Tu Holloway poured in 21 points to lead No. 14 Xavier to a 87-77 victory over Southern Illinois Sunday in the seventh-place game of the Diamond Head Classic. Before a sparse, morning crowd on Christmas Day, the Musketeers snapped a three-game skid, winning for the first time since Dec. 10, when they beat Cincinnati in a game cut short in the closing seconds by brawling and mayhem on the court. “That was as good a game as we played offensively all year,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said. “On the defense end, we need to get back to being a team that keeps teams to a low field-goal percentage.” It was the first three-game losing streak for Xavier under Mack and first since the 2007-08 season. Mark Lyons had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Musketeers (9-3). Andre Walker and Travis Taylor added 13 apiece for Xavier, which made 36 of 48 free throws. Walker also had 10 rebounds. The Salukis (3-8), losers of three in a row, were led by Dantiel Daniels with 22 points. “We really needed this one,” Lyons said. Southern Illinois drew to 68-64 at 8:45 after a 3-point play by Daniels, but an 8-1 run gave the Musketeers a comfortable cushion. Holloway's two free throws with a minute to go gave the Musketeers their largest lead, 83-69. Holloway finished 14 of 15 from the line. He took just six shots from the field, making three, including 1 of 2 3-pointers. He also had seven assists. SIU coach Chris Lowery had high praise for Holloway. “Tu Holloway is an NBA guy,” Lowery said. “That's the difference between their club and our club. Their thinker is an NBA guy. He never wavered (or) got shook up, and he ran the team.” Daniels shot 7 of 8 from the field and made all eight free throws. He scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half.
