There were three different phases to tonight’s game. First, Xavier came storming out of the gates, scoring the first 10 and leading by as many as 18 in the first half. Tyrique was 5-7 from the floor at that point and looked irrepressible. Then it fell apart.
With IUPUI’s Cam Justice catching a flagrant-2 ejection after tripping Zach Hankins, IUPUI closed the half on a 17-5 run before tying the game on the first possession of the second half. Things stayed touch and go for the next 12 minutes, with Xavier hanging onto a one or two possession lead for most of the middle portion of the second half.