Musketeers Grab Third BIG EAST Win in Comeback Victory Over Butler

Sunday, January 13

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

11-7, 3-2BE

Butler

10-7, 1-3BE

Butler

Xavier

Musketeers Grab Third BIG EAST Win in Comeback Victory Over Butler

01.13.19 | Men's Basketball

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

Paul Scruggs leads the Musketeers with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists in electrifying win at Cintas Center

By: Brandon Eckman, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's basketball defeated Butler, 70-69, in a late comeback victory on Sunday afternoon at Cintas Center. Three Musketeers scored in double figures, led by Paul Scruggs who scored 23 points, just one shy of tying his Xavier career high, as the Musketeers moved to 11-7 overall and 3-2 in the BIG EAST.

Kyle Castlin also added double figure scoring for Xavier with 12 points, all of which were scored in the second half. Naji Marshall scored 14 points in 40 minutes of play, while Tyrique Jones and Zach Hankins both added nine points for the Musketeers.

FIRST HALF

Following a slow start, the Musketeers answered Butler's early lead by scoring 10 straight points, giving Xavier an 10-6 lead with 13:00 remaining in the half.
After falling behind, back-to-back made three-point field goals by Paul Scruggs gave Xavier an 18-15 lead with 7:00 remaining in the half.
Naji Marshall ended the half with a corner three-pointer that cut the Butler lead to three points. A late Musketeer foul followed with two seconds remaining, allowing Butler to take a 31-26 lead going into halftime.
Scruggs scored a team-high 12 points in the half on 5-of-8 shooting, including two of Xavier's three made field goals from beyond the arc.
Marshall added seven points, two rebounds and an assist. He played all 20 minutes of the first half.
Tyrique Jones scored five points and grabbed five rebounds for the Musketeers, four of which were offensive rebounds.
The Musketeers pulled down seven offensive rebounds in the half and capitalized by scoring four second chance points.
Xavier scored 10 of their 26 points in the paint and blocked five Butler shots in the half.

SECOND HALF

The half began with eight total fouls committed in the first three minutes of play, six of which were committed by Butler.
Xavier grabbed five offensive rebounds that resulted in two second chance points in the first four minutes of the second half.
The Musketeers came storming back from a 12-point deficit early in the half and trailed Butler 49-47 with 11:00 left to play in the game.
After Butler regained a comfortable lead, four consecutive points by Zach Hankins and a three-point field goal by Scruggs cut the Butler lead down to two points with 3:09 left to play in the game.
A corner three-point field goal made by Castlin tied the game up, 69-69, with 53 seconds remaining in the contest.
Marshall was fouled on the baseline with 3.2 seconds remaining in the game and made the second of two free-throw attempts, giving Xavier a 70-69 lead.
The Musketeers came up with a last-second defensive stop and won the contest 70-69 after trailing by as many as 12 points in the half.
Xavier shot 13-for-28, 46 percent, from the floor in the half and scored 16 points in the paint.

NOTABLES

Scruggs scored a team-high 23 points in the contest and was just one-point shy of tying his career high in points scored.
Castlin scored 12, a new Xavier career-high, with of his points in the second half on 3-of-4 shooting. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists in the game.
Marshall ended the game with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Scruggs and Marshall both played in all 40 minutes of the game.
The Musketeers grabbed 17 total offensive rebounds in the contest.
Xavier now leads Butler 41-20 in 61 total meetings between the two schools. The Musketeers own a 10-3 record over Butler since joining the BIG EAST, including the last four.
Xavier has now won two straight games and has a 3-2 record against Big East competition this season.