Xavier Rallies Past Texas 86-80, Advances to Face No. 6 Illinois/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Marcus Foster scores 22 points, leading Xavier’s comeback from a 13-point deficit. Zach Freemantle adds 15 points, despite foul trouble, sealing the win late. Xavier moves on to face No. 6 seed Illinois in the Midwest Region on Friday.
March Madness Quick Look
- Winner: Xavier (22-11)
- Loser: Texas (19-16)
- Final Score: Xavier 86, Texas 80
- Next Game: No. 6 Illinois vs. Xavier – Midwest Region, Friday in Milwaukee
Xavier Rallies Past Texas 86-80, Advances to Face No. 6 Illinois
Deep Look: Xavier Storms Back to Stun Texas
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Xavier erased a 13-point deficit, its largest comeback this season, to defeat Texas 86-80 in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night.
Marcus Foster led the charge with 22 points on near-perfect shooting, while Zach Freemantle added 15 points, overcoming foul trouble to hit clutch shots in the final minutes.
“That’s one of the greatest games I’ve ever been a part of,” said Xavier coach Sean Miller. “Texas is an excellent team. We knew it would be a fight, and I’m proud of our guys for stepping up.”
With the win, Xavier earns a Midwest Region showdown against No. 6 Illinois on Friday in Milwaukee.
How Xavier Completed the Comeback
Texas led 47-39 at halftime, dominating the paint while Xavier struggled with early foul trouble.
But the Musketeers flipped the script in the second half, tightening up their defense and limiting the Longhorns’ inside game.
- Texas scored 26 points in the paint in the first half, but only 10 in the second.
- Xavier outscored Texas 47-33 after halftime.
- The Musketeers closed the game on a 16-6 run over the final six minutes.
“We just had to lock in defensively,” Foster said. “Once we got stops, everything else fell into place.”
Clutch Moments: Freemantle Steps Up Late
Despite picking up his fourth foul with 7:10 left, Freemantle came through when it mattered most:
- With 1:48 remaining, he hit a tough turnaround jumper to break a 78-78 tie.
- He then sank two free throws, pushing Xavier’s lead to 82-79 with just over a minute left.
- After a key Texas miss, Dailyn Swain’s putback basket put Xavier up by five with 20 seconds left.
- Freemantle sealed the win with a dunk in the final moments.
“This means everything,” Freemantle said. “I sat out last year with an injury, so to be back and win a game like this—it’s special.”
Texas Comes Up Short
Texas guard Tre Johnson led all scorers with 23 points, while Tramon Mark added 16.
The Longhorns controlled the tempo for most of the game, but struggled to match Xavier’s defensive adjustments in the second half.
“We had one of our best first halves of the season,” Texas coach Rodney Terry said. “But credit to Xavier—they made big shots down the stretch and got the stops when they needed to.”
Home Court Advantage?
With the University of Dayton Arena located just an hour from Xavier’s Cincinnati campus, Musketeers fans packed the stands.
“Our fans gave us a huge lift,” Miller said. “We needed every bit of that energy.”
Texas coach Rodney Terry noticed the crowd difference:
“I wish we had more Dayton fans than Xavier fans,” he joked.
What’s Next: Xavier vs. Illinois
With the win, Xavier moves into the main bracket of the NCAA Tournament to face No. 6 Illinois in the Midwest Region.
Freemantle knows the challenge ahead:
“This is what March Madness is all about. We’ll be ready.”
Game Notes:
- Xavier outscored Texas 47-33 in the second half.
- Texas led by as many as 13 points in the first half.
- It was the fourth time Xavier and Texas met in the NCAA Tournament (series tied 2-2).
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