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Xavier Dominates Creighton with Stellar Shooting Performance
By
Musketeer Madness,
3/1/2025
In front of an energetic home crowd of 10,674 at the Cintas Center, the Xavier Musketeers delivered an emphatic 83-61 victory over the Creighton Bluejays on Saturday afternoon. The win marked Xavier's 19th of the season and strengthened their position in the Big East standings with an 11-7 conference record. The Musketeers put together a complete team performance, anchored by their high shooting efficiency and a balanced scoring effort.
From the opening tip, Xavier took control. Zach Freemantle paced the Musketeers, scoring 23 points on an impressive 10-of-14 shooting while grabbing six rebounds. Ryan Conwell provided a significant boost from beyond the arc, connecting on four of six three-point attempts and finishing with 20 points. The Musketeers shot a sizzling 55% from the field and 52.4% from three-point range.
Defensively, Xavier stifled Creighton's offense, holding them to just 44.8% shooting and a meager 25% from beyond the arc. The Musketeers capitalized on turnovers, scoring 16 points off Creighton’s miscues. They also dominated in transition, adding 13 fast-break points, which kept the Bluejays on their heels throughout the contest.
Xavier established their dominance early, racing to a 42-27 halftime lead. Their relentless defensive effort and smooth ball movement led to easy scoring opportunities, giving them a 15-point cushion at the break. The second half brought more of the same as Xavier extended their lead, outscoring Creighton 41-34 to seal the comfortable victory.
Creighton struggled to find offensive rhythm, despite a valiant effort from Ryan Kalkbrenner, who led the Bluejays with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Steven Ashworth added nine points, but Creighton’s poor three-point shooting hindered their ability to mount a comeback.
Dailyn Swain contributed across the board for Xavier, filling the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Dante Maddox Jr. provided a spark off the bench, tallying 16 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting. Xavier's depth proved critical as their bench outscored Creighton’s reserves 18-9.
One of the key moments of the game came during the first half when Xavier went on a 14-2 run, sparked by Freemantle's interior scoring and Conwell's sharpshooting. This stretch allowed the Musketeers to take a commanding lead and set the tone for the remainder of the game.
With this victory, the Musketeers picked up a crucial Quad 2 win over Creighton as they continue their drive towards the postseason.
The Musketeers now turn their attention to their next matchup, a pivotal road game against Butler on Wednesday, March 5. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.
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