MBB Minute: Marquette, Xavier Stay on Top; UConn, Creighton Win Close Ones - Big East Conference Skip To Main Content

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Trey Alexander made two free throws with 26 seconds remaining to take the lead back. Alexander had a game-high 27 points.
Trey Alexander made two free throws with 26 seconds remaining to take the lead back. Alexander had a game-high 27 points.

Men's Basketball

MBB Minute: Marquette, Xavier Stay on Top; UConn, Creighton Win Close Ones

MBB Minute – No. 14 Marquette and No. 16 Xavier stayed tied for first place with Saturday homecourt victories. Creighton won its sixth straight contest. No. 24 Connecticut took its second straight on the road.
 
Marquette defeated stubborn Butler 60-52. The Golden Eagles (19-5, 11-2 BE) began the game with a 16-3 run and led by 17 points midway through the second half before the Bulldogs (11-13, 3-10 BE) cut the deficit to five points. MU’s Tyler Kolek led the way with 13 points and eight assists. Butler’s Jayden Taylor had 19 points and seven rebounds. Simas Lukosius finished with 15 points and seven assists.
 
Xavier shot 54.2 percent on the field and sank 15 3-pointers en route to a 96-71 victory over St. John’s. Jack Nunge led four Musketeers (19-5, 11-2 BE) in double figures with 21 points. He shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Colby Jones helped with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists. St. John’s (14-10, 4-9 BE) got a total of 41 points from AJ Storr (14), Dylan Addae-Wusu (14) and Andre Curbelo (13).
 
Georgetown guard Brandon Murray put his team ahead of UConn 61-60 with 4:42 to play when UConn responded by outscoring the Hoyas 8-1 to close a 68-62 victory. The Huskies (18-6, 7-6 BE) led most of the game until Murray gave the Hoyas (6-21 1-12 BE) the edge. The Huskies held the Hoyas’ Primo Spears without a point, though Murray netted a game-high 21 points. Adama Sanogo and Tristen Newton led a balanced scoring attack for the Huskies with 15 points each.
 
Villanova almost ended Creighton’s winning streak, but the Bluejays prevailed 66-61 at CHI Health Center. The Wildcats (10-13, 4-8 BE) took a 61-60 lead on an Eric Dixon 3-point basket with 34 seconds left. Trey Alexander made two free throws with 26 seconds remaining to take the lead back. Alexander had a game-high 27 points. Dixon posted 20 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
 
DePaul at Seton Hall, the lone game on Sunday, is a noon ET tipoff on FS1. The Pirates have won five of their last six. The Blue Demons have lost four in a row, though their last win was a victory over then-No. 8 Xavier on Jan. 18.