TREVON BLUIETT SCORED 25 POINTS, SEAN O'MARA SCORED INSIDE WITH 40 SECONDS LEFT AND NO. 11 SEED XAVIER UPSET NO. 2 ARIZONA 73-71 IN THE WEST REGION ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
XAVIER (30-13) STAYED WITH THE SECOND-SEEDED WILDCATS BEHIND BLUIETT'S 18 FIRST-HALF POINTS AND TRACKED DOWN THE WILDCATS AFTER THEY TRIED TO PULL AWAY IN THE SECOND HALF. O'MARA SCORED ON A POWER MOVE INSIDE, BUT MISSED A FREE THROW TO GIVE ARIZONA (32-5)
A FINAL CHANCE.ALLONZO TRIER MISSED A 3-POINTER IN THE CLOSING SECONDS AND XAVIER WAS ABLE TO DRIBBLE OUT THE CLOCK, EARNING ITS FIRST TRIP TO THE ELITE EIGHT SINCE 2008.
THE MUSKETEERS HELD ARIZONA SCORELESS OVER THE FINAL 2:52 TO EARN A SPORT IN THE WEST FINAL AGAINST NO. 1 SEED GONZAGA ON SATURDAY.TRIER SCORED 15 OF HIS 19 POINTS IN THE SECOND HALF AND DUSAN RISTIC HAD 17 FOR ARIZONA.