Xavier Triumphs Over Texas in Thrilling Comeback at First Four

Xavier University staged a thrilling comeback against Texas, clinching an 86-80 victory in the First Four clash held in Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday night. Marcus Foster spearheaded the Musketeers with 22 points, while Zach Freemantle, despite grappling with foul trouble, contributed 15 points. This electrifying win erased a 13-point deficit, marking Xavier’s most significant comeback this season, propelling them forward to face No. 6 seed Illinois in a Midwest Region game on Friday in Milwaukee.

“Twice during the game, it felt like we were finished,” Xavier coach Sean Miller expressed to truTV after the exciting match. “But this team has an incredible resilience that has always seen us through. Whenever it seemed like making the tournament was beyond reach, we just kept winning. Even in this game, when things looked grim, we found a way to stick to it and pull through.”

Tre Johnson was a standout for the Longhorns, leading them with 23 points in this NCAA tournament showdown of No. 11 seeds.

With just over a minute remaining, Freemantle calmly sank two free throws, nudging Xavier into an 82-79 lead. Johnson’s attempt at a fadeaway jumper fell short, and Dailyn Swain capitalized on Freemantle’s missed three-pointer, pushing the lead further. Freemantle’s emphatic dunk secured the final victory margin.

Faced with early foul complications for Xavier, the Longhorns (19-16) initially thrived, dominating the paint and scoring 26 of their first-half 47 points inside.

Freemantle, who had been averaging 19.8 points during Xavier’s seven-game win streak, could only manage two points alongside two fouls in the first half. He incurred his fourth foul in the second half with 7:10 remaining. The Longhorns commanded a 47-39 lead at halftime, marking the first halftime deficit for Xavier since their loss to Creighton on January 29.

Jerome Hunter’s three-pointer leveled the score at 65 with eight minutes on the clock. Oklahoma transfer John Hugley’s crucial three-pointer pushed Xavier into a 75-74 lead with just over five minutes left. This encounter marked the fourth NCAA tournament conflict between the two teams since 1990, with both schools having secured two wins each.