Bluiett has 31, No. 6 Xavier beats Georgetown 96-91 in OT

CINCINNATI -- Trevon Bluiett got off his 3-pointer and felt the foul. The ball went in, he went down, and No. 6 Xavier had the big play it needed to pull one out.

Bluiett had a season-high 31 points, including a four-point play that tied it late in regulation, and the Musketeers never trailed in overtime while holding on for a 96-91 victory over Georgetown on Saturday.

With Xavier (21-3, 9-2 Big East) trailing by four points, Bluiett made his sixth 3-pointer of the game and was leveled by Jagan Mosely after he released the shot. Bluiett hit the free throw, tying it 86-all with 24.3 seconds left.

"We ran a play that was going to open me up for a 3," Bluiett said. "I didn't expect him to jump and foul me. I shot it, it felt good, he got off-balance and ran into me. I just know it's a good feeling."

That was the break Xavier needed to remain unbeaten in 15 home games this season.

"Sometimes you have a little luck," coach Chris Mack said. "The guy crashing into him -- that was very fortunate."

The Musketeers didn't make a field goal in overtime. They converted all of their 10 free throws, including four by Tyrique Jones, who finished with 15 points. Bluiett's two free throws clinched it with 10 seconds left.

The Hoyas (13-9, 3-8) lamented how they wasted a chance to win it after Bluett's four-point play in regulation. Jahvon Blair passed up an open shot and then forced 3-point try that was well off the mark with 2 seconds left, giving Xavier a chance to finish off a back-and-forth game. There were 20 ties and 21 lead changes, with neither team ahead by more than five points.

"Blair had a shot, but he thought we wanted to hold it," coach Patrick Ewing said. "Sometimes when you have an open shot, you've got to take it when you have it. But he held it and when he shot, it was a bad shot."

Xavier has won six in a row, staying right behind No. 1 Villanova for the Big East lead.

Jessie Govan scored 23 points, and Marcus Derrickson had 19 points and 15 rebounds for Georgetown, which has lost five of six. Blair tied his season high with five 3-pointers while scoring 19 points.

BIG PICTURE

Georgetown: Govan had only 12 points and nine rebounds in his last two games combined. The 6-foot-10 center gave Xavier big problems inside in the first half, when he had 17 points and six rebounds. He fouled out early in overtime.

Xavier: With No. 4 Duke's 81-77 loss to St. John's on Saturday, the Musketeers could move up in the next AP poll Monday. They've been as high as No. 5 this season, matching their best ranking in school history.

LOPSIDED SERIES

Xavier has won four straight and seven of eight against the Hoyas. Bluiett had 24 points in the Musketeers' 86-75 win at the Cintas Center last season. His 31 points on Saturday were the second-highest of his career.

ON THE BOARDS

The game matched the league's top two rebounding teams. The Hoyas finished with a 43-39 edge in rebounds.

Q FOR 3

Xavier point guard Quentin Goodin went 2 for 3 from beyond the arc, continuing his long-range resurgence. He was 3-for-26 in the first 21 games and has gone 7 for 9 in the last three.

BACK IN THE LINEUP

Forward Kaiser Gates started for Xavier after coming off the bench in the last five games. Gates was dropped from the starting lineup after scoring a total of three points in back-to-back games and embraced his role off the bench, scoring in double figures three times. He had four points, four assists and a team-high 10 rebounds against the Hoyas.

UP NEXT

Georgetown: The Hoyas complete a three-game road swing at Providence on Tuesday. They host Providence on Feb. 24.

Xavier: The Musketeers play at Butler on Tuesday, the first of two road games next week. They beat Butler 86-79 at the Cintas Center on Jan. 2.

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