NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Souley Boum scored 23 points, Colby Jones had 19 and the two combined on a decisive run early in the second half in leading No. 16 Xavier to an 82-60 victory over Seton Hall on Friday night.
Adam Kunkel added 13 points and the Musketeers (21-8, 13-5 Big East) held the Pirates to 21 first-half points in winning for only the second time in five games.
There was a scuffle in front of the scorer’s table with 1.6 seconds remaining involving Boum and Jaquan Sanders. Both received technical fouls. Pirates forward KC Ndefo, who had fouled out, was ejected after officials reviewed the altercation.
Zach Freemantle, Xavier’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder, missed his seventh straight game with a foot injury.
Sanders, a freshman, came off the bench to lead Seton Hall (16-13, 9-9) with 11 points, equaling a career high. The Pirates played without point guard Kadary Richmond, sidelined by a back injury.
After both teams struggled for the opening eight minutes, Xavier took the lead for good with a 24-7 spurt. Kunkel ignited the surge with a desperation 3-pointer as the shot clock expired and Boum added eight of his 13 first-half points and three assists.
Trailing 40-21 at halftime, Seton Hall threatened to make it a game in the opening minutes of the second half by starting with a 12-1 run to pull to 41-33 on a basket inside by Femi Odukale.
Boum hit a 3 to start the decisive Xavier spurt and Jones followed with a three-point play and two free throws in helping the Musketeers open a 53-33 lead. It only got worse for the Pirates after that.
BIG PICTURE
Xavier: The Musketeers broke a three-way tie for second place in the Big East, moving a half-game ahead of Creighton and Providence. With two regular-season games remaining, they are 1 1/2 behind Marquette, which has three games left. Xavier has clearly done enough to make the NCAA Tournament, but the team needs Freemantle back. Seton Hall made its brief comeback when it got the ball inside.
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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