Xavier University Athletics
Saturday, December 17
Cincinnati, Ohio
8 p.m.
Xavier University
69
vs
65
Wake Forest
No. 17 Xavier Holds off Wake Forest for Skip Prosser Classic Win
12.17.16 | Men's Basketball
Four Musketeers hit double figures, led by 20 for Trevon Bluiett
CINCINNATI – The No. 17 Xavier Musketeers came-back from a one-point halftime deficit to hold off a tough Wake Forest team to win the sixth-annual Skip Prosser Classic presented by BB&T.The Musketeers lead for over 25 minutes in the Saturday night match-up at the Cintas Center, but the Demon Deacons never trailed by more than two possessions in a back-and-forth battle that saw nine ties and 11 lead changes.
The Musketeers had four players score in double figures, led by Trevon Bluiett's 20 points. It marks the 10th time this season Bluiett has scored in double-figures, and the seventh time he has scored 20 ore more. Bluiett also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Edmond Sumner added 17 for the Musketeers, connecting on 75 percent of his shots from the floor and going 5-of-6 from the line.
RaShid Gaston finished with 14 on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor after posting a 10-point first half. J.P. Macura also hit double-figures, finishing with 11 points.
Tonight's game was just the second time the Musketeers have trailed at half this season, with the Demon Deacons taking a 38-37 lead into the break. The Musketeers also trailed at the break against Missouri.
Xavier moves to 5-2 overall against Wake Forest and 4-2 in the Skip Prosser Classic.
With the win, Xavier won its 29th straight non-conference home game.
After WFU took the initial lead, a pair of early Bluiett's threes helped the Musketeers jumped out to a 13-6 lead in the opening minutes of the game, with seven points being the largest lead for either team in the game.
The Demon Deacons stormed back, going on a 9-2 run to tie it with 12 minutes to play. The two teams traded bucket for bucket the last 12 minutes of the first half with Wake Forest taking the one-point lead into halftime leading 38-37.
Xavier shot 52 percent from the field in the first half, with three Musketeers, Bluiett, Gaston and Macura, each scoring 10 points. Xavier starters accounted for 35 of Xavier's 37 first half points and led for 15 minutes and 45 seconds.
The Musketeers owned a 21-14 advantage on the boards in the first 20 minutes.
Gaston posted four points early in the second half as the Musketeers and Demon Deacons traded one-possession leads for the opening minutes of the second half.
Xavier extended its lead to four with just under 12 minutes to play. Wake Forest battled back to tie it, but a 7-2 run for the Musketeers gave XU its largest lead of the second half, 60-55, with just over seven minutes remaining.
WFU would get as close as one in the closing minutes of the game, but Bluiett hit three free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure the 69-65 win.
Bluiett scored 10 in the second half to lead the Musketeers.
Wake Forest scored only 27 points in the second half, hitting only 10 of 34 on field goal. The second-half point total matches the Demon Deacons' second-half point total against Northwestern for its lowest total in a half this season.
The Demon Deacons grabbed 24 boards in the second half to just 16 for the Musketeers to finish with a 38-37 overall advantage on the board for the game. Of the 24 second-half boards, Wake Forest grabbed 11 off the offensive glass, to just a pair for the Musketeers, but the Deacs only converted those offensive boards to four second chance points.
The Musketeers stay home to face Eastern Washington on Tuesday, December 20 at Cintas Center. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
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NOTABLE STATS |
The Musketeers had four players score in double figures, led by Trevon Bluiett's 20 points. It marks the 10th time this season Bluiett has scored in double-figures, and the seventh time he has scored 20 ore more. Bluiett also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Edmond Sumner added 17 for the Musketeers, connecting on 75 percent of his shots from the floor and going 5-of-6 from the line.
RaShid Gaston finished with 14 on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor after posting a 10-point first half. J.P. Macura also hit double-figures, finishing with 11 points.
Tonight's game was just the second time the Musketeers have trailed at half this season, with the Demon Deacons taking a 38-37 lead into the break. The Musketeers also trailed at the break against Missouri.
Xavier moves to 5-2 overall against Wake Forest and 4-2 in the Skip Prosser Classic.
With the win, Xavier won its 29th straight non-conference home game.
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DEACS TAKE HALFTIME LEAD |
After WFU took the initial lead, a pair of early Bluiett's threes helped the Musketeers jumped out to a 13-6 lead in the opening minutes of the game, with seven points being the largest lead for either team in the game.
The Demon Deacons stormed back, going on a 9-2 run to tie it with 12 minutes to play. The two teams traded bucket for bucket the last 12 minutes of the first half with Wake Forest taking the one-point lead into halftime leading 38-37.
Xavier shot 52 percent from the field in the first half, with three Musketeers, Bluiett, Gaston and Macura, each scoring 10 points. Xavier starters accounted for 35 of Xavier's 37 first half points and led for 15 minutes and 45 seconds.
The Musketeers owned a 21-14 advantage on the boards in the first 20 minutes.
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XU DEFENSE HOLDS OFF COMEBACK |
Gaston posted four points early in the second half as the Musketeers and Demon Deacons traded one-possession leads for the opening minutes of the second half.
Xavier extended its lead to four with just under 12 minutes to play. Wake Forest battled back to tie it, but a 7-2 run for the Musketeers gave XU its largest lead of the second half, 60-55, with just over seven minutes remaining.
WFU would get as close as one in the closing minutes of the game, but Bluiett hit three free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure the 69-65 win.
Bluiett scored 10 in the second half to lead the Musketeers.
Wake Forest scored only 27 points in the second half, hitting only 10 of 34 on field goal. The second-half point total matches the Demon Deacons' second-half point total against Northwestern for its lowest total in a half this season.
The Demon Deacons grabbed 24 boards in the second half to just 16 for the Musketeers to finish with a 38-37 overall advantage on the board for the game. Of the 24 second-half boards, Wake Forest grabbed 11 off the offensive glass, to just a pair for the Musketeers, but the Deacs only converted those offensive boards to four second chance points.
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UP NEXT |
The Musketeers stay home to face Eastern Washington on Tuesday, December 20 at Cintas Center. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
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VIDEO |
This one's for you, Skip. #LetsGoX https://t.co/rI4qis5xE9
— Xavier Gameday (@XavierGameday) December 18, 2016
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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