INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michael Ajayi scored 28 points and Evan Haywood scored five of his 18 points in the second overtime frame as Butler knocked off Providence 113-110 in a double-overtime thriller to open Big East play on Saturday.
Ajayi added 15 rebounds for the Bulldogs (8-2, 1-0 Big East). Finley Bizjack scored 26 points while shooting 8 for 21 (2 for 10 from 3-point range) and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Haywood shot 7 for 13, including 4 for 8 from beyond the arc.
Jason Edwards finished with 32 points and six assists for the Friars (7-5, 0-1). Providence also got 26 points and six rebounds from Jaylin Sellers, and Jamier Jones had 11 points.
Haywood scored 11 points in the first half and Butler went into halftime trailing 45-41. Ajayi scored 18 points in the second half to help lead Butler to a three-point victory.
The game was the highest combined points total in Providence program history, passing the previous record of 219 (Pitt 117, Providence 102 on Feb. 10, 1990 and Chaminade 111, Providence 108 on Nov. 25, 1991).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.