Second Half Run Not Enough for Musketeers to Overtake Creighton on the Road

Sunday, February 3

Omaha, Neb.

1 p.m.

Xavier University

11-12, 3-7BE

Creighton

13-9, 4-5BE

Xavier

Creighton

Second Half Run Not Enough for Musketeers to Overtake Creighton on the Road

02.03.19 | Men's Basketball

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Xavier uses a 13-2 run to pull within eight, but CU pulls away late

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

OMAHA, Neb. – Xavier used a 13-2 run early in the second half to cut a 19 point Creighton lead in half, but the Musketeers were unable to come all the way back CU pulled away late, winning, 76-54, at the Chi Health Center Omaha on Sunday afternoon.

Quentin Goodin led the Musketeers with 13 points and Tyrique Jones added 10 points. Nine different Musketeers scored as Xavier moved to 11-12 overall and 3-7 in BIG EAST play.

FIRST HALF

Creighton jumped out to an early lead, with Xavier trailing by as many as seven, 15-8, in the first nine minutes of the game.
A Quentin Goodin three cut the lead back to four, five straight pushed the CU advantage out to nine, 20-11.
Threes for Goodin and Elias Harden fueled a 6-2 run to pull the Musketeers back within five, but a 7-2 run for the Bluejays put the
Xavier deficit at 10, 31-21, with less than six minutes remaining before halftime.
Paul Scruggs stopped the CU run with a three, getting the Musketeers back within seven but that would be a close as Xavier would get for the remainder of the half. Creighton extended its lead out to as many as 15, going into the break up, 41-26.
Goodin led the Musketeers with seven points, shooting 2-of-3 from outside the arc.
Tyrique Jones added six on 3-of-3 shooting from the floor.
The Musketeers shot over 45 percent from the floor, including 5-of-13 from three, but the Bluejays connected on nearly 60 percent of their shots from the floor.
CU held a narrow 12-10 advantage on rebounds, including only a 4-3 advantage on offensive boards but outscored Xavier 6-2 on second-chance points. Goodin and Scruggs had three rebounds each to lead Xavier.
Xavier committed 10 first half turn overs, leading to eight points off of turnovers for CU. The Musketeers scored three points off of five Creighton turnovers.

SECOND HALF

After ending the first half on an 8-0 run, CU extended that run to 12-0 with a pair of baskets to open the second half to extend the lead to 19, 45-26.
A pair of free throws for Naji Marshall started a 9-0 run for the Musketeers to cut the deficit back to
10, 45-35. The run, fueled by three Creighton turnovers, included a Kyle Castlin three-pointer and four points from Quentin Goodin.
The 9-0 run started four minute period where the Musketeers outscored CU 13-2 to get the lead under 10, trailing by eight, 47-39, with 15 minutes remaining.
Creighton maintained an 8-to-11 point lead over the next five minutes, trading baskets with the Musketeers, until nine straight for CU pushed the lead back out to 18, 63-45, with just over eight minutes remaining.
A basket by Marshall ended the CU run and a Tyrique Jones basket cut the lead back to 14, but another 7-0 run for Creighton put the deficit at 21, 70-49, with under three minutes to play.
Xavier would get as close as 19 in the final minutes before falling by 22, 76-54.
Goodin and Marshall each had six points to lead Xavier in the second half. Seven different Musketeers scored after the break.
Xavier shot 40 percent from the floor, but only connected on 2-of-11 from outside, while the Bluejays connected on 5-of-11 from outside, shooting 57 percent overall from the floor.
Marshall grabbed three rebounds to lead Xavier as they out-rebounded CU 15-11, including an 8-2 advantage on offensive boards, outscoring CU 6-3 on second change points.
Xavier had nine second half turnovers while forcing eight, but outscored CU 11-7 in points off turnovers.

NOTABLES

Quentin Goodin finished with a team-high 13 points and seven assists, grabbing four rebounds as well.
Tyrique Jones finished with 10 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor.
Nine Musketeers recorded points as Xavier shot nearly 43 percent from the floor, connecting on 7-of-24 shots from outside. CU shot over 58 percent from the floor, hitting 7-of-15 outside shots.
Xavier held a slight 25-23 edge on rebounds, led by five for Paul Scruggs. Xavier had an 11-6 advantage on offensive boards but CU held a 9-8 advantage on second-chance points.
Xavier assisted on 19 of 21 made field goals, led by Goodin's seven. Scruggs and Marshall each finished with four.