Ben Bentil’s 38 points lead Providence to win over Butler in Big East Tournament

Providence big man Ben Bentil put on a huge show for every one of the 14,863 in the stands at Madison Square Garden on Thursday afternoon, and for one man at the head of his team’s bench.

“I told him in the locker room, ‘I was a fan today,’ ” Providence coach Ed Cooley said after his team beat Butler, 74-60, and advanced to the Big East Tournament semifinals on the strength of Bentil’s 38 points.

Only once in tournament history has anyone scored more — Donyell Marshall of Connecticut had 42 against St. John’s in 1994 — and never has anyone made as many field goals as Bentil’s 16. “He scored in every imaginable way: drives, shots, step-backs,” Cooley said. “I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve got to get him the ball any way I can.’ ”

When he was asked his reaction to his coach’s effusive praise, Bentil, a 6-9 sophomore, said, “I said thank you because he did a great job to get me the ball at the right spots.”

Actually, much of that credit belonged to guard Kris Dunn, the Big East Player of the Year, who quietly ran Bentil’s show, collecting 15 points and seven assists. “When you have a hot hand, he’ll make sure the ball is in your hand,” Bentil said of Dunn, who will lead the Friars (23-9) against Villanova on Friday night.

Bentil was born in Ghana and came to the U.S. at 15 as part of an exchange program. He enrolled at St. Andrew’s School in Middleton, Delaware, and moved in with the family of teammate Austin Tilghman. To this day, on his official biography, he lists Delaware as his home and the Tilghmans as his family. Current teammate Jalen Lindsey said, “I’ve known Ben since early high school. He was skinny back then, unorthodox, lanky. Obviously, he has grown into his body really well. He works harder than anybody.”

The work will pay off, literally. “He’s going to play in the NBA. They have two guys that are going to play in the NBA,” Butler coach Chris Holtmann said. “Hopefully soon.”