Claude Big In Win Over Butler
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Samori Benjamin
The #9 seed Xavier Musketeers beat the #8 seed Butler Bulldogs on Wednesday afternoon in the first game of the 2024 Big East Tournament. The game was as tight as the two teams were in the standings as both finished 9-11 in the conference. It was Xavier who survived to see another day as they pulled away late and advanced with a 76-72 victory.
The Musketeers got a game high 26 points from Desmond Claude, 20 points from Davion McKnight, and 19 from Quincy Olivari in a three-prong guard attack. For Butler, every starter scored in double figures, but only one reached the 20-point mark and that was guard Pierre Brooks who finished with 21.
The trio combined to make seven three-point shots in the second half after a frigid start to begin the game. “It was great to see everybody contribute from three,” Xavier Head Coach Sean Miller said after the win. “At the half we were 0-8. So, you think about that, I guess being 7-14 versus 0-8 was a big difference. But you have to stay with it, you can’t let a cold shooting segment effect the next play, the next half, and I thought the three-point shots that we took in the second half were good ones as well.”
Xavier has a quick turnaround as they must now play the reigning National Champion and Big East #1 ranked UConn Huskies at noon Thursday.
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