Field Level Media
Nov 12, 2019
Xavier forward Naji Marshall had 17 points and eight rebounds and Ohio U. transfer Jason Carter had his first double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds as the host No. 21 Musketeers lost a 15-point lead but recovered to beat Missouri 63-58 in overtime Tuesday at Cincinnati.
Paul Scruggs had 12 points and Quentin Goodin made three free throws in the final 20 seconds as the Musketeers opened the season 3-0 for the 16th time in the last 17 years.
Evansville transfer Dru Smith had his first career double-double points with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Mark Smith and Xavier Pinson had nine points apiece for the Tigers, who suffered their first loss of the season.
Scruggs scored four points in overtime, and his basket on a goaltending call gave the Musketeers a 60-53 lead. The Tigers never had the ball with a chance to tie thereafter.
Neither team shot well in a sloppy game that included 36 turnovers, 20 by Missouri.
Missouri shot 33.3 percent from the floor and Xavier shot 32.8. Missouri was 6-for-25 from 3-point range and the Musketeers were 3 for 21 from long range, although Marshall's hit from the top of the key to tie the score with 26 seconds remaining
Mark Smith missed a contested 18-footer from the right corner to send the game into overtime.
Missouri, which trailed 27-12 in the first half, used a 14-0 run to take a 38-34 lead with 12:32 remaining. Mark Smith and Tray Jackson made 3-pointers, 6-foot-10 center Jeremiah Tilmon scored on a fast-break layup and Smith and Pinson had layups as Xavier went 7 minutes, 18 seconds without a point and was 0-for-10 from the field.
Tilmon, leading the Tigers with a 14.5 scoring average, had eight points and four rebounds. He picked up two early fouls in the first half and his third foul three minutes into the second half. He had 23 points and 10 rebounds in the Tigers' home victory against Xavier last season.
--Field Level Media