GREENSBORO, N.C. — Senior center Kenny Frease scored a career-high 25 points to go with 12 rebounds and Xavier knocked off upset-minded Lehigh 70-58 Sunday night to reach the round of 16 for the fourth time in five years.
Lehigh, which stunned No. 2 seed Duke on Friday, was looking to become the first 15 seed to make it to the regional semifinals. But the 7-foot Frease stood in the way.
He dominated in the paint, hitting 11 of 13 shots, and Tu Holloway was his normal productive self with 21 points as 10th-seeded Xavier (22-12) advanced to play No. 3 seed Baylor on Friday in the South Regional at Atlanta. The Musketeers held C.J. McCollum, the nation’s fifth-leading scorer, to 14 points on 5-of-22 shooting and overcame a 15-point first-half deficit. Mackey McKnight had 20 points for Lehigh (27-7), which tied a Patriot League record for wins in a season.