Marshon Brooks scored a game-high 24 points, 16 in the second half, as Providence outlasted visiting South Florida 68-63 Wednesday night.

USF came from nine points down to tie the game at 58-58 with 2:49 left, but Brooks answered quickly with a 3-pointer and a dunk for a five-point lead and the Friars held on for their third win in four games.

Vincent Council added 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Providence (14-9, 3-7 Big East), which avenged a 79-72 loss to the Bulls Jan. 16 in Tampa.

Jawanza Poland scored a career-high 20 points to lead USF (8-15, 2-8). Toarlyn Fitzpatrick had 13 points and Augustus Gilchrist added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Bulls. USF was without Jarrid Famous, who had 15 points and 14 rebounds in the win over Providence last month.

Providence scored 11 straight points in the middle of the first half, but USF sandwiched that stretch with runs of 7-0 and 8-1 to take a 30-29 halftime lead. Poland went 5 of 7 from the field, including two 3-pointers, for 12 points to lead the Bulls in the first 20 minutes.