Xavier 59, Providence 53: Matt Stainbrook finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists as the host Musketeers held off the Friars to snap a three-game losing streak.

Justin Martin added 13 points for Xavier (16-7, 6-4 Big East), which avenged a nine-point loss on Jan. 25 at Providence to overtake the Friars for sole possession of third place in the conference. Semaj Christon contributed 12 points as the Musketeers overcame a season-worst effort of 1-for-9 shooting from beyond the arc.

Josh Fortune led all scorers with 17 points for Providence (16-8, 6-5), which has dropped three of its last four. LaDontae Henton was the only other Friar in double figures with 14 points as Bryce Cotton – the conference’s second-leading scorer – was held to nine points, snapping his 21-game streak of scoring in double figures.

Fortune scored nine of his 12 first-half points over the last 4 ½ minutes of the opening stanza, helping Providence take a 32-31 advantage into the break after Xavier held the lead for most of the first half. The Musketeers took advantage of three turnovers during the Friars’ 4 ½-minute scoreless spell near the start of the second half and used a 9-0 burst to pull ahead 40-34 after Martin’s three-point play with 17 ½ minutes to go.

However, Xavier could gain nothing more than a six-point edge, opening the door for Providence to close within 54-53 with 1:22 left on a free throw from Henton. Christon answered with a free throw and came up with a critical steal – leading to a dunk by Isaiah Philmore with 43 seconds remaining – before Martin sealed it with a pair of free throws with 28 seconds to go.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cotton, who averaged 30 points over his previous two games, was also held to fewer than 18 points for the first time in 14 contests. … Xavier was outrebounded (39-32) for the second straight game after winning the battle on the glass in each of its previous 11 contests. … The Musketeers matched a season low by committing six turnovers, including one in the second half.