Six Musketeers Hit Double Figures in Comeback Win Over Creighton

Saturday, January 15

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

13-3,3-2Big East

Creighton

10-5,2-2Big East

Creighton

Xavier

Photo by: Rooted Creative

Six Musketeers Hit Double Figures in Comeback Win Over Creighton

01.15.22 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photos Box Score

Colby Jones finished with 16 in 80-73 win over Bluejays

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Colby Jones scored 14 after the break to help erase a halftime deficit, finishing with 16 points to lead No. 17 Xavier to a 80-73 win over Creighton at Cintas Center on Saturday afternoon.

Jones, who finished one rebound shy of a double-double, led six Musketeers in double figures. Paul Scruggs added 13 for the Musketeers, all in the second half, and Zach Freemantle also added 13 points to go with a team-high 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Adam Kunkel and Jack Nunge each added 12 and Jerome Hunter finished with 10 to help the Musketeers move to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in BIG EAST play.

FIRST HALF

Xavier opened the game with a 7-0 run in the first minute, and the Bluejays countered with an 11-0 run of their own, ended with a Zach Freemantle basket to make it 11-9 five minutes into the game.
Creighton extended its lead to as many as six, 22-16, with just under 10 minutes to play before Xavier switched into a zone defense, forcing nine turnovers in the next six minutes to pull within two, 25-23, with just under four minutes before halftime.
Xavier would get as close as one following back-to-back Musketeer threes from Jerome Hunter before Creighton closed the half on a 4-0 run to take a 34-29 lead into the half.
Hunter finished with eight points to lead the Musketeers and Zach Freemantle added seven in the first half.
Colby Jones had three first half rebounds to lead the Musketeers, but Xavier trailed Creighton 20-10 on the boards at the half.
Creighton finished the first half with 13 turnovers, leading to nine Musketeer points.

SECOND HALF

Creighton opened the second half with three straight points to take an eight point lead before a 9-2 Xavier run brought it back to a one-possession game. After a Bluejay free throw, Paul Scruggs tied the game, 40-40, with 16:30 to play.
CU would move back in front by as many as five before Xavier went on an 11-2 run to retake the lead, 55-51, with 8:24 to play.
After the lead was cut to two, 55-53, Xavier scored eight unanswered to go ahead for good, leading by as many as 10, 63-53, with five minutes remaining.
Creighton would get as close as four in the closing minutes, but the Musketeers connected on eight free throws in the final two minutes to help secure the 80-73 win.
Colby Jones had 14 second half points to lead the Musketeers, going 5-of-6 from the floor after the break. Jones also grabbed six rebounds.
Paul Scruggs added 13 points in the second half.
The Bluejays connected on four more threes than the Musketeers, while Xavier held a 24-14 advantage on points in the paint in the second half.
Zach Freemantle grabbed nine second half rebounds as Xavier finished with a 25-16 advantage on the boards in the second 20 minutes.

NOTABLES

Colby Jones finished with 16 points, going 6-of-9 from the floor, to lead Xavier. He also grabbed nine rebounds.
Zach Freemantle finished with his first double-double of the season, scoring 13 and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Paul Scruggs finished with 13 points, all scored in the second half, and dished out a team-high five assists.
Jack Nunge scored 12, going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
Adam Kunkel also scored 12 points, connecting on a pair of threes.
Jerome Hunter added 10 for the Musketeers, connecting on a pair of first half threes.
Xavier forced Creighton to commit 21 turnovers, leading to 19 Musketeer points, while only committing nine for the game.
Creighton finished with a narrow 36-35 advantage on the boards, but Xavier held a 13-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers head out on the road for the next match-up, traveling to Chicago to face DePaul on Wednesday, January 19. Tip off with the Blue Demons is set for 9:00 p.m. on FS1.

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