PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Wow. No, make that double-wow.
 
Colgate christened the Bill Cleary coaching era by taking Providence of the Big East Conference to double-overtime before dropping a 92-85 thriller.
 
The Raiders led 29-20 in the second quarter and then trailed 45-33 in the third, such were the swings in this game. There were six ties and a dozen lead changes, and then it all came down to the end of regulation knotted 73 apiece.
 
Katie Curtis had a contested look but the jumper wouldn't fall. Five extra minutes produced another tie at 79-79 as Tori Pozsonyi scored four big points.
 
Finally, the host Friars pulled away in the second overtime for their first victory under new head coach Jim Crowley, who spent the last 16 seasons as head coach at St. Bonaventure.
 
Raider first-year Rachel Thompson led the Colgate offense with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 2-of-2 from downtown. Curtis added 15 points and Haley Greer, another newcomer, scored 13.
 
Bottom Line
• Providence 92, Colgate 85 (2 ot)
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate opens its season 0-1.
• Providence is now 1-0.
 
Facts & Figures
• This was Colgate's first double-overtime game since Jan. 14, 2012, when Lehigh prevailed 85-82.
• All 13 Raiders saw playing time. The scoring broke down like this: Thompson 20, Curtis 15, Greer 13, Mylah Chandler 9, Tegan Graham 8, Pozsonyi 6, Chelsey Koren 5, Summer King 5, Julia Barcello 2 and Kateri Stone 2.
• Chandler tied for game rebounding honors with a career-high 11. Thompson added seven boards.
• Curtis (43) and Chandler (42) both logged career-high minutes.
• Free throw shooting was crisp all night, with Colgate finishing 8-of-9 and Providence 16-of-17.
• Colgate fought back from that 12-point third-quarter deficit thanks to 11-of-19 shooting in that period. The Raiders trailed just 58-57 entering the fourth.
• Providence's Jovana Nogic led all scorers with 23. Aliyah Miller picked up 11 rebounds.
 
Cleary Debut
• Cleary was coaching in his first game at Colgate after compiling a 164-69 record over eight seasons at Division II Bloomsburg in Pennsylvania.
 
From the Sources
• Colgate head coach Bill Cleary: (On the game) "The players deserve all the credit. They fought incredible hard the whole game and we came up just a little short. We got into a little bit of foul trouble in the second quarter and they went on a run. But we came out in the third quarter and wanted to just chip away. We didn't pay any attention to the deficit. We had chances to win at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime but it just didn't happen.
 
(On the play of his newcomers) "All four of them were incredible. They really came to play and it's all because the upper-classmen have been making them comfortable and putting them in positions to succeed. Tonight was a total team effort. Now we have a quick turnaround and have to get ready for St. Bonaventure.
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at Alumni Hall was 534.
 
Up Next
• Colgate completes an opening road trip Sunday at St. Bonaventure.
• The Bonnies lost 65-43 Friday night at Niagara.
• The Raiders and Bonnie are playing for the sixth consecutive season. St. Bonaventure has won the last seven meetings.
• Tipoff from Olean is 1 p.m.