Providence -- Something has to change for UConn to have a shot at accomplishing its mission of winning a Big East regular season title this season.

Right now, the fourth-ranked Huskies are falling short in their effort to secure a road win against the league’s top tier teams.

For the second straight game, they failed the toughness test and lost too many hustle and heart plays on Wednesday.

Simply put, Providence played like it wanted the Big East battle more than UConn, which suffered a 73-61 loss before a rowdy Amica Mutual Pavilion crowd.

“Obviously, disappointed,” coach Dan Hurley said. “Just really embarrassed by the way we handled ourselves in the second half, particularly on the backboard. It seems like we just got beat to every loose ball and every 50-50 ball.

“... In the second half, they were just a lot tougher than we were. ... Credit Providence. Those guys were making multiple efforts. They played with a desperation tonight in the second half that we didn’t match.”

Looking to rebound from a 10-point loss at Xavier Saturday, the Huskies (14-2, 3-2) struggled offensively against a relentless, inspired defense, finishing with a season low for points and field goal percentage (36.5).

The Huskies, who came in averaging a Big East best 9.9 3-pointers per game, converted a season-low tying five out of 22 attempts from beyond the arc.

The defending Big East regular season champion Friars (13-3, 5-0) extended their winning streak to eight. They’re off to their best start in league play in program history and won Wednesday despite playing most of the game without starting guard Jared Bynum who left the game in the first half with an injury.

“We beat a hell of a team,” PC coach Ed Cooley said. “That team is going to win a lot of basketball games. What Danny has done with that program and how far they’ve come and where they’re at, they’re going to have to get accustomed to playing in front of crowds like this. … When you have a juggernaut like that, people are going to be excited for their team to play against you.”

Kentucky transfer Bryce Hopkins played like a Big East player of the year candidate, powering the Friars with a game-high 27 points, with 13 points coming from the foul line. Guard Noah Locke added 17 points.

“He’s an NBA player,” Hurley said of Hopkins. “We were scared when we were watching the film. We knew it would be a tough matchup for Alex (Karaban). … He was the best player on the court today and I don’t think it is even close.”

The Huskies trailed by three at halftime and never regained the lead. They battled foul trouble and were outscored from the free throw line 29-10. They also were out-rebounded 41-39.

“We just weren’t tough enough,” sophomore Jordan Hawkins said. “They out-rebounded us by about 12 in the second half. That hurt us. The 50-50 balls, we didn’t get to all of them.”

Hawkins led UConn with 15 points and freshman Donovan Clingan added 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks while junior Adama Sanogo had 11 points – all in the first half – and seven rebounds. Outside of Clingan, UConn’s bench provided little relief.

PC fans were pumped up from the start, roundly booing the Huskies when they jogged out on the court five minutes before tip.

The Friars fed off the crowd’s energy and support while the Huskies buckled.

“You could feel it when you walk out there and it’s every single possession the entire game,” Hurley said of the crowd. “So, that obviously inspires a defensive effort. We didn’t execute. … They played good solid Big East defense. Maybe the crowd rattled us a little bit.”

Early trouble hit when junior Andre Jackson, UConn’s best defender and all-around catalyst, picked up two fouls in the first four minutes, went to the bench and didn’t return until the second half. He never found his groove and had just three points.

UConn started to create some separation when Hurley paired Sanogo and Clingan together on the court for one of the few times this season.

Clingan stole the ball and found Hawkins, who threw a pass to Sanogo for a breakaway dunk. Clingan’s dunk and Sanogo’s basket in the lane pushed the lead to 19-14, UConn’s biggest in the first half.

The lead didn’t last.

Hopkins fueled a comeback. His 3-pointer handed the Friars their first lead at 25-24 about three minutes before intermission.

The Huskies struggled against a zone defense. They converted just one of seven from 3-point land.

With the shot clock running down, Corey Floyd Jr., who transferred from UConn to PC, buried a 3-pointer for a 33-28 lead.

Sanogo’s nifty reverse layup cut the gap to 33-30 at halftime. He had 11 points on five for six from the field despite drawing a defensive swarm while the rest of the Huskies went 8 for 26.

UConn trailed at halftime for the first time this season and never recovered.

The Huskies will have little time to prepare for their next game Saturday in Storrs against Creighton, the preseason favorite to win the Big East.

They’re not panicking after back-to-back double digit losses.

“We’re all still pretty confident,” Clingan said. “We’ve just got to get back to where we were and the same mindset. We’ve just got to keep working. We’ll be alright.”

g.keefe@theday.com