Providence rallies for OT win; DePaul’s conference skid at 33

Bensley Joseph scored 20 points and Bryce Hopkins notched a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double as visiting Providence defeated DePaul 70-63 in overtime on Tuesday in Chicago in the Big East opener for both schools.DePaul (7-2, 0-1) led by eight with 3:37 remaining in regulation but was unable to sustain momentum, losing its 33rd regular-season conference game in a row.Jayden Pierre scored 11 points for Providence (7-4, 1-0) while Oswin Erhunmwunse contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.David Skogman scored a game-high 22 points for DePaul while connecting on 6-of-10 3-pointers. Jacob Meyer added 10 points. Skogman grabbed six boards and Conor Enright dished seven assists, matching Joseph for the game high.Providence outscored DePaul 12-5 in overtime. The Friars shot 44.4 percent from the field for the game compared to 32.8 percent for the Blue Demons.DePaul didn’t eclipse double figures in the second half until Skogman drilled a trey at the 8:58 mark to bring the hosts within 44-42.The Blue Demons created distance with a 10-0 run that started with an Enright four-point play, taking a 56-48 lead with 3:37 to go. The Friars didn’t fade, tying the game at 58 on a Pierre trey with 57 seconds left.Enright and Troy D’Amico missed potential go-ahead 3s for DePaul moments later. Providence was unable to convert on the ensuing possession, with Joseph missing a layup before Hopkins’ attempt at a tip-in at the buzzer was off the mark.