Freemantle scores 17, McKnight 14 as No. 22 Xavier holds on to beat SC State

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Xavier guard Dayvion McKnight (20) drives toward the basket as he is defended by South Carolina State players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

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Xavier forward Zach Freemantle, center top, dunks as South Carolina State forward James Morrow (22) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

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Xavier guard Ryan Conwell (7) drives toward the basket as South Carolina State guard Jayden Johnson, center, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

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Xavier guard Dailyn Swain, right, dunks as South Carolina State forward Caleb McCarty (4) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

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South Carolina State guard Omar Croskey (0) catches a rebound against Xavier during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

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South Carolina State guard Florian Tenebay, center, looks for an open teammate as he is defended by Xavier guard Ryan Conwell (7) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Zach Freemantle scored 17 points, Dayvion McKnight scored 13 of his 14 in the second half and Trey Green made 4 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final 12 seconds to help No. 22 Xavier hold on for a 71-68 win over South Carolina State on Sunday night.

Xavier (7-1) opened the season with six consecutive wins before a 78-53 loss to Michigan on Thursday in the championship game at the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

Xavier used a 14-2 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 58-45 when Jerome Hunter, who finished with 10 points, made a layup with 5:38 remaining. The Bulldogs scored the next 12 points, capped when Omar Croskey hit a 3-pointer and followed with a dunk that made it a one-point game about 3 minutes later.

The Musketeers made 10 of 12 from the free-throw line from there to seal it.

Croskey scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half for South Carolina State (4-5), Michael Teal finished with 14 and Mitchell Taylor added 11 — nine after halftime.

Xavier committed six turnovers (including a shot-clock violation) — which led to seven South Carolina State points — as the Bulldogs jumped to an 18-11 lead when Davion Everett made a layup with 10:31 left in the first half that capped a 13-0 run. Xavier scored 21 of the next 25 points, including seven by Freemantle, to make it 32-22 after Marcus Foster hit a 3-pointer about 9 minutes later.

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Working his way up

Zach Freemantle moved past Joe Viviano, who scored 1,338 points for Xavier from 1956-59, into 24th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,352 — 32 behind Jeff Jenkins (1980-84).

Up next

South Carolina State: The Bulldogs play host to Samford on Thursday.

Xavier: The Musketeers hit the road to play Thursday at TCU.

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