MINNEAPOLIS -- Jamal Walker scored 18 points Thursday night to help Xavier hold off Nebraska and post an 89-84 triumph Thursday night and advance to the second round of the NCAA Midwest Regional tourney.
The lead changed hands seven times in the final nine minutes.
Nebraska made several runs at Xavier, pulling ahead by a point three times but always falling back to the Muskateers on the subsequent possession.
With Nebraska, seeded third, again threatening at 78-76at the 3:44 mark, Xavier's Brian Grant picked up a loose ball following a missed shot, dished off to a streaking Jamie Gladden who laid the ball in to boost the Muskateer margin.
Nebraska came right back, with Eric Piatkowski nailing a three- pointer to make it 80-79. But Michael Davenport responded with a 3- pointer for Xavier. Grant added 4 free throws down the stretch for the Muskateers, 22-9 and who now meet Connecticut Saturday night.
Walker paced Xavier, seeded 14th, with 18 points, with Davenport adding 17 and Grant 15. Rich King led Nebraska, 26-8, with 25 points.
Xavier led by as many as 12 in the first half. The Muskateers built a 38-22 lead with 5:12 left in the first half on a long Davenport jumper from the right corner.
But Nebraska, paced by King, fought its way back into the game. The Cornhusker center sank three baskets and added a free throw in a 12-2 run to pulled within 40-38 with 1:49 remaining.
