OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a game defined by its final, frantic minute, Jaylin Sellers scored 27 points, including the decisive layup with 15 seconds remaining, to lift Providence to a 79-76 victory over Creighton in a Big East Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at a sold-out CenturyLink Center.

The Friars, who led for nearly 37 minutes, survived a late surge and a last-second three-point attempt by the Bluejays to escape with a critical road win. The victory improved Providence to 14-15 overall, while Creighton fell to 14-16.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the closing moments. After Creighton’s Austin Swartz converted a three-point play to tie the game at 76 with 40 seconds left, Providence called a timeout to set up its final offensive possession. Out of the huddle, the ball found its way to Sellers, who drove hard from the wing, absorbed contact in the lane, and finished a difficult layup to put the Friars ahead 78-76.

Creighton had two chances to tie or take the lead on its ensuing possession. Following a timeout, the Bluejays worked the ball to Josh Dix, whose three-point attempt from the top of the key was off the mark. Swartz secured the offensive rebound and quickly fired another three, but that shot also missed, and Providence’s Oswin Erhunmwunse grabbed the defensive board. Jason Edwards was fouled and made one of two free throws with 2.2 seconds left for the final margin, as a desperation heave from Creighton was not close.

The game was a stark contrast in styles. Providence won with efficient, individual shot-making, posting an offensive rating of 116.5 points per 100 possessions. The Friars shot 50.8% from the field and were led by Sellers’ efficient 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Edwards added 18 points and four assists. Providence dished only five assists as a team but committed just seven turnovers, valuing each possession.

Creighton, conversely, struggled to find consistent offensive flow, managing an offensive rating of 110.0. The Bluejays shot 42.6% from the field and were hampered by 10 turnovers against only two assists. They kept pace through offensive rebounding, grabbing 10 to Providence’s six, and by making 15 of 17 free throws.

Swartz led Creighton with 18 points, while Dix also scored 18. Jasen Green provided a versatile performance with 12 points, eight assists and two blocks, and Nik Graves added 10 points and six assists.

Providence established control early, using a 7-0 run to build a 20-12 lead midway through the first half. The Friars’ defense was active, recording five steals and three blocks in the opening period, with Erhunmwunse providing a significant rim-protecting presence. The Friars took a 39-37 lead into halftime, thanks largely to 12 first-half points from Edwards.

The second half saw Providence push its lead to as many as nine points on several occasions, the last at 61-52 after a Sellers three-pointer with 10:18 to play. Each time, Creighton answered. A 7-0 Bluejays run, capped by a Graves driving layup, cut the deficit to 64-61. Later, back-to-back baskets by Green and a driving dunk by Swartz tied the game at 69 with just over three minutes remaining, setting the stage for the tense finish.

The win gave Providence a regular-season sweep of Creighton, having also defeated the Bluejays 93-88 on Jan. 16. It marked the Friars’ third win in their last four games as they continue a late-season push. Creighton, which entered the game as a 2.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, saw its two-game winning streak snapped.

A crowd of 17,115 watched the contest, which finished with a total score of 155 points, well under the pregame over/under line of 166.

Providence next hosts Marquette on Wednesday. Creighton travels to face Butler on the same night.