FORT MYERS, Fla. – No. 22 Xavier stayed unbeaten with a hard-fought 75-66 win over South Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Monday night. Zach Freemantle led the way with 16 points, while Dailyn Swain added 14 in a balanced scoring effort for the Musketeers. Ryan Conwell (13 points), Dayvion McKnight (11), and Jerome Hunter (10) also made key contributions as Xavier improved to 6-0.
The game had its share of momentum swings. Xavier came out firing, jumping to a quick 7-0 lead, but South Carolina responded with a dominant 17-0 run, holding the Musketeers scoreless for over six minutes. The Gamecocks took advantage of stifling defense and strong rebounding to build a 34-29 halftime lead.
Xavier, however, settled in after the break. The Musketeers strung together runs of 11-2 and 8-2 to take control at 50-44 and extended their lead to 66-55 before South Carolina made one last push with a 7-0 run. But the Gamecocks (3-3) couldn't close the gap any further as Xavier held firm down the stretch.
Collin Murray-Boyles led South Carolina with 13 points, while Jamarii Thomas added 11 and Jacobi Wright chipped in 10. Despite shooting just 4-of-18 from beyond the arc—after making at least 10 threes in each of their first five games, Xavier found other ways to get it done.
The Musketeers, playing their first road game of the season, now turn their focus to Michigan in Wednesday’s championship matchup, while South Carolina faces Virginia Tech in the consolation game.