Xavier gets a much needed win and Georgetown finishes the season without a win in conference play
It’s been a bit of a tense time for the Xavier Musketeers as of late. They currently find themselves on the bubble of an NCAA tournament berth and were on a five-game slide coming into their matchup against the Georgetown Hoyas. Travis Steele’s team desperately needed a win to ease the pressure around him and to simply get back in the win column. Xavier jumped all over their opponents early, building up an early lead and going up by as much as 24 in the first half. They kept the pressure on in the second half, not letting the control of the game slip out of their grasp. In the end, the Musketeers notched a much-needed 97-75 victory over the Hoyas.
Xavier was led by the 25 points of Nate Johnson. After scoring just 23 combined in his last two games, Johnson bounced back with a great offensive effort. He hit a whopping seven three-pointers and added four assists as well. Xavier had four players finish with double-digit point totals. Jack Nunge and Colby Jones pitched in with 16 points apiece while Adam Kunkel had 12 off the bench.
Xavier was clicking on all cylinders offensively, shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 56 percent from downtown, hitting 14 of their 25 attempts. The ball was zipping around the court for the Musketeers and they displayed great ball movement. They notched 32 assists on their 35 made baskets. The turnovers and offensive mistakes, which were a problem in their games against the likes of Seton Hall, were cut down. Xavier committed just nine turnovers.
Georgetown had ok day shooting from the field, making 41.5 percent of their attempts. They struggled to knock down shots from deep, which is a big equalizer for any underdog. The Hoyas shot only 25 percent from three with Dante Harris being the only player who hit more than one. He ended up being the leading scorer for Georgetown with a 19 point effort on eight of 14 shooting from the field. Aminu Mohammed notched a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds with half of them coming on the offensive glass. Collin Holloway had 17 points along with four rebounds and two assists.
This further cements what has been a tumultuous season for Georgetown as they finish winless in conference play and 6-24 overall. The Hoyas finish at the bottom of the conference standings and will play Seton Hall in the first round of the Big East Tournament in the 6 vs. 11 matchup.
Xavier was locked into their seeding matchup before the game as well and will play Butler on Wednesday afternoon in the 8 vs. 9 game. This win should give them some momentum heading into the Big East tournament. A win or two next week could go a long way for Xavier helping their case for not just an NCAA tournament berth but for getting a bye and avoiding playing in the First Four.