NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a chaotic finish befitting the Big East Tournament stage, the Xavier Musketeers edged the Marquette Golden Eagles 89-87 in a second-round game Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, a result that defied both the odds and the final frantic seconds.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final three seconds with Xavier clinging to an 86-84 lead. Marquette’s Nigel James drove for a potential tying layup but had his attempt blocked by Xavier’s Tre Carroll. The Musketeers’ Filip Borovicanin secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled. The Serbian forward calmly sank both free throws with 14 seconds left, pushing Xavier’s lead to four points.

Marquette answered swiftly, as James converted a driving layup while being fouled with 12 seconds remaining. He completed the three-point play to cut the deficit to 88-87. On the ensuing inbound, Marquette fouled Xavier’s Isaiah Walker, who made the first free throw but missed the second, leaving the door open for Marquette down 89-87 with eight seconds to play.

The Golden Eagles’ final chance came up empty. After a timeout, James again attacked the rim, but his layup attempt was off the mark. Marquette’s Royce Parham grabbed the offensive rebound but was fouled on the put-back attempt with one second left. Needing to make both free throws to force overtime, Parham made the first but missed the second, sealing the victory for Xavier.

The Musketeers, who entered the tournament with a sub-.500 record, advance to face top-seeded Connecticut on Thursday. Marquette’s season ends with a 12-20 mark.

The contest was a back-and-forth affair throughout, featuring 13 ties and 15 lead changes. Both teams were knotted at 38 at halftime. Xavier found its offensive rhythm in the second half, shooting 51 points to Marquette’s 49, but could never shake the persistent Golden Eagles.

Xavier was led by a dominant performance from sophomore center Jovan Milicevic. The Toronto native scored 21 points, including three 3-pointers, and added two blocks in 30 minutes. His interior presence and perimeter shooting provided a consistent offensive threat. He was supported by a balanced attack: Tre Carroll scored 18 points and had three blocks, Malik Messina-Moore added 18 points, and Borovicanin contributed 10 points and seven assists.

Marquette’s effort was spearheaded by Royce Parham, who scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed several key defensive rebounds. Nigel James orchestrated the offense with 18 points and seven assists, while Chase Ross added 16 points and six assists. The Golden Eagles’ Michael Phillips provided a spark off the bench with 10 points.

The game was a stark contrast to the pregame projections. Marquette was a 3.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, and statistical models gave the Golden Eagles nearly a 64 percent chance to win. The combined score of 176 points also easily surpassed the over/under line of 155.5.

For Xavier, the win snapped a two-game losing streak and improved their record to 15-17. It also avenged a one-point loss to Marquette in Milwaukee back in January, though the Musketeers had won the more recent meeting in February. The victory in the postseason setting, however, carries greater weight as they continue their unlikely bid for an automatic NCAA tournament berth.

Marquette, which had shown recent signs of life with wins over Connecticut and Providence, sees its season conclude with disappointment. The Golden Eagles struggled to find consistent success all year, and their final possession, which resulted in offensive rebounds but not a game-tying basket, served as a fittingly frustrating end.

The game was played at a high tempo with both teams trading blows in the final minutes. Xavier’s ability to execute in the clutch, particularly from the free-throw line down the stretch and with key defensive stops, proved the difference in a contest that was decided by the slimmest of margins on the sport’s most famous floor.