Tyrique Jones Posts a Career High as Musketeers Fall at Villanova

Friday, January 18

Villanova, Pa.

8:30 p.m.

Xavier University

11-8

Villanova

14-4

Xavier

Villanova

Tyrique Jones Posts a Career High as Musketeers Fall at Villanova

01.18.19 | Men's Basketball

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

Musketeers pulled within one in the second half before falling 85-75

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

PHILADEPHIA – A career-high 21 points for Tyrique Jones helped Xavier men's basketball erase a double-digit deficit at Villanova, but the Wildcats pulled away late, giving the Musketeers the 85-75 setback at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday evening.

Jones finished with 21 and 12 rebounds, leading four Musketeers who scored in double figures as Xavier moved to 11-8 on the season and 3-3 in BIG EAST play.

FIRST HALF

The Musketeers and Wildcats traded baskets to start the game, going into the first media timeout tied, 8-8. Tyrique Jones and Zach Hankins each scored four early for the Musketeers.
Out of the first break, Villanova scored eight unanswered in less than two minutes to go ahead by eight, 16-8, and force a Xavier timeout.
Hankins continued to lead the Musketeers, shooting 6-of-7 from the floor early to help Xavier climb back to within three, 23-20, before five unanswered for the Wildcats pushed the VU advantage back out to eight, 28-20, with 7:17 remaining before the break.
VU led by as many as nine before a 7-0 Xavier run cut the Wildcats lead to two, 29-27, with four minutes remaining in the half.
VU answered with a 10-2 run to push its lead out to as many as 10, 39-29, in the final seconds before a Quentin Goodin basket at the buzzer set the score at 39-31.
Hankins led all scorers in the first half with 12 points and Jones added six for the Musketeers.
The Musketeers dominated in the paint, outscoring the Wildcats, 26-14, down low and grabbing nine offensive boards, but the Wildcats countered with eight made three pointers.
Xavier owned a 20-18 rebounding advantage overall, with Jones, Kyle Castlin and Naji Marshall each grabbing five boards.

SECOND HALF

Xavier and Villanova traded baskets to open the half until Villanova's ninth three of the game extended the lead to 11, 44-33, prompting the Musketeers to take a time out.
Out of the time out, Xavier scored eight straight, to cut the lead to three, 44-41, started with a basket by Paul Scruggs and a pair of threes from Naji Marshall and Ryan Welage.
The eight straight by the Musketeers started a stretch where Xavier outscored Villanova 14-4, cutting the lead to one, 48-47, with 11 minutes to play.
After trading threes, Villanova used an 8-0 run to push the lead back out to nine, 59-50, with just under nine minutes to play.
Villanova extend its lead out to 12, 64-52, and the two teams traded baskets until the four-minute mark when back to back baskets, and a foul, put VU up 15, 74-59.
Xavier trailed by as many as 16 in the final minutes before falling by 10, 85-75.
Tyrique Jones had 15 in the second half on 4-of-6 shooting from the line and 7-of-10 shooting from the free throw line.
Marshall added 13 points in the second half.
Xavier connected on 46 percent of its shots, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, while VU shot 48 percent from the floor, and hit 7-of-16 from outside.
Jones also led the Musketeers on the boards in the second half with seven, but the Wildcats held a 21-14 advantage on rebounds.

NOTABLES

Tyrique Jones shot 50 percent from the floor and connected on 7-of-10 free throws on the way to a career-high 21 points, topping his previous career-high of 19, set three times.
Jones also led the Musketeers on the boards with 12 for his fifth double-double of the season.
Naji Marshall finished with 15 points, dished out seven assists and grabbed six rebounds.
Zach Hankins and Quentin Goodin each finished with 12 points.
The Musketeers committed seven turnovers to 10 for the Wildcats, and outscored VU 18-11 on points off miscues.
Xavier held a 42-28 advantage on points in the paint, but VU hit 15-of-34 from outside.
Villanova led Xavier on the boards 39-34 overall. Xavier held a 15-13 advantage on offensive rebound, but the Wildcats made the most of their second chances, outscoring Xavier 15-11 on second chance points.