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01-18-2009, 04:15 PM
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj89/xhoops/77c0b540-7a0e-4dae-9b4d-12e08cf0c0f.jpgBig first half for Xavier sends Explorers packing, 73-53
By Mike Damone
The fact didn’t miss the Xavier Musketeers that they would have to play a more composed, refined game – moreso than in their 67-65 win last Thursday at Rhode Island – to best a La Salle team that boasted “impressive” close losses to teams like UConn, Florida State and Villanova. On Sunday afternoon, #15 Xavier distinguished itself as one the few teams on the Explorers’ schedule that effectively put a lid on La Salle’s offensive frenzy. With Xavier (15-2, 4-0) leading La Salle (9-7, 1-2) just 14-10 with 10:36 left in the first half, the Musketeers took off on a 10-0 run over two minutes that subdued the Explorers early.
Freshman Kenny Frease (6 pts, 4 reb) got the run started with a jam, and on Xavier’s next possession, fellow freshman Terrell Holloway (4 pts, 6 ast, 3 reb) stretched Xavier’s lead to double digits for the first time when he was fouled on a made three-point attempt. Junior Derrick Brown then scored on consecutive Xavier possessions to put the Musketeers up 24-10 with 8:10 to go in the first half.
A lay-up from sophomore Dante Jackson (3 pts, 4 ast, 4 reb) put the Musketeers up 17, 39-22, just before the break. Brown led all scorers at the intermission with 10 points.
Senior BJ Raymond (16 points) hit a three to open the second half, stretching Xavier’s lead to 20, and Brown added a free throw to extend the lead, 43-22. Another three from Raymond gave Xavier its largest lead of the game, 51-29, with 15:32 left in the game. La Salle’s Jerrell Williams (7 pts, 4 reb) answered with four points of his own, but freshman Brad Redford (9 pts) knocked down his third three-pointer of the game to put Xavier back up by 21, 54-33.
La Salle would not go away – mostly because the Musketeers wouldn’t allow them to. The Explorers sent Xavier to the line 36 times, where they made good on only 19 of those attempts for a dismal 52.8 percent. Meanwhile, the Explorers’ Rodney Green (15 pts, 3 ast) and Yves Mekongo Mbala (15 pts, 3 ast, 7 reb) helped bring the Explorers to within 12, 65-53, with just under three minutes to go. But the Musketeers would score the game’s final eight points – six of which came from junior Jason Love (10 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk) – to provide the final margin.
The 53 points scored by La Salle were a season-low, marking the second-consecutive game where the Xavier defense had held the opposition to a season-low in offense. The Explorers also boasted four double-digit scorers, but only Green and Mbala tallied double-figures.
Xavier held the Explorers to just 34.6 percent shooting in the first half, though La Salle improved offensively in the second to shoot 41.1 percent for the game. Xavier point guards Holloway and Jackson also combined for 10 assists and just two turnovers, while the team overall turned the ball over 15 times against a respectable 19 assists.
Raymond led the Musketeer offense with 16 points off 5-for-11 shooting and 50 percent (4-for-8) from three. Brown added 15 of his own, and Love scored 10 – highlighted by a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line – to go with a game-high nine rebounds. The win Sunday afternoon marked the first time Xavier has started their conference season 4-0 since the 2001-02 season when Xavier started their Atlantic 10 slate 9-0.
The Musketeers will now head to Olean, New York to take on the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Last season in Cincinnati, the Musketeers needed 21 points apiece from Raymond and CJ Anderson to hold off Saint Bonaventure, 83-68. The Bonnies (11-6, 2-2) are coming off a 71-67 win at Richmond.
By Mike Damone
The fact didn’t miss the Xavier Musketeers that they would have to play a more composed, refined game – moreso than in their 67-65 win last Thursday at Rhode Island – to best a La Salle team that boasted “impressive” close losses to teams like UConn, Florida State and Villanova. On Sunday afternoon, #15 Xavier distinguished itself as one the few teams on the Explorers’ schedule that effectively put a lid on La Salle’s offensive frenzy. With Xavier (15-2, 4-0) leading La Salle (9-7, 1-2) just 14-10 with 10:36 left in the first half, the Musketeers took off on a 10-0 run over two minutes that subdued the Explorers early.
Freshman Kenny Frease (6 pts, 4 reb) got the run started with a jam, and on Xavier’s next possession, fellow freshman Terrell Holloway (4 pts, 6 ast, 3 reb) stretched Xavier’s lead to double digits for the first time when he was fouled on a made three-point attempt. Junior Derrick Brown then scored on consecutive Xavier possessions to put the Musketeers up 24-10 with 8:10 to go in the first half.
A lay-up from sophomore Dante Jackson (3 pts, 4 ast, 4 reb) put the Musketeers up 17, 39-22, just before the break. Brown led all scorers at the intermission with 10 points.
Senior BJ Raymond (16 points) hit a three to open the second half, stretching Xavier’s lead to 20, and Brown added a free throw to extend the lead, 43-22. Another three from Raymond gave Xavier its largest lead of the game, 51-29, with 15:32 left in the game. La Salle’s Jerrell Williams (7 pts, 4 reb) answered with four points of his own, but freshman Brad Redford (9 pts) knocked down his third three-pointer of the game to put Xavier back up by 21, 54-33.
La Salle would not go away – mostly because the Musketeers wouldn’t allow them to. The Explorers sent Xavier to the line 36 times, where they made good on only 19 of those attempts for a dismal 52.8 percent. Meanwhile, the Explorers’ Rodney Green (15 pts, 3 ast) and Yves Mekongo Mbala (15 pts, 3 ast, 7 reb) helped bring the Explorers to within 12, 65-53, with just under three minutes to go. But the Musketeers would score the game’s final eight points – six of which came from junior Jason Love (10 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk) – to provide the final margin.
The 53 points scored by La Salle were a season-low, marking the second-consecutive game where the Xavier defense had held the opposition to a season-low in offense. The Explorers also boasted four double-digit scorers, but only Green and Mbala tallied double-figures.
Xavier held the Explorers to just 34.6 percent shooting in the first half, though La Salle improved offensively in the second to shoot 41.1 percent for the game. Xavier point guards Holloway and Jackson also combined for 10 assists and just two turnovers, while the team overall turned the ball over 15 times against a respectable 19 assists.
Raymond led the Musketeer offense with 16 points off 5-for-11 shooting and 50 percent (4-for-8) from three. Brown added 15 of his own, and Love scored 10 – highlighted by a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line – to go with a game-high nine rebounds. The win Sunday afternoon marked the first time Xavier has started their conference season 4-0 since the 2001-02 season when Xavier started their Atlantic 10 slate 9-0.
The Musketeers will now head to Olean, New York to take on the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Last season in Cincinnati, the Musketeers needed 21 points apiece from Raymond and CJ Anderson to hold off Saint Bonaventure, 83-68. The Bonnies (11-6, 2-2) are coming off a 71-67 win at Richmond.