PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by missed shots and turnovers, the Providence Friars did just enough to hold off a late surge from the Northeastern Huskies and secure a 50-45 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday afternoon at a sparsely attended Dunkin’ Center.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 1,108, was a far cry from the offensive showcase the Friars’ high preseason win probability suggested. Both teams combined to shoot under 35% from the floor and committed 30 turnovers in a contest where offensive rhythm was a rare commodity.

Providence, improving to 3-1 on the young season, was carried by the standout performance of Sabou Gueye. The sophomore guard from Dakar, Senegal, was the lone player to find consistent offensive success, scoring a game-high 21 points in 34 minutes. She added six rebounds, a block and three steals, providing the crucial scoring punch on a afternoon where points were at a premium.

Northeastern, which fell to 1-4, was plagued by a disastrous start. The Huskies managed only eight points in the first quarter and a paltry six in the second, entering halftime with a mere 14 points and staring at a 23-14 deficit. Their offensive rating of 67.4 points per 100 possessions through the first 20 minutes underscored their profound struggles.

The Huskies showed life after the break, erupting for 15 points in the third quarter and 16 in the fourth, but the early hole proved too deep. A key sequence late in the game saw Northeastern claw to within a single possession. With just over 12 seconds remaining, Yirsy Quéliz of Northeastern hit a clutch 3-pointer to cut the Providence lead to 49-47.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Providence’ Orlagh Gormley was fouled and sent to the line. She missed the first free throw but calmly sank the second to push the lead back to three points. Northeastern had a chance to tie, but Quéliz’s desperation 3-point attempt as time expired was off the mark.

Quéliz, a guard from Concepción de la Vega, Dominican Republic, led the Huskies with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. Her backcourt mate, Taylor Holohan, facilitated the offense with a team-high four assists to go with four points and four rebounds.

Beyond Gueye’s heroics, Providence relied on a balanced, if unspectacular, effort. Payton Dunbar from Narrows, Virginia, contributed eight points and five rebounds, while Teneisia Brown of Montego Bay, Jamaica, controlled the glass with nine rebounds. Gormley, a local product from Quincy, Massachusetts, chipped in seven points, three assists and two blocks.

The statistical sheet was a testament to the game’s gritty nature. Both teams were anemic from beyond the arc, with Northeastern connecting on just 3 of 19 attempts and Providence making 4 of 20. The Friars secured the win in part by capitalizing more effectively at the free-throw line, making 8 of 12 attempts compared to Northeastern’s 4 of 8.

The Friars also won the possession battle, turning the ball over 14 times to Northeastern’s 16 and leveraging 11 offensive rebounds into second-chance opportunities. Providence’s offensive rating of 82.4, while far from efficient, was significantly more productive than the Huskies’ mark of 67.4.

The victory extends Providence’s early-season momentum as they prepare to host Yale on Friday. Northeastern, still seeking its footing, will look to even its record when it returns home to face Sacred Heart on Saturday.