Marquette University Athletics
Marquette University
Xavier
Men's Basketball Falls To Xavier, 75-59
12/16/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2000
By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) - David West followed his 23-point game against rival Cincinnati by scoring 23 more Saturday night as Xavier built upon its crosstown upset with a 75-59 victory over Marquette.
West, the key player in a 69-67 win over No. 17 Cincinnati on Thursday, anchored a front-line attack that kept Xavier (7-2) ahead for all but the opening minutes.
Marquette (4-3), playing its first road game of the season, couldn't contain West or forwards Lloyd Price and Kevin Frey. Price, slowed earlier this season by a sprained ankle, scored 15 points in his best game yet and Frey added 11 against a defense that hadn't given up more than 67 points this season.
Brian Wardle led Marquette with 21 points.
Xavier showed highlights of its victory on Cincinnati's home court during pregame introductions and a fan near the Musketeer bench held up a sign that read: "69-67 Thanks Guys!"
Xavier stayed with the strategy that worked so well against Cincinnati - get the ball inside to West. He and Frey each had four points in a 12-3 spurt that put the Musketeers ahead to stay 20-9.
The lead reached a dozen points before Marquette made its best run of the game, a nine-point spurt that featured a bank shot and a 3-pointer by Wardle and cut the lead to 24-21.
Xavier managed to hold the lead while losing two starters. Frey sprained his right ankle in a loose-ball pileup and went to the sideline to get it taped. Point guard Maurice McAfee had to leave less than two minutes later when he got hit in the face.
McAfee and Frey were back in the lineup in the second half and each had a jumper during a 16-6 spurt that build the lead to 51-36. Five players scored in the decisive run, which ended when West limped to the sideline to have his right foot examined. He returned less than two minutes later.
Marquette never got the lead under double-digits the rest of the way.
