GREENSBORO, N.C. — Jack Nunge blocked Terrell Burden’s driving attempt at a go-ahead layup in the final seconds, and Xavier dug out of a 13-point hole against surprising Kennesaw State to escape with a 72-67 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
Souley Boum hit four clinching free throws in the final 2.6 seconds for the third-seeded Musketeers (26-9), who ran off 15 unanswered points as part of a game-ending 24-6 run. That was enough to turn away the 14th-seeded Owls (26-9) in the program’s first-ever March Madness game.
Xavier led 68-67 when Burden — who’d been successful all day with dribble penetration — turned into the paint past Jerome Hunter and appeared to have a path to the rim. The 7-foot Nunge moved over and swatted the ball into the backboard.
The ball eventually made its way to Boum, who hit two free throws with 2.6 seconds left for a 70-67 lead. The Owls had a chance to set up a 3-pointer for the tie, but that desperate play ended when Spencer Rodgers’ right foot landed on the sideline as he caught the inbound pass. Boum hit two more free throws, and the Musketeers could finally breathe.
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Burden and Chris Youngblood each scored 14 points to lead Kennesaw State.
BAYLOR 74, UC SANTA BARBARA 56: Caleb Lohner scored a season-best 13 points in just 18 minutes, and the No. 3 seed Bears won their tournament opener in Denver.
Adam Flagler led the Bears with 18 points, and LJ Cryer scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half.
Lohner’s only other double-digit performance since transferring from BYU to Baylor for this season came back in November when he scored 11 against Virginia.
Miles Norris led the Gauchos with 15 points. Ajay Mitchell added 13.
MICHIGAN STATE 72, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 62: Joey Hauser scored 17 points and seventh-seeded Spartans clamped down defensively in the second half of their first-round matchup in Columbus, Ohio.
Michigan State ramped up its defensive intensity after halftime to muzzle the streaky Trojans, who were knocked out in the tournament’s first round for the second straight year. Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins added 12 points apiece for Michigan State, which struggled from the free-throw line while trying to close out the game.
Joshua Morgan scored 14 points and Kobe Johnson 13 to lead USC.
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