02.24.23

road win at Seton Hall on Friday night at the Prudential Center.

Xavier improves to 21-8 (13-5 BIG EAST), while Seton Hall drops to 16-13 (9-9 BIG EAST).

Xavier took its first double-figure lead (21-10) at the 9:01 mark in the first half and led by as many as 19 points (40-21) in the frame on a Jerome Hunter putback as time expired in the stanza. Seton Hall closed within eight points (41-33) with 16:46 on the clock in the second half, but the Musketeers scored 12 unanswered points – taking their first 20-point lead of the game (53-33).

Xavier led by as many as 29 points (81-52) on a Jerome Hunter basket with 2:05 left in regulation before pulling away for the 82-60 victory.

NOTABLES

• Souley Boum led Xavier with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting, his 12th game of the season with 20 or more points. The guard was 5-for-8 from behind the arc. He added four rebounds, three assists and one steal.
• Colby Jones scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half as he finished the contest going 5-for-10 from the floor. The guard also led the team at the foul line, going 7-for-8. Jones added two rebounds and an assist in 19 minutes of action.
• Adam Kunkel posted 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting with three 3-pointers. The guard added five rebounds, two assists and one steal.
• Jerome Hunter rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting. The forward pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to go along with three blocks and two assists.
• Jack Nunge finished the game with eight points, five rebounds and five assists. Cesare Edwards chipped in five points and five rebounds. Desmond Claude posted a career-high six rebounds to go along with four assists and two points.
• Xavier finished the game with a .483 field-goal percentage (29-for-60) and went 10-for-23 from behind the arc. The Musketeers have made 10 or more three pointers in a game five times this season. Xavier was also 14-for-16 from the foul line.
• Xavier won the battle on the glass, 42-27, and scored eight more second-chance points (18-10). The Musketeers also scored six more points in the paint (36-30) and held a 7-0 advantage in fastbreak points. 

UP NEXT

Xavier returns to action on Wednesday, March 1 at No. 20 Providence. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. with the game being aired nationally on FS1.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS