Bluiett Scores 24, No. 7 Xavier Beats DePaul 84-64
CINCINNATI (AP) — Trevon Bluiett scored a career-high 24 points — 19 in the first half — and No. 7 Xavier took advantage of open shots on the perimeter while pulling away to an 84-64 victory over DePaul on Tuesday night.
Xavier (15-1, 3-1 Big East) led most of the way as Bluiett got his shooting touch early, making his first four shots from beyond the arc. He tied his career high with five 3-pointers on 11 attempts. The Musketeers made a season-high 12 3-pointers.
Myke Henry scored 16 points for DePaul (6-11, 0-5), which dropped its fifth straight game.
Myles Davis had 14 points and seven assists for the Musketeers, who had four double-figure scorers.
Xavier forward Jalen Reynolds didn't start a 74-66 win at St. John's on Wednesday because coach Chris Mack was unhappy with his conduct during practice. He was back in the lineup on Tuesday and had six points and seven rebounds.
Point guard Edmond Sumner was in uniform and warmed up before the game, the first time he had done that since he fell hard on the court and suffered a concussion at Villanova on Dec. 31. He has missed three games, with Xavier showing its depth and versatility in his absence.
Bluiett made his first four 3-point attempts, including one when he came off a pick and did a catch-and-shoot. Rashaun Stimage fouled him on another attempt, and Bluiett made all three free throws as Xavier pulled ahead 18-8. The Musketeers made six of their first 10 shots from beyond the arc.
After DePaul cut it the lead to two points, Davis hit two 3s — one while falling backward — during a 10-point spurt that made it 28-16, Xavier's biggest lead of the first half. The Musketeers led 41-31 at the break.
Xavier got so many open shots on the perimeter because the Blue Demons packed in their defense to take away the Musketeers' front-line scoring. Reynolds and James Farr were a combined 1 for 7 in the first half.
J.P. Macura scored 11 points, including two three-point plays, as Xavier built the lead to 18 points early in the second half. Freshman forward Kaiser Gates scored eight of his career-high 11 points in the second half, when Xavier led by as many as 26 points.
TIP-INS
DePaul: The Blue Demons haven't beaten a Top 10 team since a 64-57 win over No. 5 Kansas on Dec. 2, 2006.
Xavier: Davis made his first free throw and missed his second, ending his streak of consecutive free throws made at 24. ... The Musketeers held a moment of silence before the game for former Butler player Andrew Smith, who died of cancer on Tuesday at age 25.
UP NEXT
DePaul: Hosts Creighton on Sunday.
Xavier: Plays at Marquette on Saturday.
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