In a men’s NCAA tournament game that went down to the wire, No. 3 Xavier used timely offense, and a key final defensive possession to survive an upset bid from No. 14 Kennesaw State on Friday afternoon and win 72–67.
Kennesaw State led for most of the ballgame, but Xavier’s defense was stifling in the final minutes of regulation, as the Musketeers were able to go on a run and make timely stops to stave off the upset.
The Musketeers were paced by senior forward Jerome Hunter, who finished with 24 points and five rebounds. Jack Nunge finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Souley Boum scored 17 points for Xavier.
Chris Youngblood and Terrell Burden finished with 14 points apiece for the Owls in defeat.
