Xavier advances in Big East behind Bluiett

[March 09, 2017]  Trevon Bluiett scored all of his team-leading 17 points in the second half to help Xavier maintain its NCAA Tournament hopes with a 75-64 victory over DePaul in a first-round Big East Conference tournament game Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Quentin Goodin and J.P. Macura each scored 13 points for seventh-seeded Xavier (20-12), which advanced to face No. 18 and second-seeded Butler on Thursday night.

It was the fourth straight 20-win season for the Musketeers.

Billy Garrett Jr. scored 16 points and Eli Cain added 15 for DePaul (9-23), the No. 10 seed.

Xavier was ranked as high as seventh this season in the Associated Press poll but a series of injuries threatened to derail its season.

The Musketeers lost dynamic sophomore point guard Edmond Sumner to a season-ending knee injury Jan. 29 and Bluiett missed two games with an ankle injury.

Xavier was without 6-foot-9 freshman center Tyrique Jones (concussion) on Wednesday.

Much like Saturday's regular-season finale at DePaul when they trailed by 11 early, the Musketeers started slow offensively Wednesday, going 1 for 11 from 3-point range.

Bluiett also struggled in the first half, going scoreless on 0-for-7 shooting.

Macura's deep 3 just before the halftime buzzer made it 31-30 in favor of DePaul at the break. Cain led the Blue Demons with 10 points in the half.

Xavier Musketeers forward RaShid Gaston (35) grabs a rebound against DePaul Blue Demons forward Tre'Darius McCallum (10) during second half of Big East Conference Tournament game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Xavier hit five straight shots including Bluiett's first basket during a 7-0 run early in the second half to go ahead 42-36.

A pair of Goodin dunks off lobs in transition from Macura helped the Musketeers build a 58-46 lead while DePaul went scoreless for nearly four minutes.

Xavier defeated the Blue Demons three times this season. The Musketeers lead the all-time series 11-9, winnng the last six.

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.