February 20, 1999

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Jamel Thomas scored 13 of his career-high 38 points in overtime to lead Providence to a 90-84 overtime victory over Villanova Saturday night.

Justin Farley had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Erron Maxey added 10 points for Providence (15-11, 8-8), which ended a three-game skid.

Malik Allen scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-13 field goal shooting and John Celestand scored 22 points, including four 3-pointers, for Villanova (18-9, 9-8), which lost for the first time this season at the Pavilion. Brian Lynch had 11 points and Howard Brown added 10.

Allen scored the first four points of the extra period after regulation ended tied at 76-all. Thomas tallied the next eight points to give the Friars an 84-80 lead with 1:28 remaining. Allen made two free throws to pull the Wildcats to 84-82 with 1:14 left, but Thomas connected on the Friars' next three points to put the game out of reach.

One of Celestand's 3-pointers gave Villanova a 60-54 lead with nine minutes remaining in regulation. But Thomas scored the next seven points - in just 49 seconds - to put the Friars on top, 61-60, with 8:24 left. There were five lead changes and six ties over the next eight minutes, as neither team could pull away.

Farley hit a key 3-pointer to give the Friars a 74-73 advantage, but an Allen free throw followed by Celestand's runner gave the Wildcats a 76-74 lead with 1:20. Thomas' layup with one minute to play tied the game at 76-apiece.

The teams combined to shoot 12-for-24 from 3-point range in the second half, after making a combined 1-of-14 from behind the arc in the first period. Providence had a 35-34 lead at the half.