Musketeers Fall to No. 12 Villanova at Home Despite Comeback Effort

Saturday, February 22

Cincinnati, Ohio

2:30 p.m.

Xavier University

17-10,6-8Big East

Villanova

21-6,10-4Big East

Villanova

Xavier

Musketeers Fall to No. 12 Villanova at Home Despite Comeback Effort

02.22.20 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Season Stats Box Score Game Notes (Villanova)Photos

Jones records ninth-straight double-double in nine point loss to Wildcats

By: Brandon Eckman, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's basketball fell to Villanova, 64-55, on Saturday afternoon at Cintas Center. Three Musketeers scored in double figures, led by senior Tyrique Jones. Jones recorded his ninth-straight double-double after scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the game.

With the loss, the Musketeers fall to 17-10 overall and 6-8 overall in BIG EAST Conference play.

FIRST HALF

After a slow start, the Musketeers got on the board when Naji Marshall connected on a driving layup, finishing through contact. Villanova held a 4-2 advantage with 15:50 left to play in the half.
Jason Carter cut Villanova's lead to three after connecting on a three-pointer from the right corner with 13:00 left to play, making the score 11-8. Paul Scruggs made the score 15-10 in favor of the Wildcats after a driving layup with 10:20 left to play.
KyKy Tandy scored the next four points for the Musketeers, followed by a turnaround jump shot courtesy of Zach Freemantle, making the score 23-16 in favor of the Wildcats with 5:30 left to play.
A three-pointer from Marshall and made layup by Quentin Goodin made the score 25-21, forcing a Villanova timeout with 4:15 left to play. The Musketeers went scoreless in the final four minutes of the half, making the score 30-21 in favor of Villanova at halftime.
Marshall led the way in scoring for the Musketeers with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting from the floor. Marshall connected on two three-pointers and also grabbed five rebounds in the half.
Tandy added four points for Xavier in the half on 2-of-4 shooting from the floor in 13 minutes of play. Carter added three points while Scruggs, Freemantle and Goodin all scored two points in the half.
The Musketeers shot 3-of-9, 33 percent, from beyond the arc in the half. Xavier scored six points off the bench in the half and scored 10 points in the paint. They grabbed six offensive rebounds, four of which came from Freemantle and Tyrique Jones.

SECOND HALF

Naji Marshall opened the half with a pullup jump shot from the top of the paint, making the score 33-23 with 18:00 left to play. Less than a minute later, Tyrique Jones scored his first points of the game with an electrifying dunk, cutting Villanova's lead to eight points.
Jones scored the next two field goals for Xavier, making the score 40-30 in favor of Villanova with 13:50 left to play. On the next offensive possession, Tandy made a driving layup from the left corner to cut the Wildcats' lead to eight points.
On the following possession, Jones connected on a floater in the paint, making the score 40-34 with 12:53 left to play which forced a Villanova timeout. Four minutes later, Marshall connected on a driving layup through contact, making the score 46-37.
Xavier scored only four points over the next five minutes did not connect on a field goal during a four-minute span. With 3:05 left to play, Jones was fouled and knocked down both free-throws, making the score 57-45. The Musketeers then caused a Villanova turnover and hit two more free-throws on their next offensive possession, cutting the deficit to 10 points.
With 0:28 left, Scruggs connected on a driving layup, making the score 65-53 in favor of the Wildcats. Villanova and Xavier then traded fast-break buckets. Villanova held on to win by a final score of 64-55 despite Xavier's comeback effort.
Jones led the way for the Musketeers in scoring with 17 points in the half. Jones grabbed four rebounds and had one steal in the half.
Scruggs added eight points in the half on 2-of-3 shooting. Scruggs shot 100 percent from the free-throw line in the half.
Xavier shot 11-of-26, 42 percent, from the field in the second half and scored six points off Villanova turnovers. Xavier's bench scored eight points and the Musketeers had 30 of their 34 second half points in the paint.

NOTABLE

Tyrique Jones led the way in scoring for Xavier in the contest with 17 points. Jones scored all 17 points in the second half and also grabbed 14 rebounds.
Jones recorded his ninth straight double-double in the game and his 19^th of the season. Jones leads the BIG EAST in double-doubles and ranks third in the nation in the category.
Quentin Goodin's two points allowed him to join Xavier's 1,000-point club. Goodin had an assist, one rebound and one steal in the game.
Xavier is now 17-10 overall this season and falls to 6-8 in BIG EAST Conference play.