ATLANTA (AP) — Jonas Hayes, who as interim coach led Xavier to its first NIT championship in 64 years, was hired as Georgia State's coach on Wednesday.
Hayes, an Atlanta native and University of Georgia alumnus, replaces Rob Lanier, who left Georgia State to head SMU's program.
NEW YORK (AP) — If this was the last NIT championship game at Madison Square Garden, it certainly was a thriller.
Especially for Xavier.
Jack Nunge made the go-ahead basket with 3.1 seconds left and the Musketeers won their first NIT crown in 64 years Thursday night, rallying for a 73-72 victory over Texas A&M.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Former Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller returned to Xavier on Saturday, less than a year after the Wildcats fired him amid an ongoing NCAA investigation that's stretched nearly five years.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half, Xavier Johnson had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and No. 9 seed Indiana closed on a 31-9 run to rally past eighth-seeded Michigan 74-69 on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Conference tournament.
NEW YORK (AP) — Simas Lukosius hit a jumper on the first possession in overtime to give ninth-seeded Butler a lead it would not relinquish en route to an 89-82 win over eighth-seeded Xavier in the first round of the Big East Conference tournament on Wednesday.
A look at Wednesday for bubble teams chasing NCAA Tournament bids:
GAME OF THE DAY
Wake Forest meets Boston College in Wednesday’s second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in New York, and the Demon Deacons (23-8) are playing more to avoid damaging their NCAA resume than to bolster it.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Mike Miles and the TCU Horned Frogs needed at least one victory in a stretch of four consecutive games against ranked opponents to help their case for the NCAA Tournament.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Jared Bynum scored 27 points, including a key 3-pointer, to help 11th-ranked Providence hold off Xavier 99-92 in triple overtime Wednesday night.
A.J. Reeves added 16 points and Al Durham had 13 to help the first-place Friars (23-3, 13-2 Big East) win their second consecutive overtime game.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Providence coach Ed Cooley has been hearing a lot about how lucky his team has been to keep winning close games.
He hopes to start hearing about how much talent his 11th-ranked Friars have as well.
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Former UConn star James Bouknight of the Charlotte Hornets was tossed from his courtside side by a game official in the second half Saturday as the No. 24 Huskies held off Xavier 72-61.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jack Nunge had 22 points and nine rebounds, and No. 25 Xavier snapped a two-game losing streak with a 74-68 victory over No. 24 Connecticut on Friday night.
Zach Freemantle scored all 12 of his points in the second half, and Nate Johnson also had 12 points for Xavier (17-7, 7-6 Big East).
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jared Rhoden scored 25 points to lead Seton Hall past No. 25 Xavier 73-71 on Wednesday night.
Alexis Yetna added 12 points for the Pirates (15-7, 6-6 Big East), who have won three straight games.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Wendell Green Jr. made a tie-breaking layup with four seconds remaining and No. 1 Auburn got past Georgia 74-72 Saturday, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 19 games.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Courvoisier McCauley scored 21 points and Jalen Terry had 13 as short-handed DePaul beat No. 21 Xavier 69-65 on Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak.
Javan Johnson scored 12 points and David Jones had 10 for DePaul (11-10, 2-9 Big East).
CINCINNATI (AP) — Zach Freemantle scored 23 points and No. 21 Xavier overcame a miserable 3-point shooting night to beat Butler 68-66 on Wednesday night.
Xavier (16-5, 6-4 Big East) matched its season low in 3-pointers, going just 3 for 17.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — His team down 17 points at halftime, Xavier coach Travis Steele walked into the locker room and posted a message on the grease board.
“Most overrated thing in sports is the halftime score,” he said he wrote.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jared Bynum’s 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted No. 17 Providence to a 65-62 victory over No. 21 Xavier on Wednesday night.
Al Durham led the Friars with 22 points, helping them improve to 17-2 for the first time since the 1976-77 season.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jared Bynum's 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted No. 17 Providence to a 65-62 victory over No. 21 Xavier on Wednesday night.
Al Durham led the Friars with 22 points, helping them improve to 17-2 for the first time since the 1976-77 season.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Justin Lewis had 20 points and 13 rebounds to pace Marquette to a 75-64 victory over No. 20 Xavier on Sunday.
Paul Scruggs scored on a layup to get Xavier within 64-59, but the Musketeers did not get another field goal until Jack Nunge’s basket with 34 seconds left to make it 73-64.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Justin Lewis had 20 points and 13 rebounds to pace Marquette to a 75-64 victory over No. 20 Xavier on Sunday.
Paul Scruggs scored on a layup to get Xavier within 64-59, but the Musketeers did not get another field goal until Jack Nunge’s basket with 34 seconds left to make it 73-64.
CHICAGO (AP) — Xavier coach Travis Steele liked the result. That was about it.
Jack Nunge scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half, and the 20th-ranked Musketeers edged DePaul 68-67 on Wednesday night.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Colby Jones scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half as No. 17 Xavier rallied to defeat Creighton 80-73 on Saturday.
Xavier (13-3, 3-2 Big East) had six players in double figures scoring, helping the Musketeers bounce back from a tough loss on Wednesday to No.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Collin Gillespie scored 21 points, Justin Moore had 16 and No. 14 Villanova held off No. 17 Xavier 64-60 on Wednesday night.
Moore, the reigning Big East player of the week, scored 10 points in the second half and finished with nine rebounds to help the Wildcats (12-4, 5-1 Big East) win their fifth straight.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Adam Kunkel realized pretty early in Friday night's game against Butler it could be a good night for him.
“... (T)hey weren't guarding be too close, there were no high hands in my face,” the Xavier guard said.
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Justin Moore scored 12 of his 17 points after halftime and Caleb Daniels added 16 points to lead No. 23 Villanova to a 71-58 victory over No. 18 Xavier on Tuesday night.
Collin Gillespie and Eric Dixon each had 15 points for the Wildcats (8-4, 1-1 Big East), who bounced back from consecutive blowout losses.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Dwon Odom scored a career-high 19 points and Nate Johnson added 17 to lift No. 22 Xavier over Marquette 80-71 on Saturday in their Big East Conference opener.
Jack Nunge had 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for Xavier (11-1, 1-0 Big East), which has won seven straight.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Paul Scruggs scored 19 points, Colby Jones added 17 points and 12 rebounds and Xavier defeated Oklahoma State 77-71 on Sunday in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.
The Musketeers won despite making one field goal in the final 6:45, a period in which they made 10 of 12 free throws.
NEW YORK (AP) — Nate Johnson scored 30 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 25 seconds left, and No. 25 Xavier beat Virginia Tech 59-58 in the consolation game of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Friday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — Izaiah Brockington scored 23 of his 30 points in the second half, and Iowa State beat No. 25 Xavier 82-70 on Wednesday night in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Tyrese Hunter added 19 points for Iowa State (5-0), Gabe Kalscheur scored 12 points and George Conditt had 10.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jack Nunge had 14 points and 14 rebounds, Paul Scruggs also scored 14 points and Xavier led wire to wire in knocking off No. 19 Ohio State 71-65 on Thursday night.
Jamari Wheeler hit a 3-pointer to get Ohio State within two points with 17 seconds left, the closest the Buckeyes had been all evening.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jack Nunge had 14 points and 14 rebounds, Paul Scruggs also scored 14 points and Xavier led wire to wire in knocking off No. 19 Ohio State 71-65 on Thursday night.
Jamari Wheeler hit a 3-pointer to get Ohio State within two points with 17 seconds left, the closest the Buckeyes had been all evening.