Quincy Olivari fuels Xavier's romp over Bryant

Field Level Media|published: Fri 24th November, 14:09 2023

Nov 6, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Xavier Musketeers head coach Sean Miller during the first half in the game against the Robert Morris Colonials at Cintas Center. credits: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Quincy Olivari poured in a season-high 22 points as Xavier cruised to a 100-75 victory over Bryant on Friday afternoon in Cincinnati.

Olivari sank 9 of 16 shots from the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range, as the Musketeers (4-2) got out in transition with ease. Xavier finished with 32 fastbreak points, while the Bulldogs collected just eight.

Gytis Nemeiksa added 14 points and six rebounds for the Musketeers, who shot 55.9 percent overall and 39.1 percent from 3-point range.

Sherif Gross-Bullock netted 19 points for Bryant (3-4), which saw its two-game winning streak come to an end. Rafael Pinzon supplied 18 points, and Doug Edert had 13.

Xavier took control with a 23-7 run over the final 7:40 of the first half. Olivari had a pair of 3-pointers during the surge, which also featured five points from Nemeiksa and Lazar Djokovic's three-point play.

Olivari led all first-half scorers with 14 points for the Musketeers, who took a commanding 49-25 lead into the break.

Pinzon had 11 points through the first 20 minutes of action for the Bulldogs.

With Xavier rolling, tensions flared early in the second half, as Musketeers forward Abou Ousmane headbutted Bryant's Daniel Rivera during a scrum under the basket.

Both players were issued technicals, with Ousmane's of the Flagrant 2 variety, resulting in an ejection. Ousmane had six points and six rebounds before he was forced to head back to the locker room with 14:35 left in the game.

Xavier didn't falter, opening up a 35-point lead at 87-52 when Dailyn Swain threw down a fastbreak dunk with 6:38 to go.

Gross-Bullock accounted for six points during a 15-4 Bulldogs run that made it 91-67 with 3:34 left, but that was the closest Bryant would get.

Olivari knocked down two triples and a jumper as the Musketeers jumped out to a 13-7 edge with 16:57 left in the opening half.

The Bulldogs got within four after Pinzon hit a trey, but Xavier answered by scoring 10 of the next 13 points to claim a 26-15 advantage.

—Field Level Media

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