BOX SCORE

https://goxavier.com/documents/2023/3/10/2249066.PDF

POSTGAME NOTES

https://goxavier.com/documents/2023/3/11/Xavier_SF_Quotes.pdf

NEW YORK CITY – Xavier men’s basketball posted an 82-60 win over Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Musketeers improved to 25-8, while the Bluejays moved to 21-12. Xavier moved to 2-5 all-time in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals and snapped a four-game skid in the round.

With the game tied at 9-9, the Musketeers went on an 18-6 run – taking their first double-figure lead of the game (27-15) with 8:05 on the clock. Xavier never relinquished the lead and took its first 20-point lead, 71-51, with 8:16 left in regulation.

The Musketeers held the Bluejays to only five points over the final 6:25 of action to pull away for the 22-point victory (82-60). All told, Xavier led for 35 minutes and 28 seconds in the game.

X NOTABLES

• Souley Boum scored a game-high 23 points and dished out a game-high six assists. He added five rebounds and knocked down a game-high five 3-pointers. The guard now has 14, 20-point performances this season.
• Jack Nunge added 17 points and seven rebounds. The forward also had two steals.
• Colby Jones recorded his first double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. The last time Jones had a double-double was on Feb. 26, 2022 vs Seton Hall.
• Desmond Claude added 11 points and two rebounds. The freshman guard also recorded a game and career-high four steals.
• Adam Kunkel chipped in eight points, four rebounds and two assists. Jerome Hunter added eight rebounds, six points and two assists. 
• Xavier finished the game with a .471 field-goal percentage (33-for-70) and went 7-for-17 from behind the arc. The Musketeers were also 9-for-11 from the foul line.
• Xavier held a 17-6 advantage in points off of turnovers and scored six more second-chance points (16-10). The Musketeers also scored 11 more bench points (14-3) and held a 40-24 advantage in points in the paint.

UP NEXT

Xavier takes on Marquette in the BIG EAST Championship on Saturday, March 11. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. from Madison Square Garden with the game being broadcast nationally on FOX. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are facing off in the title game for the first time since 2004.

COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS