CINCINNATI, OH – Tyrique Jones and Preseason All-Big East First Team selection Naji Marshall scored 20 points apiece to lead 19^th ranked Xavier over Siena Basketball 81-63 in front of 10,430 at the Cintas Center. Elijah Burns recorded his second straight 19-point performance to begin his career for Siena, which fell to 6-45 all-time vs. Associated Press Top-25 teams.

Jones shot 8-12 from the field and did all his damage in just under 20 minutes for Xavier (2-0), which was predicted to finish third in the Big East this season. Marshall added eight rebounds and seven assists for the Musketeers who held decided advantages in both points in the paint (42-20) and bench scoring (24-7).

MAAC Preseason Player of the Year and Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List candidate Jalen Pickett scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half for Siena (1-1), which has dropped 10 straight against nationally ranked opponents. Donald Carey added 11 points for the Saints which shot just 38% from the field including only 4-19 (21%) from three.

Siena turned Xavier over on each of their first three possessions and scored the game's opening six points in a promising start, which saw the Saints hold the lead for nearly 10 minutes. But the Musketeers responded with a 16-3 run spanning nearly seven minutes to reclaim the lead for good and take a 10-point advantage at 28-18. Xavier led 42-33 at the break.

Burns opened the second half with a three to draw Siena back within half a dozen, but the Musketeers answered with a decisive 25-4 run over the ensuing 10 minutes to build as much as a 27-point advantage and pull away. Xavier improved to 260-41 (.864) all-time at the Cintas Center, which ranks seventh best nationally all-time by any program in one facility.

Siena returns to the Capital Region for the annual battle for the Br. Ed Coughlin Franciscan Cup, which was recently renamed in honor of the late Siena College President and St. Bonaventure graduate and board member who passed away this summer. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday night at the Times Union Center.