NEW YORK (AP) — Kam Jones scored 28 points and No. 25 Marquette rallied past Xavier 89-87 on Thursday in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals.
After trailing by 14 early in the second half, the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles (23-9) took the lead for good at 81-80 on Jones’ layup with 1:16 remaining.
David Joplin connected on a pivotal 3-pointer with 26 seconds left, and Marquette held on to earn a semifinal matchup with sixth-ranked and top-seeded St. John’s on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Ryan Conwell scored a career-high 38 points for Xavier (21-11), a school record for a Big East Tournament game. The fourth-seeded Musketeers, perched precariously on the bubble for an NCAA Tournament bid, had won seven straight.
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