Musketeers Win Season Opener in 19-Point Victory Over Jacksonville

Tuesday, November 5

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

1-0,0-0Big East

Jacksonville

0-1,0-0ASUN

Jacksonville

Xavier

Musketeers Win Season Opener in 19-Point Victory Over Jacksonville

11.05.19 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Photos

Jones records 12th career double-double as Xavier wins 30th straight regular season opener

By: Brandon Eckman, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's basketball defeated Jacksonville, 76-57, on Tuesday evening in the 2019 season opener. Senior Tyrique Jones recorded his 12th career double-double as he and Naji Marshall both scored a team-high 17 points. Jones grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked one shot as he led the Musketeers to their 30th straight regular season opener.

FIRST HALF

Following a missed three-pointer from Jacksonville, Tyrique Jones opened the game with a drop-step hook shot from the left block to give Xavier an early 2-0 lead. He followed the effort with another contested finish under the basket two possessions later. Defensively, the Musketeers forced three Dolphin turnovers in the first 3:00 of play.
After forcing turnovers on three straight possessions, the Musketeers went on an 11-2 run and took a 15-6 advantage with 11:40 left to play in the half. Naji Marshall led the way defensively with two steals.
Xavier's full-court pressure resulted in 9 points off turnovers in the first 12 minutes of the game. Tyrique Jones led the way with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field.
Marshall connected on two free-throws and, on the following possession, junior Paul Scruggs made his third three-pointer of the game to make the score 29-14 with 7:30 left in the half.
Scruggs made a turnaround jump shot and then recorded a steal on the next defensive possession. Following the steal, Scruggs connected on a contested reverse layup to give Xavier a 35-19 lead with 3:00 left to play.
With 0:41 left in the half, Bryce Moore made a three-pointer in transition to give the Musketeers a 19-point lead. Xavier ended the half with a driving layup made by Naji Marshall, giving them a 43-22 lead as time expired.
Paul Scruggs led the way in scoring for Xavier with 13 points on 5-8 shooting from the field. Scruggs connected on three shots from beyond the arc, grabbed two rebounds and dished out two assists in the half.
The Musketeers shot 16-of-31, 52 percent, from the floor in the half. Xavier scored 18 points in the paint and 15 points off Jacksonville turnovers.

SECOND HALF

Xavier began the half trading made baskets with the Dolphins. Naji Marshall connected first with a baseline floater, followed by a made layup from Tyrique Jones after a made shot in the paint by Jacksonville's Destin Barnes.
The Musketeers took a 50-24 lead after a second-chance three-point jumper by Quentin Goodin with 17:35 left to play. On the next defensive possession, Jones drew his first charge of the season.
With 13:50 left to play, freshman Zach Freemantle grabbed an offensive rebound and made two free-throws after being fouled on his second-chance attempt. On the next possession, Marshall connected on a driving layup off a fast break opportunity, giving Xavier a 30-point lead.
With 4:10 left to play in the game, Bryce Moore connected on a jumper from the right side to break Jacksonville's 7-0 run, giving Xavier a 66-47 lead.
Freshman Zach Freemantle made a hook-shot jumper and contested layup on consecutive possessions to give Xavier a 70-52 lead with 3:00 left to play in the game.
Driving layups by Dontarius James and Dahmir Bishop with under a minute left gave the Musketeers a 19-point lead as they went on to defeat Jacksonville by a final score of 76-57.
The Musketeers shot 13-for-29, 45 percent, from the field and scored six second-chance points in the half.
Marshall led the way in scoring in the half with 9 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field. He added two rebounds and an assist in 11 minutes of play.
Jones scored 7 points in the half, shooting 100 percent from the floor. He also grabbed six rebounds in the half, two of which were offensive. Jones also blocked one shot.
Freemantle added six points off the bench and brought down two offensive rebounds in 12 minutes of play.

NOTABLE

The Musketeers shot 29-of-60, 48 percent, from the floor on the night and connected on four three-pointers.
Tyrique Jones and Naji Marshall scored a team-high 17 points on the night. Jones shot 7-for-8 from the field and grabbed 11 rebounds. Marshall shot 50 percent from the floor and dished out four assists.
Jones recorded his 12^th career double-double in the first game of the season. Jones included three offensive rebounds and one block in the game.
Freshman Zach Freemantle scored in double figures in his first game as a Musketeer. Freemantle shot 4-of-7 from the field and brought down 5 rebounds with one blocked shot.
The Musketeers forced Jacksonville to turn the ball over 18 times and scored 18 points off those turnovers. Xavier also grabbed 10 total offensive rebounds in the game.
Xavier has now won 30 straight regular season openers, including the previous 20 season openers at Cintas Center.