Second Half Threes Help No. 23 Musketeers Pull Away From Crimson Tide

Thursday, November 26

Orlando, Fla.

12 P.M.

Xavier University

5-0

University of Alabama

2-2

Alabama

Xavier

Photo by: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Second Half Threes Help No. 23 Musketeers Pull Away From Crimson Tide

11.26.15 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Bluiett leads Musketeers with 15 points

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – After a tightly contested first half, No. 23 Xavier used a barrage of threes to open the second period to pull away from Alabama, topping the Crimson Tide, 64-45. The Musketeers move to 5-0 on the season and advance in the winners' bracket of the AdvoCare Invitational.

Trevon Bluiett led the Musketeers with 15 points, including 10 in the second half, after combining with Myles Davis to go 4-of-6 from three in the first five minutes of the second half as the Musketeers turned a one-possession lead into a 15-point advantage.

J.P. Macura finished with 14 points after leading the Musketeers on offense in the first half. Macura also grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists. Jalen Reynolds added 10 points and nine rebounds.

Alabama jumped out to a 9-2 lead after holding the Musketeers scoreless from the field for the first six minutes of the game. The Musketeers settled in on offense after a jumper from Bluiett and a Macura three cut the Alabama lead down to one possession in less than 40 seconds.

Alabama pushed back out to a five point lead, 13-8, before a 7-0 run for Xavier, sparked by a layup from Sean O'Mara and featuring four points from Macura, put the Musketeers in the lead. During the over four-minute period where Xavier held the Crimson Tide scoreless, the Musketeers forced six turnovers.

With five minutes left in the first, Alabama retook the lead, 16-15, before a Xavier put together an 11-3 to take a seven point lead, its largest of the first half. During that nearly three minute run, Makindé London came off the bench to get a five points and a block.

The Crimson tide closed the half on a 5-1 run to cut the Xavier lead down to three, 27-24, going into the break.

Macura's 11 points led all scorers in the first half, while Bluiett and London added five each. James Farr and Reynolds each grabbed five rebounds to lead the Musketeers as they out-rebounded the Tide, 25-22, in the first period, including grabbing 10 offensive boards.

The Musketeers forced the Crimson Tide into 10 first half turnovers, leading to 10 points.

A pair of Alabama baskets to open the second half pulled the Crimson Tide to within two, 30-28, but the Musketeers heated up from outside, hitting four three pointers in the first six minutes of the half and using a 13-0 run to extend its lead to 15, 43-28, with 13:20 to play.

The Tide would get as close as 13, 45-32, with just under 12 minutes remaining, but the Musketeers steadily built the lead to as many as 23, controlling the game on the way to the 64-45 win.

The Musketeers out-rebounded the Crimson Tide, 47-31, including grabbing 14 offensive boards. XU and UA finished with 18 turnovers apiece, but the Musketeers turned those into 25 points to just 15 for Alabama.

Xavier returns to action on Friday in the semifinals of the AdvoCare Invitational, facing off against Southern Cal on ESPNU at 2:30 p.m. The Trojans moved to 5-0 on Thursday after knocking off Wichita State in the quarterfinals of the AdvoCare Invitational. USC has also picked up wins this season over San Diego, Monmouth, New Mexico and Cal State Northridge.