Xavier didn’t have margin for error — and didn’t need it. The Musketeers erased a five-point halftime deficit and survived a final push from DePaul to claim a 68-66 win on Jan. 31, 2026, in an NCAA matchup at a TBD venue.
DePaul controlled the early scoreboard, taking a 35-30 lead into halftime. But Xavier flipped the game after the break, outscoring the Blue Demons 38-31 in the second half to secure the two-point decision.
Game flow: DePaul leads at the break, Xavier owns the finish
The numbers tell the story in clean splits. DePaul’s best stretch came before halftime, when it built the 35-30 cushion. Xavier’s response was decisive: a seven-point swing over the final 20 minutes, powered by a 38-point second half.
In a game that never drifted into comfortable territory for either side, Xavier’s ability to win the second-half math was the separator. DePaul scored 31 after the break — solid, but not enough once Xavier found a higher gear offensively.
Turning point: second-half surge tilts a one-possession game
With the margin sitting at five at intermission, Xavier’s second-half output (38 points) changed the pressure points. Every possession tightened, and the Musketeers’ ability to generate more scoring than DePaul in the fourth-quarter window on the stat sheet ultimately decided it.
What it means going forward
For Xavier, the win pushes its record to 13-10 and stabilizes a stretch that recently included a WLLLW run. In a season defined by narrow margins, banking a two-point result matters — especially when it comes by winning the game where it most often swings: the second half.
For DePaul, now 12-11 after entering at 12-10 with an LLWLW form line, this one stings because the blueprint was there: win the first half, control pace, and protect the lead. The Blue Demons did the first two pieces; Xavier took the third away with a better closing half.
Final score
Xavier 68, DePaul 66
Halftime
DePaul 35, Xavier 30
Second half
Xavier 38, DePaul 31