BOX SCORE
https://goxavier.com/documents/2023/1/7/2189851.PDF
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Four Musketeers hit double figures, led by 20-point games for Zach Freemantle and Souley Boum, to lead No. 18 Xavier to the 88-80 win at Villanova, the first road win over the Wildcats since joining the BIG EAST. The Musketeers move to 5-0 in BIG EAST play and 13-3 overall.
Xavier used an 11-0 run to lead by as many as nine, 16-7, in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Wildcats responded with a 13-2 run to get back in the game, leading by as many as four in the first half before the Musketeers closed the half on a 9-2 run to take a 35-31 lead into halftime.
Villanova would use a 4-0 run to tie the game early in the second half, but Xavier responded by outscoring the Wildcats 15-6 over a seven minute stretch to match its largest lead to that point at nine going into the final eight minutes of the game. VU would get as close as four, trailing 76-72 going into the final minute, but Xavier went 12-of-12 from the free throw line to extend the lead to 11 before a Wildcat three at the buzzer set the final score at 88-80.
GAME NOTES
- Zach Freemantle had a season high 29 points, just one off his career-best mark, going 12-17 from the floor, including 2-2 from three. Freemantle also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.
- Souley Boum finished with 22 points, all scored in the second half. Boum went 10-10 from the free throw line, with eight of those coming in the final minute of the game. Boum also grabbed 10 rebounds for his first double-double as a Musketeer, and dished out a team-high matching six assists.
- Adam Kunkel finished with 15 points, connecting on 3-of-4 free throws and going 4-4 from the free throw line.
- Colby Jones had 11 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor, and had a team-high matching six assists. Xavier had 22 assists on 31 field goals
- Xavier finished with a 39-32 advantage on the boards.
- The Musketeers moved to 5-0 in BIG EAST play for the first time since joining the conference.
- The win at Villanova marks the first time Xavier has beat the Wildcats on the road since joining the BIG EAST, the first road win at VU since the 1955-56 season.
COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
