PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Providence College turned up the pressure from the opening tip Monday night, forcing 23 Maine turnovers in an 83-56 home win that gave Bryan Hodgson his first victory as the Friars coach.
Those giveaways turned into 29 Providence points, while Maine scored just six off Friars mistakes. The gap inside was just as wide: Providence piled up 42 points in the paint to 10 for the Black Bears and won the fast-break battle 21-3.
Jacob Bannarbie did not miss. He went 7-of-7 from the floor for 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double. Ryan Mekla scored 13, Javon Bardwell and Malik Mack had 12 each, and Miles Byrd added 10 to make five Friars in double figures.
Byrd also had seven steals, matching his career best. No Friar had recorded that many in one game since Kris Dunn did it against Xavier on Jan. 26, 2016. Hightower set career highs with seven assists and five steals.
Maine actually shot better from 3-point range, 35% to 33%, and at the free-throw line, 64% to 58%. It did not matter. Providence controlled the boards 43-32 and won the second half 49-30. Hudson Franz paced Maine with 13 points, and Ace Flagg, brother of Cooper Flagg, scored seven.
The game drew 11,685 fans and opened the 100th season of Friars basketball. Providence shot 45.6% overall, hitting 31 of 68 attempts, and assisted on 18 of those baskets. The program has now won 18 straight home openers, is 13-1 all-time against Maine and has gone 40-1 across its last 41 nonconference games at home.
A tougher test comes Saturday at 7 p.m., when the Friars meet Nebraska at Mohegan Sun.
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