PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Interstat) — Sabou Gueye scored 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds to power the Providence women’s basketball team to a 66-50 victory over Xavier in a Big East Conference game Sunday at Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

The Friars, who led wire-to-wire, improved to 11-14 overall while the Musketeers fell to 11-13. An announced crowd of 1,004 watched Providence avenge a 61-47 loss at Xavier on Dec. 4.

The game’s decisive stretch came late in the third quarter, turning a competitive contest into a comfortable Providence lead. Leading 35-30 with under six minutes left in the period, the Friars unleashed a 13-2 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters, fueled by their defensive pressure and Gueye’s relentless attacking.

The spurt began with Gueye converting a tough layup off an Orlagh Gormley assist. After a Xavier miss, Gueye drew a foul and sank two free throws. Following another Musketeers empty possession, Gormley found Ashley Dinges for a 3-pointer from the wing, pushing the lead to 42-32 with 2:20 left in the third. Gueye then stripped Xavier’s Mariyah Noel and ignited a fast break that Gormley finished with a layup just before the buzzer, giving Providence a 48-35 advantage heading into the final frame.

The Musketeers, who struggled with ball security all afternoon, could not mount a response in the fourth quarter. Providence’s defense, which forced 18 turnovers and recorded 13 steals, consistently disrupted Xavier’s offensive flow. The Friars converted those miscues into 20 points off turnovers.

Gueye, a 5-foot-9 guard from Dakar, Senegal, was the catalyst throughout. She shot 12 of 24 from the field and added two assists, a block and a steal in 33 minutes. Her performance marked a season-high in scoring, surpassing the 22 points she had at Villanova on Jan. 27.

Xavier was led by Meri Kanerva, who scored 15 points and dished out three assists. The guard from Espoo, Finland, hit three 3-pointers but also committed seven of her team’s turnovers. Vivien Nejašmić added eight points and four rebounds for the Musketeers.

Providence established control early, opening the game on a 9-0 run. Gormley, a freshman from Quincy, Massachusetts, scored the game’s first basket on a layup and finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. The Friars led 17-11 after a sloppy first quarter that featured 12 combined turnovers.

Xavier stayed within striking distance for much of the first half, thanks in part to 43.8% shooting from 3-point range. A layup by Lucía Martínez López just before halftime cut the Providence lead to 29-22 at the break.

The statistical disparity told the story of Providence’s dominance. The Friars outscored Xavier 36-16 in the paint and held a 12-7 advantage in offensive rebounds, leading to 13 second-chance points. Providence also shared the ball effectively, tallying 13 assists to Xavier’s four.

Defensively, Providence’s length and activity bothered Xavier all game. The Musketeers shot just 38% from the field and managed an offensive rating of only 76.0 points per 100 possessions. Nalani Kaysia and Sophi Hall each contributed two blocks for the Friars.

For Xavier, Savannah White, a 6-2 forward from Saint Paul, Minnesota, provided six points and seven rebounds. Noel finished with nine points and six boards.

The win snaps a three-game losing streak for Providence, which had dropped consecutive games to Marquette, Saint John’s and Villanova. Xavier has now lost two straight, including a 71-52 defeat at Saint John’s on Wednesday.

Both teams return to action Wednesday. Providence hosts Butler, while Xavier returns home to face Villanova.