No. 6 Xavier Erases 15-Point Halftime Deficit to Move to 12-0

Tuesday, December 22

Winston-Salem, NC

7 P.M.

Xavier University

12-0

Wake Forest University

8-3

Xavier

Wake Forest

Photo by: Mike Slade

No. 6 Xavier Erases 15-Point Halftime Deficit to Move to 12-0

12.22.15 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Sumner's career night leads the Musketeer comeback

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - A career game from Edmond Sumner helped No. 6 Xavier erase its largest deficit of the season, coming back to secure a 78-70 win at Wake Forest in the Skip Prosser Classic on Tuesday night. The Musketeers stand at 12-0 for the season, extending its school-record start.

After going in to halftime down 15, Xavier hit nine of its first 11 shots to open the second half, while holding Wake Forest to 1-of-10 from the field to open the half, to erase a 15-point halftime deficit in less than six minutes.

Sumner finished with 21 points, including 13 in the second half, to lead three Musketeers in double figures. Sumner's 21 topped his previous career high of 19 set against Miami earlier this season. Trevon Bluiett added 17 point after scoring only three in the first half and James Farr finished with 12.

Sumner, Bluiett and Farr each grabbed nine rebounds to lead Xavier as the Musketeers out-rebounded the Demon Deacons, 42-35, including owning a 22-15 advantage in the second half.

Wake Forest jumped out to a 7-0 lead, hitting three-for-three to open the game. The seven-point hole matched Xavier's largest of the season, matching the seven-point hole they during the first half of the game against Alabama in the AdvoCare Invitational.

The Musketeers responded, climbing to within three, 12-9, but the Demon Deacons hit five straight buckets to push back ahead, taking a 26-15 lead with 7:10 left in the half.

Wake Forest put together a 10-3 run to take an 18-point lead, its largest of the game, and Xavier's largest of the season, with less than four minutes remaining before halftime.

The Musketeers headed into the half trailing 43-28 after hitting only 29.4 percent from the floor in the first half but grabbed eight offensive rebounds for seven second-chance points to zero for Wake Forest in the first half.

The Musketeers and Demon Deacons each scored 14 in the paint, but XU shot just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc, compared to 5-of-12 for Wake Forest.

Sumner led Xavier in the first half with eight points while Farr added seven points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor.

Sumner also led the way with four rebounds, matching Bluiett for team high as the Musketeers matched the Demon Deacons with 20 rebounds, but outrebounded Wake Forest 8-3 on the offensive glass.

The Musketeers opened the second half on a 10-0 run to cut the lead down to five with less than two minutes gone from the half. After a pair of Wake free throws, a Bluiett three and Sumner dunk brought the Xavier deficit down to two, 45-43, less than five minutes into the half.

Bluiett scored 10 points in the first 5:05 of the second half to pull the Musketeers to within a possession and an Seab O'Mara basket tied the game up.

Xavier took its first lead of the game, 49-47, on a layup from Sumner at the 13:43 mark, then extended the lead to five, leading 61-56 with less than nine minutes remaining in the game.

Five straight points from Myles Davis extended the Xavier lead to seven, and a pair of free throws for Sumner, to match, then surpass his career high, gave Xavier the nine point lead, 68-59, with 6:33 remaining.

Wake Forest responded with an 8-0 run to bring the Demon Deacons to within one, 68-67, with less than five minutes remaining. Xavier answered with a 7-0 run of its own, holding the Demon Deacons scoreless for over four minutes to take control of the game in the final minute of the game, leading 75-67 with 30 second remaining.

Wake Forest hit three free throws to climb within five, but a free throw from Sumner for a new career high, and a pair from Bluiett at the line finalized the 78-70 win for the Musketeers.

The Musketeers shot nearly 60.0 percent from the floor, hitting 16-of-27 in the second half while holding Wake Forest to just 6-of-29 from the field.

Xavier returns to action on Thursday, December 31 at Villanova to open BIG EAST Conference play. The Musketeers and the Wildcats will face off on FOX Sports 1 at noon.