CINCINNATI — Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 30 points, Xavier Johnson had 23, and No. 12 Indiana endured a late rally to beat Xavier 81-79 on Friday night.
The Hoosiers (3-0) led 78-70 with 2:25 left, but Xavier rallied within a point in the final minute. Adam Kunkel missed a potential go-ahead layup with 2 seconds left.
The Musketeers (3-1) got a boost from the return of Colby Jones, who missed one game and was limited in practice this week with a right ankle injury. He was cleared to play before warmups and had 13 points and six assists.
Zach Freemantle and Souley Boum scored 15 points apiece to lead Xavier. Jack Nunge added 14 points and Kunkel had 13.
Playing their first road game of the season, the Hoosiers started 0-for-5 from 3-point range before making two straight. The Musketeers made four of their first seven shots from deep.
The inside duo of Nunge and Freemantle combined for 17 points and ten rebounds in the first half as the Musketeers led by as many as nine points before taking a 40-38 lead into halftime.
Foul trouble became an issue for Xavier in the second half.
Boum picked up his fourth foul with 17:18 remaining and was rotated in and out with freshman Desmond Claude. Jones and Freemantle each had four fouls by the five-minute mark.
Malik Renau had 12 points off the bench for Indiana.
The Hoosiers lead the all-time series 9-1. The teams hadn’t played since the 2007-08 season.
BIG PICTURE
Indiana: Any road win is big for the Hoosiers. IU went 3-8 on the road last season and is 15-40 in away games over the past five seasons.
Xavier: The Musketeers still have work to do on defense. After allowing 70 points per game last season, they gave up 44 first-half points in an exhibition against Division II Kentucky Wesleyan. Xavier allowed 38 points in the first half on Friday.
UP NEXT
Indiana hosts Miami (Ohio) on Sunday in the Hoosier Classic.
Xavier plays Florida on Thursday in the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament in Portland, Oregon.
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