Joliet, Ill. – Junior guard James Morgan (Chicago, Ill./South Suburban/Lincoln Land/East Chicago Central) scored seven of the team's final eight points, including the game-winning basket with just 33 seconds left as Saint Xavier University men's basketball (4-6, 2-1 CCAC) overcame a 12-point second half deficit to defeat Marian University (Ind.), 79-76, in the University of St. Francis (Ill.) Thanksgiving Classic Sunday afternoon at the Sullivan Center in Joliet, Ill. Morgan was scoreless in the second period until he came away with a steal, and he knocked down a pull-up three to tie the game at 74-74 with 2:38 left in regulation. He gave the Cougars the lead the next time down the court with a layup with just 1:48 to play.

Morgan had a chance to give SXU some insurance on the next possession, however his shot was off the mark, and the Knights grabbed the rebound, grinding the clock until a basket retied the game with 45 seconds to go. He took the inbounds pass and found a seam on the left side of the lane for the eventual winning bucket. Redshirt sophomore guard Jordan Streeter (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) split a pair of foul shots in the final seconds with Marian attempting a full-court heave that fell short to seal the victory.

The first half was close with neither team hold more than a five-point advantage. Senior guard Jerry Abushanab (Glendale Heights, Ill./Oklahoma Panhandle State/Southwest Baptist/Link Prep) sank a three-pointer as time expired to give Saint Xavier a 41-39 lead at halftime. MU opened the second frame on a 16-2 run to go up 55-43 at the 15:15 mark. The Cougars chipped away as their defense held the Knights scoreless for over five minutes, using a 12-0 run capped by Morgan's layup leading to the exciting finish.

• Morgan finished with a team-best 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting, and he was 3-for-4 from deep, along with an assist, a rebound and a steal.
• Senior guard Ike Nwaobi (York/Kilgore/Costal Bend/Westbrook) tallied 16 points, also going 7-for-12 from the floor, with four rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes off the bench.
• Redshirt junior guard Mason Kibelkis (Peotone, Ill./Peotone) went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, scoring nine points while also logging 18 minutes as a reserve.
• Streeter collected eight points, four rebounds, a team-leading three steals and an assist.
• Senior guard Mekhi Wilson (Covington, Ky./Iowa Central/Covington Catholic) recorded seven points, a season-high seven rebounds and an assist.
• Abushanab came away with six points, three rebounds and a blocked shot.
• Senior forward Davion Lawrence (Oak Lawn, Ill./Moraine Valley/Oak Lawn Community) posted six points, six rebounds and an assist.
• Senior guard DJ Shelton (Chicago, Ill./Calumet St. Joseph/United Tribes Tech/Thornridge) chipped in four points, three rebounds, an assist and a block.
• Junior forward Marko Tojagic (Belgrade, Serbia/Saint Andrews) added four points, two assists and a rebound.

Saint Xavier (4-6, 2-1 CCAC) travels to Bourbonnais, Ill. to take on Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action on Saturday, December 6. The game is slated for a 3:00 pm tip-off.