Nate Watson scored 18 points and had a key three-point play down the stretch to help No. 21 Providence hold on for a 69-62 victory over visiting Butler in a Big East game on Sunday.

Al Durham scored 12 points and Jared Bynum and Ed Croswell each added 10 as the Friars (16-2, 6-1 Big East) won their third straight game.

Coach Ed Cooley, in his 11th year at Providence, passed Dave Gavitt for second place on the all-time wins list at the school. Cooley is 210-136 with the Friars and now trails only Joe Mullaney (290 wins).

Chuck Harris scored 21 points and Bo Hodges added 17 for the Bulldogs (9-10, 2-6), who also got 11 points from Bryce Golden but couldn't avoid a fourth straight loss.

Watson's putback gave the Friars a 64-58 lead with 1:49 to go, but Golden answered with a long two-point jumper 19 seconds later. Watson then made a three-point play with 1:06 left to extend the lead to 67-60 and all but seal the win for Providence.

The Bulldogs began the second half by almost immediately erasing the Friars' 39-33 halftime advantage. An 8-0 run capped by Harris' 3-pointer with 17:19 to go quickly put Butler in front, 41-39.

From there, the lead changed hands seven times before Providence finally appeared to gain control. A 10-3 surge capped by Croswell's layup off a steal and assist by Bynum gave the Friars a 56-50 lead with 8:20 to go.

But Croswell couldn't finish the and-one, and back came Butler with baskets by Aaron Thompson and Golden to cut the deficit to 56-54.

Butler coach LaVall Jordan shook up his lineup, starting usual sixth man Harris and Hodges. Hodges came in averaging only 2.5 points in 14.8 minutes in his first four games of the season after sitting out because of a knee injury.

It worked as Harris and Hodges each scored 11 points in the first half.

The Bulldogs started strong and led 14-12 with 12:55 left in the first half on a basket by Simas Lukosius.

Providence responded with a 12-4 run, capped by Bynum's straight-on 3-pointer with 8:44 left for a 24-18 lead. The Friars' biggest lead of the half was at 35-26 when Justin Minaya found Durham on a backdoor cut for a layup with 3:24 to go.

--Field Level Media