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Woodall helps No. 5 Pitt outlast Providence

Jan 5, 2011 - 3:47 AM Providence, RI (Sports Network) - Travon Woodall hit a three-pointer with 35 seconds remaining and No. 5 Pittsburgh outlasted Providence, 83-79, in Big East action at Dunkin' Donuts Center.

Gilbert Brown scored a team-high 19 points and Gary McGee went for 13 points and nine rebounds for Pittsburgh (14-1, 2-0 Big East), which has won four straight since dropping an 83-76 decision to Tennessee on December 11.

Marshon Brooks led all scorers with 28 points for Providence (11-5, 0-3), which has lost three in a row. Vincent Council added 13 points and 10 assists in defeat.

Nasir Robinson's layup at the midway point of the second half had the Panthers in front by a seemingly comfortable double-digit margin at 60-50, but the Friars came back to make it three-point game after a Duke Mondy three with 5:47 left and it stayed tight down the stretch.

Trailing by four Mondy's three-pointer, Kadeem Batts' layin and a trey from Brooks put Providence ahead 76-72 with 90 seconds on the clock.

However, McGee's layup followed by a Friars' turnover set the stage for Woodall, who buried the long-range shot to lift the visitors to a 77-76 advantage with 35 seconds left. McGee buried two from the line with 18 ticks remaining for a three-point Panthers lead that they held on to in the closing seconds.

Pittsburgh jumped out to 15-6 start early in the contest, but Providence answered with 11 straight points to go in front by two just past the midway point.

Ashton Gibbs hit a pair of three-pointers as part of an 11-4 run a short time later to put the Panthers up 26-21 with 5:08 before the half and they would be ahead 38-31 going into the locker room at the break.

Game Notes

The Panthers improved to 29-17 in the all-time series against Providence...Pittsburgh shot 52.9 percent from the field, including 10-of-19 from three-point range, while Providence made 44.6 percent of its shots and 8 of-24 from beyond the arc.