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Zach Freemantle had a game-high 24 points to go with eight rebounds as Xavier earned a 91-78 Big East win over Butler Wednesday night in Indianapolis.

Ryan Conwell added 21 points on 5-for-8 3-point shooting as Xavier (20-10, 12-7 Big East) won its sixth consecutive game. Dailyn Swain added 16 points and 10 boards and Dayvion McKnight chipped in 13 points.

Jahmyl Telfort led Butler (13-17, 6-13) with 20 points, followed by Finley Bizjack’s 19 and Pierre Brooks II’s 15. Patrick McCaffery added 11 points as the Bulldogs dropped their third straight game and their final home contest of the year.

Holding a four-point halftime lead, Xavier doubled its advantage as Swain and McKnight knocked down a pair of free throws each to begin the second half. Bizjack’s layup stopped Xavier’s run, but the Musketeers answered with a 10-0 run — including three Freemantle dunks — to push their lead to 58-42 with 17:03 left.

After Telfort’s 3-pointer cut Xavier’s lead to 66-56, another Freemantle dunk and a McKnight jumper extended the Musketeers’ cushion to 14 at the 11:23 mark. Conwell’s triple and Swain’s dunk pushed the margin to 17 three minutes later.

Bizjack’s second 3-pointer triggered Butler’s last run – an 8-1 spurt that cut their deficit to 80-70 with five minutes remaining. Freemantle’s hook shot and Swain’s putback gave Xavier an 84-70 edge with less than three minutes left and sealed the win.

Xavier jumped out to an early 7-2 lead on McKnight’s 3-pointer less than three minutes in. Telfort and Brooks replied with 3-pointers that pulled Butler even at 14 with 14:52 left.

Leading by two, Xavier’s edge ballooned to 10 after Conwell’s 3-pointers and Nate Hugley IV’s five straight points.

McCaffery’s three and Telfort’s mid-range jumper later pulled Butler within four at the 4:06 mark. Andre Screen’s hook shot and Bizjack’s 3-pointer cut Butler’s deficit to 41-40 before Conwell’s fourth 3-pointer of the first half gave the Musketeers a four-point halftime lead.

–Field Level Media