Xavier advances in Big East behind Bluiett
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[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.
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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.
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![](../images/030917pics/sports73.jpg)
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
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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.]
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