PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Interstat) — Dylan Darling scored 23 points and Saint John’s used a dominant defensive first half to build a lead it would never relinquish, defeating Providence 79-69 in a Big East Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Dunkin’ Center.

A crowd of 11,714 saw the Red Storm (20-5) win their fourth straight game and avenge a 77-71 home loss to the Friars on Jan. 3. Providence fell to 11-15.

The most critical stretch of the game came in the opening 20 minutes, where Saint John’s set a suffocating tone. The Red Storm forced nine first-half turnovers, converting them into 10 points, and held Providence to just 29 points on 9-of-31 shooting before halftime. Saint John’s led by as many as 15 in the period and took a 34-29 advantage into the break despite its own offensive struggles.

Saint John’s separation was built on pressure and pace. The Red Storm finished with 11 steals, led by Darling’s three, and forced 14 total Friar turnovers, scoring 18 fast-break points to Providence’s seven. The Friars managed only three assists against those 14 giveaways, highlighting a stagnant offensive night.

Darling, a 6-foot-1 guard from Spokane, Washington, keyed the second-half effort to keep Providence at bay. After being held to five points in the first half, he scored 18 after intermission, including a crucial personal 7-0 run early in the second half that pushed a 38-34 lead to 45-34. He finished 6 of 7 from the free-throw line and added eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

Providence, led by Stefan Vaaks’ 20 points, made several pushes. The Friars closed to within 52-50 on a Ryan Mela layup with 8:44 remaining, but could never draw even. Mela finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Each time the Friars threatened, Saint John’s had an answer, often from Darling or Zuby Ejiofor. Ejiofor scored 14 points, and his interior presence helped the Red Storm match Providence’s 32 points in the paint. Dillon Mitchell facilitated the offense with six assists and Bryce Hopkins anchored the glass with nine rebounds to go with nine points.

The Friars shot just 33.3% from the field (22 of 66) and 21.7% from 3-point range (5 of 23). Their 14 offensive rebounds led to 16 second-chance points, keeping them within striking distance, but they could not overcome the steady stream of empty possessions caused by turnovers and missed shots.

Saint John’s was not efficient offensively, shooting 38.2% overall, but its defense and ability to get to the line proved decisive. The Red Storm attempted 30 free throws, making 21, while Providence went 20 of 24 from the stripe.

The victory continues a strong February for Saint John’s, which has now won seven of its last eight games. Providence has lost two straight and six of its last eight.

Saint John’s next plays at Marquette on Wednesday. Providence hosts DePaul next Saturday.