No. 5/4 Xavier Drops BIG EAST Road Test at Providence

Saturday, January 6

Providence, R.I.

12 p.m.

Xavier University

15-2, 3-1

Providence

11-6, 2-2

Xavier

Providence College

No. 5/4 Xavier Drops BIG EAST Road Test at Providence

01.06.18 | Men's Basketball

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

Kerem Kanter leads the Musketeers with second double-double of Xavier career

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

PROVIDENCE, RI – No. 5/4 Xavier 's 10-game winning streak ended as the Musketeers fell on the road at Providence. Providence built an 11-point lead in the first half in part to 10 Xavier turnovers and the Musketeers were unable to completely erase the deficit. Kerem Kanter set a new Xavier-career high after scoring 19 in the second half, leading the team in scoring and rebounds for his second double-double at Xavier.

Xavier moved to 15-2 overall and 3-1 in BIG EAST play.

FIRST HALF

Xavier led by as many as five, 10-5, in the opening minutes before the Friars put together a 9-0 run to take control of the game early.
Back-to-back threes for Trevon Bluiett helped the Musketeers tie the game up 16-16 at the 13:22 mark.
Over the next three minutes, PC outscored the Musketeers 13-2 to take a nine point lead, 27-18, with 10 minutes to play before halftime.
Xavier would climb to within six over the next five minutes, but PC would extend the lead to as many as 11, the Friars' largest lead of the first half.
The Musketeers put together a 6-0 run to climb within five, 37-32, in the final minute of the half, but a three for PC sent the teams into the break with Xavier trailing 40-32.
Bluiett led the Musketeers with 12 points in the first half.
The Musketeers shot 35.5 percent from the floor, compared to 45.7 percent for the Friars.
Xavier owned a 26-16 advantage on the boards, led by eight for Kerem Kanter. Xavier outrebounded PC 9-2 on the offensive board, outscoring the Friars 8-0 on second chance points.

SECOND HALF

Xavier opened the second half with a 5-0 run to pull within three, 40-37, less than three minutes in the half.
Eight early points for Tyrique Jones and a three for Goodin, his second of the game, helped Xavier pull to within two.
Kerem Kanter scored the next eight for the Musketeers, but PC outscored Xavier 14-8 over the next five minutes to push the lead back to eight.
Over an eight minute period, Kanter scored 14 of Xavier's 16 points scored, connecting on seven-straight field goals. During that stretch PC went 6-of-7 from the floor to maintain a two-possession lead.
After a three minute stretch where both teams went scoreless from the field, both teams traded baskets for the final three minutes, setting the final score at 81-72.
Kerem Kanter led the Musketeers with 19 points in the second half, going 9-of-11 from the field.
Xavier held an 18-12 advantage on the boards, led by six for Jones.

NOTABLES

Kerem Kanter finished with team highs of 24 points and 12 rebounds, for his second double-double of his Xavier career. Kanter went 10-15 from the floor for his new Xavier career-high.
Tyrique Jones finished with 12 after scoring 10 in the second half.
Trevon Bluiett scored 12 after leading the Musketeers in the first half.
Quentin Goodin finished with 10 points after going 2-of-3 from three.
Xavier owned a 44-28 advantage on rebounds, including 17-4 on offensive boards, outscoring PC 22-0 on second chance points.
PC forced 15 turnovers while committing just nine, outscoring Xavier, 16-9, off turnovers.