Alpha Diallo scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the first half as Providence cruised to a 76-60 win over shorthanded Georgetown in each team's Big East Conference opener on Tuesday in Rhode Island.

Luwane Pipkins had 14 points, A.J. Reeves added 13 and David Duke had 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Friars (8-6, 1-0). Providence finished the day at 53.8 percent from the field, drawing 18 assists off 28 made field goals.

Omer Yurtseven collected 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoyas (10-4, 0-1), but those numbers didn't mean much in a game that the Friars led by double figures almost the entire way.

Jahvon Blair and Terrell Allen each added 10 points but combined to hit just 6 of 29 shots.

Georgetown started the second half with a 17-4 run, but all that did was pull it within 20. Even though Providence made only 38.1 percent from the field after halftime, its lead was never in danger.

Playing without sophomore guard Mac McClung (eye), who averaged 19 points per game and shot better than 40 percent on 3-pointers in its six-game winning streak, Georgetown was swamped immediately by Providence.

The Friars took the lead 50 seconds into the game on Diallo's jumper and didn't let the Hoyas up for air until the outcome was no longer in doubt. They scored 14 straight points to start the game before Georgetown got on the board after Jagan Mosely hit two free throws at the 13:38 mark.

Providence boosted the margin to 20 with 9:58 left in the half on a short jumper by Nate Watson, then expanded it to 30 with 2:43 remaining on Reeves' jumper in the lane. The advantage swelled to 33 before the Friars settled for a 54-23 lead at intermission.

Providence shot a season-best 65.5 percent from the field in the first half, including an other-worldly 10 of 18 on 3-pointers. It also scored 19 points off 10 Hoyas' turnovers and limited the visitors to 28 percent shooting from the floor.

--Field Level Media