Junior guard A.J. Reeves recorded a season-high 22 points, including a tying 3-pointer with five seconds left in regulation, to help Providence earn a 95-90 double-overtime victory over DePaul Sunday afternoon at Alumni Hall.

David Duke delivered a game-high 24 points with six assists and five rebounds while playing 49 minutes for Providence (6-3, 2-1). Senior center Nate Watson added 18 points and 14 rebounds for his fourth career double-double.

Sophomore forward Romeo Weems contributed a career-high 21 points off the bench while Charlie Moore scored 17 of his 19 points after halftime as DePaul (1-1, 0-1) nearly earned its first victory in a Big East opener since 2014-15. The Blue Demons lost starting guard Oscar Lopez Jr. with 6:39 left in regulation when he injured his right knee. He watched the overtime sessions on crutches.

Weems, who missed DePaul's opener on Dec. 23 due to COVID-19 protocols, entered four minutes into the game and immediately slashed to the hoop for a layup and swished two 3-pointers to pull DePaul into a 10-10 knot.

The Friars built a 34-29 halftime edge thanks to their dominance on the boards. They outrebounded the Blue Demons 24-16 and owned a 7-2 advantage in second-chance points.

Providence pushed its lead to 47-39 early in the second half thanks to a rare 3-pointer by power forward Noah Horchler and Duke's soaring slam of Jared Bynum's alley-oop pass.

The Blue Demons answered with a 16-5 spree triggered when Moore drilled a 3-pointer and banked home a runner down the lane. When DePaul took a 55-52 lead -- its biggest to that point -- Providence coach Ed Cooley tried to slow the run with a timeout at the 9:05 mark.

The lead changed hands four times in the final five minutes of regulation. DePaul took a 74-71 lead on Moore's pair of free throws with 16.7 seconds left, but Reeves rattled home a 3-pointer in front of Providence's bench to force overtime.

--Field Level Media