Seniors Combine for 43 Points as Musketeer Take Down St. John’s on Senior Day

Saturday, March 9

Cincinnati, Ohio

5:00 PM

Xavier University

17-14, 9-9BE

St. John's

20-11, 8-10BE

St. John's

Xavier

Seniors Combine for 43 Points as Musketeer Take Down St. John’s on Senior Day

03.09.19 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Season Stats (PDF)Box Score (PDF)St. John's Postgame Notes

Xavier finishes BIG EAST play 9-9 overall

By: Patrick Knapinski, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's basketball topped St. John's, 81-68, at Cintas Center on Saturday, finishing the regular season at 17-14 overall and 9-9 in BIG EAST play, marking the program's 37th straight .500-or-better conference season.

XU had five players in double figures and shot 42 percent from the three-point arc to lift themselves over the Red Storm. Paul Scruggs led the attack for the Musketeers with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists, followed by Ryan Welage with 19 points on 5-of-8 from three. Xavier has won 6-of-7 games heading into the BIG EAST Tournament on March 13-16.

FIRST HALF

Xavier opened the game on an 8-0 run after Paul Scruggs knocked down back-to-back three pointers, forcing a St. John's timeout with 16:44 remaining.
St. John's hit three straight field goals to cut XU's lead to three at the first media timeout, with 15:16 remaining before the half. Elias Harden ended a 3:14 Xavier scoring drought with a three-point basket at the 12:26 mark.
St. John's utilized a 6-0 run in just over 30 seconds to tie the game at 25, prompting a timeout by Xavier with just under seven minute remaining in the half.
SJU took a one-point lead, 31-30, with under five minutes to play, but the Musketeers closed the half on an 8-2 run, including a pair of threes by Ryan Welage, to take the 38-33 lead into the break.
Welage led XU at half with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting while Paul Scruggs had 12 in the first half.
XU shot 44 percent from the three-point arc (7-16) out-rebounded St. John's 21-12.

SECOND HALF

Xavier maintained a one-to-two possession lead over the first five minutes of the second half, until a 6-0 Musketeer run broke open an eight-point lead.
Xavier led by as many as 10 following a St. John's scoring drought of 3:31, which was ended by a three-point basket by Shamorie Ponds, cutting XU's lead to seven with 8:30 remaining.
SJU would get as close as two 59-57, with six minutes remaining, but Xavier outscored the Red Storm 15-4, with all 15 points coming from Xavier's seniors, to push the lead to 13, 71-64, with two minute remaining.
XU hit eight of their last nine field goals to end the game, securing a 13-point victory, 81-73
Three Musketeers added double-figure scoring efforts in the second half: Hankins (12), Castlin (10), and Scruggs (10)
Zach Hankins scored all 12 of his points in the second half on 5-of-6 shooting adding five rebounds as well.

NOTABLES

The Musketeers had five double-figure scorers: Paul Scruggs (22), Ryan Welage (19), Kyle Castlin (12), Zach Hankins (12), and Tyrique Jones (10).
Xavier finishes at least .500 in conference play for the 37th straight season, which is the most in the NCAA
Paul Scruggs celebrated his 21st birthday with a 22-point performance to lead XU.
Xavier out-rebounded St. John's 38-24, led by seven each for Jones, Goodin and Hankins.
XU led for over 35 minutes of the game while St. John's led for 24 seconds.
Quentin Goodin had seven assists and seven rebounds and added three points.
XU won their ninth-straight game versus St. John's and leads the all-time series 11-3.