No. 19 Marquette 79, Providence 77

1/20/2007 4:57 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -Krystal Ellis scored 24 points, including a go-ahead layup with 10.3 seconds left, and No. 19 Marquette beat Providence 79-77 Saturday.

Providence (12-7, 2-4 Big East) led 77-76 when Ellis drove the lane, untouched, and banked in a layup.

After Providence's Kendria Holmes front-rimmed a shot, Marquette's Danielle Kamm was fouled a fraction of a second before the final buzzer sounded. Kamm made one free throw to close the scoring and give the Golden Eagles (17-2, 5-1) their 10th win in 11 games.

Ellis also had a career-high seven assists, Kamm finished with with 17 points and Christina Quaye added 16.

Chelesea Marandola and Shauna Snyder scored 20 points each and Catherine Bove had 17 for Providence.

Marquette shot 52 percent (16-for-31) while building a 45-28 lead at halftime lead, with Ellis scoring 13 points and Kamm 11.

Ellis' layup gave Marquette a 71-64 lead with 4:04 left, but Providence countered with a 10-0 run. Bove and Holmes each had a 3, while Bove also hit a jump shot and scored off her steal.

Marandola's free throw gave the Friars their biggest lead of the game, 75-71 with 1:37 left. However, Kamm made a 3 and then scored on a runner off the glass for a 76-75 lead.

Holmes' basket with 21 seconds left gave the Friars their last lead.

The Golden Eagles, fifth in the Big East in 3-point shooting, were 9-for-20 from beyond the arc. Ellis led the way by connecting on 5-of-11.