Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.