NCAA tournament: Xavier defeats Minnesota, 65-54

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Jordan Crawford scored 17 of his 28 points in the second half and No. 6 Xavier continued its run of NCAA tournament success with a 65-54 victory over No. 11 Minnesota in the first round of the West Regional on Friday at Milwaukee.

Xavier (25-8) will be in the second round for the fourth straight year, this time under first-year coach Chris Mack.

Mack has a star in Crawford, the Indiana transfer playing in his first NCAA tournament game in two years.

But it was far from a one-man show.

Dante Jackson smothered the Gophers’ best shooters on defense, Jamel McLean had 14 rebounds and Crawford provided the highlight plays for the sixth-seeded Musketeers.

Lawrence Westbrook scored 15 of his 19 points for Minnesota (21-14) in the first half, and the 11th-seeded Gophers went cold from three-point range late.

Xavier will face the winner of Pittsburgh-Oakland in the second round.

-- Associated Press