Marcus Foster scores 22 points and Zach Freemantle adds 15 despite foul trouble as Xavier erases a 13-point deficit for its biggest comeback win of the season, 86-80. The 11th-seeded Musketeers advance to face No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday in Milwaukee.
Marcus Foster scored 22 points and Zach Freemantle added 15 while overcoming foul trouble as Xavier rallied past Texas, 86-80, in a First Four game of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night.
The Musketeers (22-11) erased a 13-point deficit in their biggest comeback win of the season and advanced to play No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday night in a Midwest Region game at Milwaukee.
Tre Johnson led the Longhorns with 23 points in a matchup of No. 11 seeds.
Freemantle made two free throws to give Xavier an 82-79 lead with 1:09 left. Johnson missed a fadeaway jumper, and Dailyn Swain’s putback of Freemantle’s 3-point miss extended the margin to five. Freemantle’s dunk secured the victory.
The Longhorns (19-16) took advantage of early foul trouble for Xavier and got to the rim at will in the first half, scoring 26 of their 47 points in the paint.
Freemantle, who averaged 19.8 points during the Musketeers’ seven-game winning streak to close the regular season, had two points and two fouls in the first half. He picked up his fourth foul with 7:10 left.
Texas led 47-39 at halftime. It was the first time Xavier trailed at halftime since a loss at Creighton on Jan. 29.
Jerome Hunter’s 3-pointer tied the score at 65-all with eight minutes left.
