Christon leads Xavier to 59-53 win over Providence, ending Musketeers' 3-game skid
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Semaj Christon scored 12 points and made two pivotal defensive plays in the final minute Saturday, leading Xavier to a 59-53 victory over Providence that ended the Musketeers' three-game losing streak.
Xavier (16-7, 6-4) wore its special gray home uniforms to snap out of the slump and take third place in the Big East. The streak started with an 82-72 loss at Providence on Jan. 25.
Christon made a pair of free throws with 59 seconds left, then had a steal and a deflection that led to another turnover by the Friars (16-8, 6-5), who saw their top scorer shut down in the second half. Bryce Cotton is second in the Big East with 21.3 points per game, but managed only two after halftime.
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Cotton finished with nine points on 4-of-11 shooting, his second-lowest total of the season. Josh Fortune had 17 points, one shy of his career high.