Providence scored 55 second-half points, overwhelming visiting Merrimack en route to a 93-56 blowout Tuesday at Dunkin' Donuts Center

The Friars (4-1) held a five-point halftime lead that Merrimack's Devin Jensen cut to three on the first bucket after intermission. From there, it was all Providence.

A 20-1 run that began just after the first media timeout of the second half and lasted until 9:58 remaining blew the game open. The Friars began to gain some separation before then, however, on a technical foul assessed to them.

Providence's David Duke slapped the backboard after a two-handed dunk, resulting in a technical. Merrimack missed the free thrown then turned the ball over, and the Friars expanded the cushion to nine at 46-37. Merrimack's Mykel Derring hit a 3 to make it 49-40, then Providence went on the decisive run.

Providence effectively spread its scoring output during the deluge, and as a result, six Friars scored in double figures. Luwane Pipkins set the pace with 18 points. Pipkins and Maliek White both shot 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point line, leading Providence on a night it hit 47.1 percent from deep as a team.

Kalif Young, who added 13 points, knocked down one from behind the arc. Tommy Dempsey made another on his lone shot attempt.

Duke scored 10 points with five rebounds and five assists for the Friars. Emmitt Holt recorded a double-double off the bench with 11 points and 10 rebounds, keying Providence's 39-30 edge on the glass.

Merrimack (3-3), a program transitioning to Div. I from Div. II, had a two-game winning streak snapped. The Warriors beat UMass Lowell on Saturday and Jacksonville University the next night.

Their defining moment in the early season came Nov. 8 when they beat Northwestern on the road, 71-61. Jensen was the hero in that one with 23 points; Providence held him to 10 points on Tuesday.

Derring was the only other Warrior to score in double figures. He scored nine second-half points on 3-of-6 3-point shooting en route to 11 points for the game.

--Field Level Media