By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ATLANTA - Xavier's Sweet 16 win against Texas came from managing foul trouble as much as anything else.

Texas is a team that typically fouls a lot, but Friday's game, which Xavier won 79-71 at the Georgia Dome, was extreme for both teams.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Friday's game

A combined 47 fouls were called, 27 on Texas (25-8) and 20 on Xavier. Texas' season high for fouls is 28, while Xavier's is 25.

"We knew going in it was going to be an all-out war," Xavier coach Thad Matta said. "The foul trouble hurt us tonight."

Freshman starting forward Justin Cage fouled out for Xavier with more than 10 minutes left in the game. He was called for holding against Texas' P.J. Tucker.

"It was weird," Cage said. "I was doing what I had to do, but they just called the fouls. It was discouraging just because of the fact I had to sit on the bench and watch the rest of the game, but I knew my teammates could pull it out."

Texas lost leading scorer Brandon Mouton with 2:09 left when he fouled Dedrick Finn, who had come up with a loose ball.

"I wasn't surprised," Finn said. "I got the steal, and he reached across the body, and that was it for him."

Finn made one of the ensuing free throws to put the Musketeers ahead 71-68.

Both teams battled foul trouble in both halves, although Texas was better suited to handle it. The Longhorns play 11 players, while the Musketeers' regular rotation is seven.

Freshman Justin Doellman scored 10 points but picked up his fourth foul with 16:23 left.

That severely limited his minutes throughout the second half. Texas' Tucker and Kenton Paulino faced the same predicament.

"The refs were calling it close," Doellman said. "You just had to get used to it. Coach told me to play smart."

The most significant foul occurred with 3.9 seconds left when Finn was fouled by Tucker and Texas coach Rick Barnes received two technical fouls and was ejected for arguing the calls.

"The rules speak for themselves," Valentine said afterward. He did not comment further.

Xavier benefited most from the calls, receiving 35 free throw attempts to 17 for Texas.

The Musketeers made 25 of their free throws, including 14 from senior Romain Sato. He missed just three shots from the line and scored 27 points.

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com