Tempers flare at finish as No. 16 Xavier routs Seton Hall
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Souley Boum and Colby Jonesgave No. 16 Xavier a much-needed victory in a game that endedugly.
Boum scored 23 points, Jones had 19 and the two combined on adecisive run early in the second half in leading the Musketeers toan 82-60 win over Seton Hall on Friday night.
With a few seconds remaining, players from both teams cametogether in front of the scorer’s table after Boum and Seton Hallfreshman guard Jaquan Sanders started jawing. Coaches and teammatesdid their best to separate the two, but for a moment it appearedthings would escalate.
Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway was unhappy about a 3-pointerBoum attempted with Xavier ahead 82-57 with 22 seconds to play.Holloway waved his arms and would not shake hands with Xavier coachSean Miller after the game.
Boum and Sanders were given technical fouls. Seton Hall forwardKC Ndefo, who had fouled out, was ejected for leaving thebench.
Boum said Pirates players were acting tough in the closingseconds and his team was not going to stand for it.
“Just two teams getting after it,” Boum said after Xavier (21-8,13-5 Big East) won for the second time in five games. “Those (guys)act like they’re tough and all that. But I’m not going for that.This team is not going for that. We’re not going to let nobody punkus on or off the court.”
Miller said he didn’t know what happened at the end and he wasjust happy to get a win. He downplayed the Holloway brushoff.
“I don’t have problems with any coaches,” Miller said.
Holloway apologized for the way the game ended.
“That should never happen. As the head coach, I take fullresponsibility for that. My guys gotta do better, I gotta dobetter, it will never happen again,” Holloway said, adding his teamgot beat in all phases and no one played well enough to beinterviewed.
Adam Kunkel added 13 points for the Musketeers, who playedwithout second-leading scorer and top rebounder Zach Freemantle forthe seventh straight game.
Freemantle is making progress and Miller hopes he will be readyfor the Big East Tournament.
Dre Davis scored 13 points off the bench to lead Seton Hall(16-13, 9-9). Sanders equaled his career high with 11. The Piratesplayed without point guard Kadary Richmond, sidelined by a backinjury.
After both teams struggled for the opening eight minutes, Xaviertook the lead for good with a 24-7 spurt. Kunkel ignited the surgewith a desperation 3-pointer as the shot clock expired and Boumadded eight of his 13 first-half points and three assists.
Trailing 40-21 at halftime, Seton Hall threatened to make it agame in the opening minutes of the second half by starting with a12-1 run to pull to 41-33 on Femi Odukale’s basket inside.
Boum hit a 3 to start the decisive Xavier spurt and Jonesfollowed with a three-point play and two free throws in helping theMusketeers open a 53-33 lead. It only got worse for the Piratesafter that.
“We had an answer,” Boum said. “We ain’t got time to give a teammomentum like that. That first four minutes was 12-1. We can’t dothat, especially on the path that we are on. But I’m glad wehandled it. We bounced back, we took the punches and we did whatwe’re supposed to.”
BIG PICTURE
Xavier: The Musketeers broke a three-way tie for second place inthe Big East, moving a half-game ahead of Creighton and Providence.With two regular-season games remaining, they are 1 1/2 behindMarquette, which has three games left. Xavier has clearly doneenough to make the NCAA Tournament, but the team needs Freemantleback. Seton Hall made its brief comeback when it got the ballinside.
Seton Hall: The sixth-place Pirates have lost four of five,putting their NCAA Tournament hopes in serious jeopardy.
UP NEXT
Xavier: Plays at No. 20 Providence on Wednesday.
Seton Hall: Will host Villanova on Tuesday.
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