Xavier Holds Off Marquette's Comeback Attempt

Jovan Milicevic and Filip Borovicanin lead the Musketeers to a 96-88 victory in Big East play.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Jovan Milicevic scored 23 points and Filip Borovicanin added 15 points and 11 rebounds as Xavier held off a furious rally from Marquette to post a 96-88 win in Big East play on Saturday in Cincinnati. All Wright scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half for Xavier, which built a pair of 21-point leads in the opening half before Marquette trimmed the deficit to just three points late in the game.

Why it matters

This was an important conference matchup between two Big East rivals, with Xavier looking to bounce back after losing seven of its last nine games. Marquette was trying to pick up a key road win, but ultimately came up short despite a strong second-half comeback effort.

The details

Xavier came out on fire, hitting 11 3-pointers in the first half to build a 51-35 halftime lead. Marquette was able to trim the deficit to just three points in the second half, but Xavier answered with key 3-pointers from Milicevic and Borovicanin to push the lead back to 10 points late. Nigel James Jr. led Marquette with 30 points and 12 assists, while Royce Parham added 24 points and 10 rebounds.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • Xavier built a pair of 21-point leads in the first half.

The players

Jovan Milicevic

A Xavier player who scored 23 points in the game.

Filip Borovicanin

A Xavier player who scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Nigel James Jr.

A Marquette player who scored a game-high 30 points and had 12 assists.

Royce Parham

A Marquette player who scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds.

All Wright

A Xavier player who scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This game showcased the offensive firepower of both teams, with Xavier's hot shooting in the first half proving to be the difference. Marquette's second-half comeback effort fell just short, but the Golden Eagles showed they can compete with one of the top teams in the Big East.