By Cord Rankin

12 21 2024

BOX SCORE

https://goxavier.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2024-25/marquette/boxscore/12607

Marcus Foster leads four Musketeers in double figures with 16 points

CINCINNATI – Xavier men’s basketball used a 14-0 run to come back and take the lead late but fell, 72-70, to No. 9 Marquette at Cintas Center on Saturday.

The Musketeers stand at 8-5 on the year and 0-2 in BIG EAST play, while the Golden Eagles moved to 11-2 and 2-0 in BIG EAST play.

Xavier remains at home for its next match-up, hosting Seton Hall at Cintas Center on Tuesday, Dec. 31. The Musketeers and the Pirates get underway at 2:00 p.m., streamed live on Peacock.

NOTABLE

• Xavier opened the game with back-to-back buckets from Jerome Hunter, leading by as many six in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Musketeers maintained the lead until a 9-2 run for the Golden Eagles put Marquette in front. MU led by as many as seven before taking a 27-22 lead into halftime.
• Marquette extend the lead out to 15 in the second half, but Xavier outscored the Golden Eagles 18-2 over a five-minute stretch to move back in front, 64-63, going into the final two minutes. MU responded with a 6-0 run to retake the lead. Xavier would get within one in the final minutes, before falling by a final score of 72-70.
• Marcus Foster led the Musketeers with 16 points, scoring 13 in the second half on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor and 2-of-3 from outside.
• Jerome Hunter added 15 for the Musketeers, shooting 6-of-8 from the floor overall and 4-of-4 from the floor in the second half.
• Dayvion McKnight had 14 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor for the game. He also led the Musketeers with six assists.
• Dailyn Swain finished with his second double-double of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds, matching his career-high set earlier this season against Jackson State.
• Xavier shot 46.2 percent overall from the floor, connecting on 62.5 percent of its shots in the second half. Marquette shot 49.2 percent overall, connecting on 60 percent of its second half shots.
• The Musketeers had 14 turnovers to 10 for the Golden Eagles. Marquette was able to turn that into a 16-4 advantage on points off miscues.
• Xavier finished with a 31-30 advantage on rebounds overall, with both team grabbing 25 defensive boards and the Musketeers holding a slight 6-5 advantage on the offensive glass.

COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS