Two plays tied for the fourth-highest win probability added in Xavier's season. Since they both came from the same dramatic win, I combined them for your reading pleasure below.
The setting:
General consensus from Xavier fans on the way into the Big East tournament was that X needed one more win to allow fans to rest easy on Selection Sunday. The last four months had all melted into a single unit and been distilled into a single coin-toss matchup against Butler at MSG. The Muskies put themselves in a hole early by allowing two threes and an 8-0 run before even bothering to score, but X fought back into the game and carried a two-point lead into the half. Butler came out of the interval on an 11-1 run, and X was chasing the game for most of the rest of the half. Eight points in four trips down the floor put the Bulldogs up 53-50 with under three minutes to play and X reeling.
The plays:
Trevon Bluiett made three with 2:37 remaining in regulation, +23% win probability. Butler actually called a timeout to set the defense after a Roosevelt Jones layup, but that gave Coach Mack time to draw up a play. Dee Davis found Trevon Bluiett working himself open behind the arc, and Xavier's freshman answered the bell by jarring the three ball that tied the game at 53. Remarkably, the teams would combine to go 0-4/0-2/0-1 with 2 turnovers down the stretch, setting up overtime. Dee Davis opened overtime with a three-point play, but Alex Barlow tied the game with a three with 3:37 left on the clock, setting up...
Jalen Reynolds and-1 with 3:22 remaining in OT, +23% win probability. With the teams having combined for six points in the last 4:15 of game play, Dee Davis dumped the ball in to Jalen. Reynolds went right at Butler center Kameron Woods, deflating Butler's nascent momentum by scoring, fouling Woods out of the game, and converting the free throw.
The outcome:
Jalen's play was the catalyst of an 11-5 run upon which Xavier ended the game. Only once for the duration of overtime did Butler have the ball and a chance to tie the game; Xavier enjoyed a multiple-possession lead every other trip down the floor for the rest of the game. Despite having to fight so hard to get the win that put them securely in the tournament, Xavier turned around and got a result against Georgetown the next day to cement their six seed.
What we said at the time:
"Like pizza and carnal relations within the bounds of a loving marriage, Trevon Bluiett is pretty good even when he's bad."
"Jalen Reynolds was a monster once again... when he got touches, Butler simply didn't have an answer for him. "