Bluiett, Kanter lead Xavier past No. 11/9 Cincinnati, 89-76

Saturday, December 2

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

7-1

Cincinnati

7-1

Cincinnati

Xavier

Bluiett, Kanter lead Xavier past No. 11/9 Cincinnati, 89-76

12.02.17 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)Photos

The Musketeers have won eight of the last 11 against the Bearcats

By: Isabel Hamilton, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – No. 21/20 Xavier defeated city rival No. 11 Cincinnati, 89-76, in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 10,817 fans at Cintas Center. The win is the Musketeer's second win over a top-25 opponent in the past six days, following a Monday night win against No. 16 Baylor.

Both teams moved to 7-1 on the season following the game.

FIRST HALF

Xavier jumped out to a 15-5 lead at the first media timeout, with Trevon Bluiett scoring five points during the run.
The Musketeers maintained a double-digit lead for 16 out of the 20 minutes in the half. Xavier's largest lead was at the 10-minute mark where they led by 17 points, 26-9.
Xavier closed the half on an 8-4 run, making the score 43-30 at the break.
Trevon Bluiett led the Musketeers with 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field and 3-for-6 shooting from behind the arc.
Kerem Kanter provided a spark off the bench for Xavier, going 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from the 3-point line to score 10 points.
The Musketeers out-rebounded the Bearcats, 17-12, and shot 57.1 percent from the field, compared to Cincinnati's 40 percent. Xavier also shot 63.6 percent from behind the arc and held Cincinnati to 22.2 percent.

SECOND HALF

Xavier opened the half with a 14-4 run, with Bluiett scoring six of Xavier's 10 points. During the run, the Musketeers took their first 20-point lead at the 16-minute mark with a score of 55-34.
The Bearcats closed the gap with a 12-2 run to drop Xavier's lead to 70-57 at the eight-minute mark.
After a four-minute scoring drought, a layup by Kaiser Gates got the Musketeers back on the board, making the score 72-57, and it prompted a Cincinnati timeout.
Xavier and Cincinnati traded baskets until the three-minute mark where the Bearcats finished a 10-2 run, getting within single digits (81-72) for the first time since the 15-minute mark in the first half.
Trevon Bluiett and Quentin Goodin led the Musketeers in the second half with Bluiett scoring 15 points and Goodin scoring 10 points.
Xavier's largest lead came during the half when they were ahead by 23 points at the 15:30 mark with a score of 57-34.

NOTABLES

The Musketeers extended their record at Cintas Center to 7-1 when playing against the Bearcats. Xavier has won eight of the last 11 games against the Bearcats.
Trevon Bluiett led the Musketeers with 28 points by going 7-for-14 from the field and 5-for-10 from behind the arc.
Kerem Kanter finished the day with a career high 17 points and three rebounds. He went 6-for-8 from the field and 2-for-2 from behind the arc.
Four Musketeers finished in double figures, with Bluiett scoring 28, Kanter scoring 17, Kaiser Gates scoring 10 and Quentin Goodin scoring 10.
Xavier out-rebounded Cincinnati 44-27 with 31 of their rebounds coming from the defensive side of the ball. Kaiser Gates led the Musketeers with 10 rebounds and Quentin Goodin followed with five.
The Musketeers held the Bearcats to 28.6 percent from the 3-point line and 42 percent from the field.