Men's Basketball's Comeback Falls Short Against No. 19 Creighton

Saturday, February 10

Cincinnati, Ohio

12:30 p.m.

Xavier University

13-11,7-6Big East

Creighton

17-7,8-5Big East

Creighton

Xavier

Men's Basketball's Comeback Falls Short Against No. 19 Creighton

02.10.24 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photos Box Score Season Stats

Three Musketeers hit double figures in 78-71 loss

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's basketball put together a late comeback to pull within five late, but were unable to completely erase a 20-point second-half deficit, falling 78-71 to No. 19 Creighton at Cintas Center.

The Musketeers moved to 13-11 overall and 7-6 in BIG EAST play.

Xavier scored the opening basket and jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the first six minutes of the game. The Musketeers held onto the lead for the first 15 minutes of the game, but the Bluejays chipped away at the advantage, moving in front, 26-25, with five minute remaining before halftime.

Xavier briefly retook the lead before Creighton outscored the Musketeers 12-2 going into the half, going into the break with Xavier trailing 38-29. Desmond Claude led the Musketeers with 11 points in the first half. After starting the game shooting 8-of-10 from the floor, the Musketeers finished the first half shooting 38.7 percent while Creighton connected on 2-of-11 on field goals in the first seven minutes, but went 15-25 the rest of the first half.

Creighton opened the second half with an 11-2 run, before a Xavier used a 9-0 run ro pull back within eight, 49-41, with just under 14 minutes remaining.

After cutting the lead back to single digits, the Bluejays outscored the Musketeers 17-5 to lead by 20, the largest lead of the game with under 10 to play.

With nine minutes remaining, a burst of seven-straight Xavier points started stretch where the Musketeers outscored the Bluejays 25-10, featuring 11 points from Dayvion McKnight, to pull the Musketeers withing five in the final 30 seconds, but the Musketeer were unable to get any closer, with a pair of CU free throws setting the final score at 78-71.

NOTABLES

Desmond Claude led Xavier with 22 points, scoring 11 in each half.
Dayvion McKnight finished with 21 points after scoring 17 in the second half, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and finished with five assists.
Quincy Olivari added 18 for the Musketeers, grabbed seven boards, had five assists and finished with four steals and no turnovers.
Creighton finished with a 38-33 advantage on the boards.
Xavier finished shooting 42.4 percent overall and 46.2 percent from three after going 5-of-7 from outside in the second half.

UP NEXT

Xavier heads to New Jersey next week, facing Seton Hall on Wednesday, February 14, at the Prudential Center. Tip off with the Pirates is set for 7:00 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

HIGHLIGHTS