No. 22 Xavier Takes Lead Late but Falls To No. 7 Creighton

Monday, January 16

Cincinnati, Ohio

2 p.m.

Xavier University

13-5, 3-3BE

Creighton

18-1, 5-1BE

Creighton

Xavier

No. 22 Xavier Takes Lead Late but Falls To No. 7 Creighton

01.16.17 | Men's Basketball

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RaShid Gaston posts fourth double-double of season

By: Laura Topp, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI- After battling back to take the lead with a minute left, No. 22 Xavier fell 72-67 to No. 7 Creighton on Monday at Cintas Center. With seven ties and 10 lead changes, Xavier (13-5, 3-3 BIG EAST) held to the Bluejays to their second lowest point total of the season.

The Musketeers were led by three in double figures scoring including RaShid Gaston's double-double, with a career high of 17 rebounds and 12 points.

NOTABLE

Gaston's double-double is his fourth of the season. His 17 rebounds are the most in a single game since James Farr grabbed 15 on March 18, 2016 against Weber State in the NCAA Tournament.

Bluiett was the leading scorer with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. Bluiett shot 7-10, 70 percent, from the free throw line, all seven makes coming in the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Edmond Sumner finished with 10 points after a seven point second half. Sumner matched his career high of two blocks while increasing his scoring streak to 11 straight games in double figures and added six boards and two steals

Xavier's bench outscored the Bluejays 27-23 and out-rebounded 25-23 on the defensive end and 18-10 on offensive boards.

CU scored 17 points off 17 XU turnovers to Xavier's six points off 14 Bluejay miscues.

The loss is the first at home for the Musketeers this season.

FIRST HALF

The Bluejays' led by no more than nine during the first half but that quickly changed when Tyrique Jones had a two-hand slam from J.P. Macura. This sparked a Musketeer 8-0 run tying the game 17-17 with 8:20 left in the first half.
Bluiett led the Musketeers with eight points in the first half as Xavier trailed 32-29 at the break.

The Musketeers held the Bluejays to only shooting one free throw the entire half, while the Musketeers shot 40 percent going 2-5 from the line in the first 20 minutes.

XU out-rebound CU 20-12 in the first half, including a 6-1 advantage on offensive boards.

SECOND HALF

The Musketeers stayed within two possessions of the Bluejays for much of the second half, with CU's lead hitting double figures briefly with seven minutes to play, leading by 11, 61-50.

After falling behind by the largest deficit of the game, the Musketeers scored eight unanswered to cut the lead to three. In the final four minutes, a 6-2 run for Xavier, including a monster dunk for Sumner from Bluiett gave the Musketeers the lead by one with 1:52 left in the game.

After CU retook the one point lead in the final 50 seconds, Xavier had several chances to retake the lead, but were unable to convert. The Bluejays closed out the game going 4-of-4 from the free throw line to seal the win.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers return home Jan. 22 as they continue BIG EAST competition against the Georgetown Hoyas. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. and can be found on CBS.