Sean O'Mara Posts Career High as Xavier Falls at Marquette

Saturday, February 18

Milwaukee, Wis.

8 p.m.

Xavier University

18-9, 8-6BE

Marquette

16-10, 7-7BE

Xavier

Marquette

Sean O'Mara Posts Career High as Xavier Falls at Marquette

02.18.17 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Junior leads four Musketeers in double figures with 14

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - A fast start for the Marquette Golden Eagles put Xavier in a hole it couldn't climb out of, as the Musketeers fell 83-61 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday night.

Four Musketeers hit double figures, let by a career-high for Sean O'Mara, as the Musketeers moved to 18-9 overall an 8-6 in BIG EAST play.

NOTABLE

O'Mara's team-high 14 points came on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor and 4-of-5 shooting from the line. The mark tops his previous career-high of 13 set against Missouri earlier this season.

Tyrique Jones finished with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

RaShid Gaston had a third-straight double-double, his seventh overall, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes of action.

Kaiser Gates finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

MU won the battle of the boards, 41-34, with Gaston's 10 leading the way for the Musketeers.

Xavier outscored the Golden Eagles 38-24 in the paint, but MU hit 13 outside shots to just a pair of three pointers for XU.

Xavier assisted on 17 of 23 made field goals, led by a career-high tying eight assists for Quentin Goodin.

GOLDEN EAGLES START FAST

Marquette took control early in the game, using six early XU turnovers to build a 21-2 lead less than six minutes into the game. In addition to miscues, the Musketeers struggled early from the floor hitting one of its first eight shots as the Golden Eagles built its lead out to as many as 21.

After starting cold, Xavier hit 10 of its next 18 shots to climb back into the game. The Musketeers outscored the Golden Eagles 28-19 over a 12 minute span to cut the MU lead down to 10 in the final minute of the half. A pair of free throws set the halftime score at 42-30 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

After sitting early with a pair of fouls, Gaston returned to the game with nine minutes to play in the first half, finishing the first 20 minutes with team-highs of eight points and eight boards.

Goodin finished the half with five assists as XU assisted on eight of 11 made field goals.

Xavier owned a 21-20 advantage on the boards in the first half.

MU PULLS AWAY

A dunk off a set play for Tyrique Jones on the opening play of the second half pulled the Musketeers within 10, 42-32. Xavier pulled within 10 several times early in the period, but the Golden Eagles steadily built the lead, going ahead by as many as 25 late in the game before winning by a final margin of 83-61.

The Musketeers shot 44 percent from the floor, hitting 12-of-27 from the floor in the second half, but failed to hit a three pointer in the final 20 minutes.

MU matched Xavier with 12 field goals after the break, but eight of the Golden Eagles' makes were from beyond the arc to build out the lead.

O'Mara led the Musketeers with 10 second half points. O'Mara also grabbed a team-high four boards in the second half as the Musketeers were out rebounded 21-13.

UP NEXT

Xavier closes out a three-game road swing on Wednesday, February 22 at Seton Hall. The Musketeers and Pirates are set to face off at 7:00 P.M. on FS1.