When the chips were down, it was the defense that got Xavier across the finish line today.
With 12:30 to play, Kellen Dunham hit a three from the corner to cut Xavier's lead to 55-52. The Muskies were fighting hard without Edmond Sumner, but Butler had rolled with every punch and twice reeled Xavier in from double-digit leads. Then the zipping up began. For the next eleven and a half minutes, Xavier held Butler to 2-16/0-3/7-11 with 2 turnovers. With the game on the line and 0-2 in the conference looming, the Musketeer defense clamped down on the offense that came into the game ninth in adjusted efficiency.