NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Xavier Musketeers survived a choppy game with more stops than starts thanks to too many fouls and free throws.
At the end, the Musketeers looked every bit like a No. 1 seed their first time around in the role at an NCAA Tournament.
J.P. Macura scored 18 of his career-high 29 points in the first half, and Xavier beat 16th-seeded Texas Southern 102-83 Friday night in their tournament opener in the West Region.
"It wasn't aesthetically pleasing by any means, but we will play on Sunday," Xavier coach Chris Mack said.