MILWAUKEE — In a thrilling matchup, Xavier managed a narrow victory over No. 7 Marquette with a final score of 59-57, marking their third consecutive win while halting the Golden Eagles’ six-game streak. Zach Freemantle was instrumental for Xavier, contributing 14 points and securing 10 rebounds in this closely contested game.

Xavier (12-7, 4-4 Big East) maintained a lead throughout, reaching a notable advantage of 19 points at one point. However, the game’s closing seconds required a defensive stand to clinch the win. Dailyn Swain’s crucial play came when he appeared to disrupt Marquette’s Stevie Mitchell as he drove to the basket, preventing a final attempt at a tying basket.

Previously, Marquette (15-3, 6-1) had dominated the rivalry, winning the last five encounters, including a narrow 72-70 victory at Xavier just before the holidays. Freemantle had missed the earlier matchup due to a lower-body injury, making his presence in this game even more significant.

On the Marquette side, David Joplin stood out, leading his team with 17 points.

**Game Highlights**
Xavier achieved a much-needed landmark victory, bolstering their hopes for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This win marked their first over a top-10-ranked team since a decisive 83-73 win against then-No. 2 UConn at home on December 31, 2022.

On the other hand, the Golden Eagles struggled early in the second half, enduring a scoring drought that lasted nearly five minutes. This slump allowed Xavier to build their lead to 45-26. Despite recent comebacks against Georgetown and DePaul in their prior games, Marquette found themselves facing a too large deficit to overcome this time.

**Crucial Play**
In the final moments, Marquette found an opportunity for a potential tie when Joplin forced a tie-up with Xavier’s Ryan Conwell at 8.6 seconds left on the clock. Chase Ross successfully inbounded the ball to Kam Jones, who attempted a pass that was deflected. Mitchell received the ball just outside the 3-point line but was unable to attempt a shot as he attempted to penetrate the defense.

**Statistical Highlights**
Both teams struggled to get consistent performances from their star players. For Xavier, Conwell, who had an impressive 34-point game against Villanova recently, was limited to six points with a shooting percentage of 3 of 13 and failed to connect on any of his eight 3-point attempts. Marquette’s Jones also faced difficulties, scoring 11 points but shooting 5 of 13 overall, with just 1 of 6 from beyond the arc, and missing a crucial tying 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining.

**Looking Ahead**
Next up, Marquette will travel to Seton Hall on Tuesday, while Xavier prepares for a game against St. John’s on Wednesday.