Second Chance Points Help No. 23 Xavier Soar Past Dayton

Sunday, November 29

Orlando, Fla.

4:30 P.M.

Xavier University

University of Dayton

Second Chance Points Help No. 23 Xavier Soar Past Dayton

11.29.15 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Musketeers never trail in championship game of AdvoCare Invitational

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The No. 23 Xavier Musketeers crashed the offensive boards to run away from the Dayton Flyers, winning 90-61 in the championship game of the AdvoCare Invitational. The Musketeers moved to 7-0 on the season and captured Xavier's first early season tournament title since winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship during the 2008-09 season.

Xavier outrebounded Dayton 40-26, after owning a sizeable advantage on the offensive boards. The Musketeers turned 13 offensive rebounds into 17 points, to two points off four offensive boards for the Flyers. James Farr led the Musketeer rebounding effort with seven, including three off the offensive glass.

The Musketeers also took advantage of Dayton miscues, turning 22 Flyer turnovers into 27 points to just 13 points off 13 Xavier turnovers for UD.

Xavier relied on a balance scoring effort to build its lead, with six Musketeers hitting double figures. Edmond Sumner led with 14 points. Trevon Bluiett and Myles Davis each added 12 and J.P. Macura, Jalen Reynolds and Remy Abell finished with 11 apiece.

The Musketeers crashed the boards to help build a seven point lead in the first 10 minutes of the game, turning four offensive boards into seven second-chance points as Xavier took a 16-9 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Five unanswered points brought the Flyers to within two, but Xavier responded by going 7-of-7 from the field to extend its lead, capped off by an 8-0 run started by a Macura three and a five-point outburst from Sumner to take a 10 point lead, 28-18, with eight minutes remaining before halftime.

Xavier extended the lead to as many as 12, 33-21, before five unanswered points pulled Dayton to within seven. A layup from Sean O'Mara ended the Flyer run. O'Mara grabbed a pair of rebounds and a steal to help the Musketeer push the lead out to 13, 39-26, with less than three minute remaining in the half.

The Musketeers took a 43-31 lead in the final minute of the half before a three pointer and a free throw make from Dayton's Scoochie Smith cut the lead down to eight, 43-35, as time expired.

Sumner scored 10 on 80 percent shooting from the floor, including hitting 2-of-2 on threes, to lead Xavier in the first half. Macura added nine and Bluiett chipped in seven before halftime.

Reynolds grabbed three first half rebounds to lead the Musketeers as they outrebounded the Flyers 19-14 before the break, owning a 6-1 advantage on the offensive glass to outscore UD 9-0 on second chance points.

The Musketeers took control of the game early in the second half, led by eight points, three rebounds and a block from Farr in the first five minutes of the period. Xavier held the Flyers scoreless for nearly six minutes as they put together a 21-0 run to take a 68-39 lead with 12 minutes to play.

The Flyers would get as close as 19 in the final 10 minutes of the game, but a 14-0 run in the final five minutes helped Xavier take its largest lead of the game, 90-57, into the final minute before four late points from UD set the final score at 90-61.

Dayton's Kendall Pollard led all scorers with 15. Smith added 13 for the Flyers.

Bluiett and Reynolds represented the Musketeers on the AdvoCare Invitational All-Tournament Team. Bluiett averaged 14.3 points per game through the eight-team tournament. Reynolds averaged 9.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the tournament. Monmouth's Justin Robinson was named tournament MVP after breaking the event scoring record with 77 points through three games.

The Musketeers return home to host Western Kentucky at Cintas Center on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game with the Hilltoppers will be available on FOX Sports 1.