PROVIDENCE (Interstat) — Providence defeated Bryant 78-55 on Tuesday at the Dunkin’ Center in Providence, R.I., using a decisive second-half run to turn a competitive game into a comfortable home win. The Friars improved to 2-1, while the Bulldogs fell to 1-3. Providence led 38-25 at halftime and answered Bryant’s best second-half push with a 10-0 burst that restored control. Providence never trailed, and Bryant never led. Providence outscored Bryant 40-30 after halftime. Attendance was 10,221. The Friars shot 30 of 62 from the floor, made 8 of 25 from 3-point range and converted 10 of 13 free throws. Bryant shot 19 of 47 from the field, made 7 of 26 from beyond the arc and hit 10 of 14 free throws.

Jacob Bannarbie was Providence’s top star, finishing with nine points, 10 rebounds, three assists and one block in 29 minutes. Bannarbie led Providence with 10 rebounds. Devin Vanterpool added 21 points, four rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes. Vanterpool scored a game-high 21 points. Miles Byrd stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and one block in 36 minutes. Malik Mack scored 19 points with two rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes, and Clyde Walters contributed nine points, six rebounds, four assists and one block in 15 minutes. Bannarbie had six points and one rebound in a recent loss at Nebraska before his strong effort against Bryant.

Bryant was led by Duane Thompson, who had 15 points and four rebounds in 28 minutes. Onyx Nnani added 13 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes. Elijah Crispin finished with 11 points and six assists in 32 minutes. Andre Pasha had five points, five rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes, while Keegan Harvey added four points, three rebounds and one assist in 28 minutes. Providence entered after a loss at Nebraska and a home win over Maine. Bryant had lost to Fairfield and Quinnipiac and beaten Siena.

Providence held a 9-4 edge in offensive rebounds and a 19-9 advantage in assists. The Friars blocked three shots. Bryant committed 24 turnovers to Providence’s 16. Both teams were whistled for 18 fouls. Bryant scored 55 points from 74 possessions for an offensive rating of 74.7, while Providence scored 78 points from 75 possessions for an offensive rating of 103.8. Providence assisted on 19 of its 30 made baskets, and Bryant assisted on nine of its 19 made baskets.

The game began with Providence setting an early tone. Devin Vanterpool hit a floating jump shot with 18:17 left in the first half, and Miles Byrd followed with an alley-oop at the 17:10 mark for a 4-0 lead. Keegan Harvey got Bryant on the board with a layup, but Byrd answered with a 3-pointer. At 15:39, Byrd made another 3-pointer for a 7-2 Providence lead. Thompson answered with a layup, and Ty Tabales made two free throws to pull Bryant within 7-6. Byrd then made two free throws and a 3-pointer to push the lead to 12-6. Hightower made a layup at 11:44 for a 14-6 advantage. Bryant stayed within striking distance for much of the half. Duane Thompson scored inside, Ty Tabales made free throws, and Elijah Crispin and Onyx Nnani produced baskets that kept the Bulldogs close. Providence gradually built separation late in the half. Jacob Bannarbie converted an alley-oop, Clyde Walters made a layup and free throw, and Vanterpool hit a 3-pointer and two free throws. Byrd added two free throws, Bannarbie made a layup, and Gavin Hightower scored just before the break. Crispin hit a 3-pointer for Bryant and Thompson made two free throws, but Providence took a 38-25 lead into halftime.

Bryant opened the second half with a basket from Onyx Nnani, but Providence responded through Vanterpool and Malik Mack. The Bulldogs then made their most serious run. Providence had pushed its lead to 51-33 on a Walters tip-in and a Malik Mack layup. Crispin then hit two 3-pointers, and Nnani added another from deep to cut the lead to 51-42 with 12:01 remaining. That was the closest Bryant would get after the break. Providence answered with a decisive 10-0 run. Vanterpool made a driving layup, Bannarbie scored inside, Vanterpool added another driving layup, Bannarbie made a free throw, and Vanterpool capped the burst with a 3-point pull-up jumper to push the lead to 61-42 with 8:17 left.

Bryant tried to answer. Duane Thompson hit a 3-pointer, and Andre Pasha made a 3-pointer from a turnover to cut the deficit to 64-48. Malik Mack then took over for Providence. He made a step-back jumper and two 3-pointers, pushing the Friars’ lead to 72-51 with 3:16 remaining. Roi Behar made a 3-pointer for Bryant, and Thompson made two free throws, but Providence closed the game with an Elijah Saunders alley-oop at 1:50 and a Clyde Walters driving layup at 1:06, and Malik Mack finished the scoring with a driving layup at 0:38.80. Bryant’s Onyx Nnani had a driving layup at 0:45.60 between those Providence baskets, but the outcome was already settled.

Bryant next plays at Rutgers, then at Massachusetts, before hosting Worcester State and traveling to Marist. Providence hosts Colorado next, then Sacred Heart, before facing VCU in Lahaina, Hawaii.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Providence 82, Bryant 66. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Providence with a 97 percent probability to win. Providence had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -31, and the total score of 133 was paired with an over/under line of 149.5.