Providence 66, Temple 64

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Dwain Williams and Jeff Xavier keyed a late 14-0 run to lift Providence to a 66-64 win over Temple at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Thursday.

Williams scored 17 points and Xavier added 12 -- including the go-ahead free throws with 1:41 left -- as the Friars (1-0) rallied from a 10-point deficit in the last six minutes.

After Temple (0-2) pushed its lead to 62-52 with 5:57 left on a lay-up by Dionte Christmas, Williams and Xavier hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the run. Williams hit two foul shots and Brian McKenzie scored on a lay-up to tie the game 62-62 with 2:31 left.

Xavier hit two foul shots to give Providence the lead and Geoff McDermott added a lay-up to push the Friars' edge to 66-62.

Christmas, who led Temple with 19 points, got a lay-up of his own to cut the lead to two, but Mark Tyndale missed a jumper with two seconds left that would have tied the game.

McDermott scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds while McKenzie added 12 points for the Friars.

Semaj Inge scored 15 for the Owls and Chris Clark chipped in 11 on 4-for-7 shooting, including 3-for-4 from behind the arc.