TREVON BLUIETT SCORED 21 POINTS AND SEAN O'MARA HAD 18 TO HELP NO. 11 SEED XAVIER UPSET SIXTH-SEEDED MARYLAND 76-65 DURING THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
THE MUSKETEERS MOVE ON IN THE WEST REGION, MARKING THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR THEY HAVE ADVANCED TO THE SECOND ROUND. MARYLAND, WHICH HAS STARTED THREE FRESHMEN FOR MUCH THE SEASON, LOST IN THE FIRST ROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1997.
AFTER A SLOW START, BLUIETT CAME THROUGH WITH 18 SECOND-HALF POINTS TO HELP THE MUSKETEERS RALLY FROM AN EARLY 6-POINT DEFICIT. BLUIETT CONVERTED SEVEN FIELD GOALS, INCLUDING FIVE 3-POINTERS TO ENERGIZE XAVIER.
FRESHMAN KEVIN HUERTER LED THE TERPS WITH 19 POINTS WHILE STAR GUARD MELO TRIMBLE HAD 13 POINTS, BUT MADE ONLY ONE-THIRD OF HIS SHOTS.