Field Level Media
Nov 27, 2020
KyKy Tandy came off the bench to pour in a game-high 24 points Friday as Xavier held off Toledo's upset bid by going on a late 8-2 run in a 76-73 win on the final day of the Xavier Invitational at Cintas Center in Cincinnati.
Paul Scruggs added 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Musketeers (3-0). He canned a jumper with 2:34 left in the game to give Xavier the lead for good at 66-65, then added a jumper and two free throws in the last 30 seconds.
Ryan Rollins pumped in 20 points for the Rockets (1-2), while Marreon Jackson hit for 19. Setric Millner chipped in a 17-point, 15-rebound double-double.
Toledo canned 10 of 19 3-pointers for the day, getting consecutive 3s from Jackson in the final 12.7 seconds that cut its deficit to 74-73.
Nate Johnson made two foul shots with 0.7 ticks on the clock for the Musketeers, and the Rockets couldn't get off a final shot.
Jason Carter hauled in 13 rebounds for Xavier, helping it achieve a 38-34 edge on the glass. The Musketeers committed just seven turnovers.
Toledo set a quick tone, establishing a 10-2 lead at the 16:05 mark of the first half when Rollins stuck a 3-pointer. Another Rollins jumper with 11:57 left in the half upped the Rockets' advantage to 20-8.
The lead was still 28-19 when Luke Maranka canned a jumper with 6:41 remaining, but Xavier went to work at that point. It went on a 10-2 run, capped by two foul shots from Tandy, to slice the deficit to a point with 3:18 on the clock.
Toledo maintained a narrow lead for the half's remainder, and went into the locker room ahead 38-34 after Millner converted a pair of foul shots 17.3 seconds before intermission. The Rockets shot just 36.4 percent from the field in the first half but sank 5 of 10 3-pointers and 9 of 11 foul shots.
--Field Level Media