Xavier led and played well most of the night, but were unable to close the game out as they lost 80-70 against Seton Hall.
It was a back and forth battle out of the gate, as Seton Hall and Xavier traded makes on the first eight possessions of the game. Four baskets for Xavier yielded them nine points, while Seton Hall got 10.
However, three straight turnovers for Seton Hall allowed Xavier to take the lead, 13-10, with 15:47 remaining in the first half.
Xavier made a run to extend the lead to 19-13, but a nearly four minute stretch without a field goal allowed Seton Hall to get back within one, 19-18. A Zach Hankins dunk broke the drought and gave Xavier a 21-18 lead with 11:53 remaining in the first half.
A Paul Scruggs basket gave Xavier a 25-20 lead with 9:10 left in the first half and forced a Seton Hall timeout. Seton Hall climbed back in the game over the next four minutes, and only trailed 29-28 to Xavier with 5:53 left in the first half.
Seton Hall grabbed the lead, 31-30, with 4:56 until the end of the first half, but a Quentin Goodin three-pointer on the next possession gave Xavier the lead back, 33-31. The Musketeers led 35-31 with 3:39 remaining in the first half, and Hankins already had a Xavier career high 16 points.
Xavier led by as many as nine, 40-31, but Myles Powell helped keep Seton Hall in the game with five points in the last two minutes. The Musketeers led 42-38 at the half.
Both teams struggled from the field to start the second half, as Xavier shot 2-8, 25%, and had two turnovers while Seton Hall shot 3-10, 30%, and had a turnover. Still, Xavier led 48-46 with 14:16 left in the game.
An 8-0 run from Xavier, featuring a Scruggs up-and-under, and three-pointers from Scruggs and Ryan Welage, put the Musketeers up 56-46 with 12:16 to play. Seton Hall responded with a quick 4-0 run to trim the deficit to 56-50.
A 7-2 Seton Hall run brought them back within one with 9:37 to play, 58-57. Neither team were able to score over the next two minutes, and the score was still 58-57 with just 7:44 to play.
Seton Hall took the lead with 4:08 remaining in the game, 68-65 on a three-pointer from Myles Powell, but a Scruggs three-pointer on the next possession tied the game at 68 with 3:44 left in the game.
Seton Hall pulled away in the final 3:44 to get an 80-70 win over Xavier.
Scruggs finished with a team high 22 points while also grabbing four rebounds, dishing out three assists and grabbing a steal. Hankins finished with 20 points, six rebounds and a steal.
Goodin also scored in double-figures, getting 11 points in addition to six rebounds and six assists.