CINCINNATI (AP) — Jack Nunge scored 21 points, Colby Jones added 19 and 16th-ranked Xavier made a season-high 15 3-pointers in a 96-71 win over St. John's on Saturday.
Souley Boum added 17 points, Desmond Claude scored 11 and Jerome Hunter 10 for the Musketeers (19-5, 11-2 Big East).
Xavier was coming off an 85-83 win over No. 17 Providence on Wednesday. The Musketeers have won four of their last five games.
The slumping Red Storm (14-10, 4-9) have lost two straight, four of five and nine of 12. A.J. Storr led St. John’s with 14 points.
With the win, Xavier remained tied with No. 14 Marquette for first place in the conference. Earlier Saturday, the Golden Eagles knocked off Butler 60-52.
The win was Xavier’s second over St. John’s this season. The Musketeers escaped New York with an 84-79 win on December 28.
Nunge and Jones each scored 13 points to lead Xavier to a 49-30 lead at halftime. The Musketeers shot 60.7% (17 of 28) overall and 53.8% (7 of 13) on 3-pointers in the first half. Jones was 3 of 4 from long distance.
Xavier raced to a quick 7-0 lead and never trailed. The Musketeers connected on nine of their first 12 shots and ended the half on an 8-2 run, paced by Nunge’s six points.
The Musketeers put the game away by sinking six of their first seven shots after halftime, including all three 3-pointers on the way to 64-35 lead. They led by as many as 30 points, 67-37, with 14:10 left.
BIG PICTURE
St. John’s: The Red Storm were slowed by missing their first four free throws and four of six in the first half. They finished 9 of 16 from the line.
Xavier: The Musketeers went into the game leading the nation with an average of 20.8 assists and finished with 26 on 32 made field goals.
UP NEXT
St. John’s: At Butler on Tuesday.
Xavier: At Butler on Friday.
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