Xavier guard scores 22 vs Texas in NCAA First Four

Xavier University senior guard Marcus Foster averaged 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his first season for the Musketeers.

During Wednesday night’s NCAA tournament First Four game against the Texas Longhorns in Dayton, the Muskies had to overcome a double-digit deficit and foul trouble for leading scorers Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwell.

Foster put XU on his shoulders for much of the game, scoring a season-high 22 points on 8-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range, with eight rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes.

The Musketeers simply would not have advanced to their Round-of-64 matchup with Illinois in Milwaukee without Foster’s big night.

What to know about Foster:

Foster played four seasons at Furman before transferring to Xavier.

Foster committed to XU last March, reportedly choosing the Muskies over Indiana and Cal.

He averaged 10 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 112 games for the Paladins. In his final season at Furman, he averaged 17 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in 24 games.

Foster starred for Furman in the 2023 NCAA tournament, against Kadin Shedrick and Virginia.

While XU was making its Sweet 16 run in the 2023 NCAA tournament, Foster was helping 13th seed Furman to a first-round upset of No. 4 Virginia.

Foster was the Paladins’ second-leading scorer, with 14 points against the Cavaliers.

Kadin Shedrick, who led Virginia with 15 points in that loss to Furman, had 11 points for Texas in the Longhorns’ loss to Xavier.

Foster made more 3-pointers Wednesday than he had made in Xavier’s previous five games.

Foster was 4-of-6 from 3-point range against Morgan State; 3-of-5 from 3 against St. John’s; and 3-of-3 from 3 against Georgetown.

But in XU’s five games leading up to the First Four win, Foster was 3-of-17 from 3-point range.

Suffice it to say that Texas wasn’t expecting Foster to go 4-of-5 from long distance.