One of five Friars to score in double figures, Cartwright also had nine of his team's 19 assists to snap the Musketeers' 10-game winning streak.

Providence leading scorer Rodney Bullock returned to the lineup after a one-game absence and chipped in 17 points. Bullock missed his team's 95-90 overtime loss against Marquette on Wednesday with the flu. Listed as questionable for Saturday's game, the senior forward made 5 of 10 shots and added six rebounds and three assists.

Kerem Kanter scored a season-high 24 points for Xavier, which lost for the first time since it was defeated by Arizona State on Nov. 24.

The Friars took over midway through the first half and never relinquished the lead despite being outrebounded 44-28. Providence (11-6, 2-2 Big East) did so by making 20 of 22 free-throw attempts and connecting on 9 of 22 3-pointers.

Jalen Lindsey (12 points) stretched the Friars' lead to 35-24 with a 3-pointer with 5:46 left in the first half. Xavier, which next plays at Villanova on Wednesday, cut the lead to 45-43 on a Tyrique Jones basket with 15:41 left in the second half, but never got any closer. Jones and Trevon Bluiett each had 12 points in the losing effort for the Musketeers (15-2, 3-1).

Isaiah Jackson had 18 points and six rebounds for Providence, which knocked off a top-5 opponent at home for the first time since beating No. 1 Pitt in on Feb. 24, 2009. The Friars last beat a top-5 team when they downed No. 4 Villanova in overtime on Jan. 24, 2016.

The loss prevented Xavier from its best-ever Big East start and from allowing coach Chris Mack to move into a tie with Pete Gillen for the most victories in school history (201).

--Field Level Media