An exasperating basketball season is probably over for Butler.
Maliek White scored 13 of his career-high 19 points in the first half, and Providence shot 56 percent in crushing Butler 80-57 Wednesday night in the opening game of the Big East basketball tournament at New York.
The Friars started 2-of-12 from the field but were 27-of-40 (67.5 percent) thereafter. They finished 11-of-23 on 3-pointers.
Jordan Tucker scored 14 points and Aaron Thompson 12 for Butler. Kamar Baldwin was limited to eight points, his lowest output since a Dec. 1 loss at Saint Louis.