Musketeers Return to Win Column in 78-67 Victory Over DePaul

Tuesday, February 25

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

18-10,7-8Big East

DePaul

14-14,2-13Big East

DePaul

Xavier

Musketeers Return to Win Column in 78-67 Victory Over DePaul

02.25.20 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats Photos

Marshall leads the way with 23 points in home win over Blue Demons

By: Brandon Eckman, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's basketball defeated DePaul, 78-67, on Tuesday evening at Cintas Center. Junior Naji Marshall led the way in scoring for the Musketeers with 23 points. Three other Musketeers scored in double figures, including Paul Scruggs, Zach Freemantle and KyKy Tandy. With the victory, Xavier improves to 18-10 overall and 7-8 in BIG EAST Conference play.

FIRST HALF

Jason Carter opened the game with a three-pointer as the shot clock expired on their first offensive possession, giving the Musketeers an early 3-0 lead. Two minutes later, Tyrique Jones connected on a layup down low, finishing through contact, to give Xavier a 5-2 lead with 17:20 left to play.
With 16:00 left to go on the half, Carter connected on his second three-pointer of the game, giving Xavier an 8-6 lead. On the next offensive possession, KyKy Tandy knocked down another three-pointer for the Musketeers, giving them an 11-6 lead. Naji Marshall connected on the Musketeers' third consecutive three-pointer on the next possession, making the score 14-8 with 14:00 left to play.
Tandy made Xavier's fifth three-pointer of the game with 12:50 remaining, giving the Musketeers a nine-point lead. On the next possession, Marshall connected on a three-point play after being fouled down low to extend the lead to 10.
Following a media timeout, DePaul cut Xavier's lead to five, making the score 24-19 with 9:00 left to play. Zach Freemantle made the score 27-19 one minute later after he connected on a three-pointer from straight-away.
Xavier knocked down consecutive three-pointers following the next media timeout courtesy of Marshall and Carter, giving the Musketeers a 34-24 lead with 6:30 remaining. Marshall extended the lead to 13 a minute later after connecting on another three-pointer.
Jones gave Xavier a 44-31 lead with 1:20 remaining following a made floater in the paint. A free throw and two made buckets down low by DePaul made the score 44-36 in favor of the Musketeers going into halftime.
Marshall led the way for the Musketeers in the half with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Marshall shot 3-of-8 from beyond the arc and grabbed four rebounds, had four assists and two steals in the half.
Carter added nine points for the Musketeers, shooting 100 percent from the floor. He also grabbed three rebounds and dished out four assists.
Xavier shot 16-of-33, 49 percent, from the floor in the half and connected on 10 three-pointers. This was just one three-pointer shy of their season game-high.
The Musketeers scored 10 points off DePaul turnovers and led by as many as 13 in the half.
Xavier's 44 points were the most the Musketeers have scored in a first half this season.

SECOND HALF

DePaul scored five straight points to open the half, cutting Xavier's lead to four. Xavier made the score 46-41 after Jones threw down a dunk with 18:00 remaining in the second half.
With 16:30 remaining, Freemantle knocked down a jump shot from the short corner. Two possessions later, Marshall threw down a fast-break dunk, giving Xavier a 50-43 lead. Tandy gave Xavier a 54-48 lead three minutes later after connecting on a fast-break layup.
Quentin Goodin gave the Musketeers a 58-48 lead with 10:50 remaining following a dribble-drive layup off a DePaul turnover. One minute later, Paul Scruggs extended Xavier's lead to 13 after connecting on a three-pointer from the right side.
A baseline floater from Freemantle with 5:00 left to play gave the Musketeers a 66-56 lead. On the next possession, Marshall connected on his second three-point-play of the game, giving Xavier a 69-58 lead.
Xavier and DePaul traded three-point makes, giving Xavier a 72-61 lead with 3:45 left. On the next possession, Jones caught an alleyoop dunk from Carter off a fast-break opportunity following a DePaul turnover, making the score 74-61 in favor of the Musketeers.
Xavier drained four free-throws in the final two minutes of the game, including one made by senior Leighton Schrand and a pair from Marshall.
Scruggs led the way in scoring for the Musketeers in the second half with nine points on 2-of-5 shooting from the floor. Scruggs connected on two three-pointers and grabbed four rebounds while dishing out four assists in the half.
Freemantle added eight points for the Musketeers in the half, shooting 4-of-7 from the floor. He also had three rebounds and a blocked shot.
The Musketeers shot 12-of-23, 52 percent, from the field in the second half and knocked down two shots from beyond the arc.

NOTABLE

Naji Marshall's 23 points led the way for Xavier as he shot 8-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. Marshall finished with six rebounds, six assists, three steals and a blocked shot.
After scoring 23 points, Marshall has now moved up to 30^th on Xavier's all-time scoring list.
Jason Carter connected on a Xavier career-high three three-pointers, shooting 100 percent from beyond the arc in the game. He added three rebounds and six assists.
Zach Freemantle scored 11 points, giving him his ninth double-figure scoring game of the season.
KyKy Tandy added 10 points for the Musketeers in his seventh double figure scoring game of his young career. Tandy shot 50 percent from the floor and drained two three-pointers in the game.
Xavier connected on a season-high 12 three-pointers in the contest.