Jack Nunge scored 22 points, including eight in the last three minutes, to help No. 25 Xavier break a two-game losing streak with a 74-68 victory over No. 24 UConn on Friday in Cincinnati.

Nunge also had nine rebounds for the Musketeers (17-7, 7-6 Big East), who had lost four of their previous six games. Zach Freemantle had 12 points and nine rebounds and Nate Johnson also scored 12 points for Xavier. Colby Jones added eight points and six assists.

R.J. Cole scored 22 points, Tyrese Martin had 18 and Adama Sanogo contributed 11 for the Huskies (16-7, 7-5), who have lost three of their past four.

Nunge's three-point play gave Xavier a 65-57 lead with 2:57 to go, but consecutive baskets by Cole and Sanogo cut UConn's deficit to four with 2:13 left.

After Dwon Odom made a driving layup for the hosts, Andre Jackson connected on a 3-pointer to slice the deficit to 67-64 with 1:34 left.

A steal by Isaiah Whaley gave the Huskies the ball, but Xaveri's Paul Scruggs blocked Martin's layup attempt. The ball was ruled out of bounds off Jackson, and in frustration, Jackson kicked the ball away and was assessed a technical for his fifth foul. Nunge made one of two free throws for a 68-64 Xavier lead, and then sank two more with 47 seconds left to increase the advantage to 70-64.

UConn cut the gap to 71-68 on two foul shots by Cole with 30 seconds left, but the Huskies didn't get closer.

Scruggs had six points in an 8-3 run that began the second half, extending the Musketeers' lead to 42-34.

The Huskies got a three-point play from Martin to cut the deficit to five, but Xavier went ahead 47-37 with 13:32 left after five straight points by Freemantle. He had a driving layup and then a fast-break layup off a pass from Jones. The latter turned into a three-point play.

However, UConn hung in there, and two foul shots by Sanogo made it 56-52 with 7:27 left. Xavier again threatened to pull away as Odom scored on a short jumper and Freemantle made a baby hook to give the Musketeers a 60-52 lead with 6:03 to go.

There were multiple lead changes in the first half, which ended with Johnson's 3-pointer with one second left, giving Xavier a 34-31 lead.

--Field Level Media