kyxu
02-15-2009, 01:05 PM
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj89/xhoops/ac3d92c0-b566-4996-af98-46aacf077d1.jpgHapless Rams perfect antidote for recovering Xavier, 88-53
By Mike Damone
The way the #14 Musketeers limped into Saturday afternoon’s contest with the Fordham Rams, Xavier (21-4, 9-2) was in need of a win – any kind of win – to get some momentum back. A season-high 64-point outburst in the second half was just what the ailing Musketeers needed, as they transformed a 13-point halftime lead into a 35-point destruction of the cellar-dwelling Rams, 88-53, Saturday afternoon at the Cintas Center.
After losing at Duquesne and at Dayton, Xavier was having trouble in almost every facet of the game. They had allowed consecutive opponents to shoot 50 percent or better from the field, struggled from the free-throw line and averaged just 63 points in the losses.
Offensively, the Musketeers burst out of their funk in resounding fashion, recording season-highs in total points, three-pointers, assists and free-throw percentage. Xavier also did its best impression of last year’s squad, exuding tremendous offensive balance with six Musketeers scoring in double-figures, led by long-range prodigy Brad Redford’s 15 points off 5-of-9 shooting from three.
After essentially a nip-and-tuck affair throughout the first half, eight first-half threes helped Xavier to a 13-point halftime lead, 42-29. Xavier wasted little time in putting distance between itself and Fordham (3-18, 1-9) to start the second half, embarking on a 19-4 run that helped restore some swagger to the Xavier disposition.
Five different Musketeers scored on the decisive run, highlighted by five points apiece from junior Jason Love (11 pts, 7 reb) and sophomore Dante Jackson (13 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and capped by another long-range bomb from Redford (15 pts, 3 ast).
Redford ignited his team and the crowd on several occasions with his deadly outside shooting, and put the Musketeers up 30, 68-38, with another triple with 11:39 remaining in the game. A constant buzz would remain in the crowd and hit another crescendo when junior Derrick Brown (12 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast) put home a thunderous dunk over Fordham point guard Jio Fontan (12 pts, 3 reb) off a Jackson assist.
On the following Musketeer possession, senior BJ Raymond (14 pts, 3 reb) knocked down his fourth three to put Xavier up 34, 81-47, with just over five minutes to play, as Xavier coach Sean Miller began to empty his bench. Little-used sophomore subs Stephen Duckett (3 pts, 2 reb) and Joe Hughes (2 pts, 3 reb) kept the intensity up. Duckett knocked down a three right off the bench, and Hughes corralled and stuck back a rebound to score the Musketeers’ final points, 88-51, with 2:01 left.
Due to his struggles over the last few games, freshman Terrell Holloway (2 pts, 1 ast, 6 reb) gave way in the starting lineup to the more experienced Jackson. The move paid off, as Jackson scored eight early on, helping the Musketeers to an early 10-5 lead with 14:33 to go in the first half. Redford knocked down his first three of the game to put Xavier up six, 13-7, but Fordham stunned the crowd, going on an 8-0 run to take a 15-13 lead.
Raymond answered with his first three, but the red-hot Mike Moore (24 pts, 10 reb) put Fordham back on top, 17-16, with 11:21 to go. Though freshman Kenny Frease was given the day off to nurse a sprained ankle, a welcomed sight for the Musketeers was the play of sophomore Jamel McLean on the offensive and defensive ends. McLean (10 pts, 6 reb, 4 blk) scored inside off a feed from Brown to give Xavier the lead back yet again, 18-17, and they would never trail.
Redford knocked down back-to-back triples to give Xavier a four-point lead, 24-20, with 9:49 left in the first half. Fontan cut Fordham’s deficit back to two, but the Xavier veterans then took over. Brown scored off a jam, Love scored inside off an assist from Brown, and Raymond stroked a three to put Xavier up, 31-22, with 4:33 left in the half.
Herb Tanner (10 points) broke up the Xavier run with a bucket, but Brown answered with a three, followed by a short jumper from McLean to put Xavier up by 12, 36-24. Four-consecutive free throws from Raymond and Love provided the halftime margin.
A victory over a team struggling as much as Fordham hardly provides the proper measuring stick of Xavier’s improvement since their Wednesday loss at Dayton, but getting a win in such flawless fashion could help the Musketeers get their confidence back.
Two players struggling with such issues – Jackson and McLean – posted their first double-digit scoring games since January and November, respectively. Both players used strong defensive performances to key their offensive improvements. Jackson’s solid play also allowed Holloway the lessened pressure of coming off the bench and still contribute.
Moore scored a game-high 24 points for the Rams. Redford led six Musketeers in double-figures, the first time that many Musketeers had scored in double-figures since the teams’ last meeting over a month ago in the Bronx. Xavier also shot a season-best 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the foul line.
The Musketeers now go back on the road to take on the Charlotte 49ers at Halton Arena in Charlotte at 7 p.m. on Thursday. In the schools’ most recent meeting last month, Raymond led the Musketeers with 23 points in a 69-47 win over Charlotte in Cincinnati. The 49ers (9-15, 3-7) are coming off a 69-51 win over George Washington.
By Mike Damone
The way the #14 Musketeers limped into Saturday afternoon’s contest with the Fordham Rams, Xavier (21-4, 9-2) was in need of a win – any kind of win – to get some momentum back. A season-high 64-point outburst in the second half was just what the ailing Musketeers needed, as they transformed a 13-point halftime lead into a 35-point destruction of the cellar-dwelling Rams, 88-53, Saturday afternoon at the Cintas Center.
After losing at Duquesne and at Dayton, Xavier was having trouble in almost every facet of the game. They had allowed consecutive opponents to shoot 50 percent or better from the field, struggled from the free-throw line and averaged just 63 points in the losses.
Offensively, the Musketeers burst out of their funk in resounding fashion, recording season-highs in total points, three-pointers, assists and free-throw percentage. Xavier also did its best impression of last year’s squad, exuding tremendous offensive balance with six Musketeers scoring in double-figures, led by long-range prodigy Brad Redford’s 15 points off 5-of-9 shooting from three.
After essentially a nip-and-tuck affair throughout the first half, eight first-half threes helped Xavier to a 13-point halftime lead, 42-29. Xavier wasted little time in putting distance between itself and Fordham (3-18, 1-9) to start the second half, embarking on a 19-4 run that helped restore some swagger to the Xavier disposition.
Five different Musketeers scored on the decisive run, highlighted by five points apiece from junior Jason Love (11 pts, 7 reb) and sophomore Dante Jackson (13 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and capped by another long-range bomb from Redford (15 pts, 3 ast).
Redford ignited his team and the crowd on several occasions with his deadly outside shooting, and put the Musketeers up 30, 68-38, with another triple with 11:39 remaining in the game. A constant buzz would remain in the crowd and hit another crescendo when junior Derrick Brown (12 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast) put home a thunderous dunk over Fordham point guard Jio Fontan (12 pts, 3 reb) off a Jackson assist.
On the following Musketeer possession, senior BJ Raymond (14 pts, 3 reb) knocked down his fourth three to put Xavier up 34, 81-47, with just over five minutes to play, as Xavier coach Sean Miller began to empty his bench. Little-used sophomore subs Stephen Duckett (3 pts, 2 reb) and Joe Hughes (2 pts, 3 reb) kept the intensity up. Duckett knocked down a three right off the bench, and Hughes corralled and stuck back a rebound to score the Musketeers’ final points, 88-51, with 2:01 left.
Due to his struggles over the last few games, freshman Terrell Holloway (2 pts, 1 ast, 6 reb) gave way in the starting lineup to the more experienced Jackson. The move paid off, as Jackson scored eight early on, helping the Musketeers to an early 10-5 lead with 14:33 to go in the first half. Redford knocked down his first three of the game to put Xavier up six, 13-7, but Fordham stunned the crowd, going on an 8-0 run to take a 15-13 lead.
Raymond answered with his first three, but the red-hot Mike Moore (24 pts, 10 reb) put Fordham back on top, 17-16, with 11:21 to go. Though freshman Kenny Frease was given the day off to nurse a sprained ankle, a welcomed sight for the Musketeers was the play of sophomore Jamel McLean on the offensive and defensive ends. McLean (10 pts, 6 reb, 4 blk) scored inside off a feed from Brown to give Xavier the lead back yet again, 18-17, and they would never trail.
Redford knocked down back-to-back triples to give Xavier a four-point lead, 24-20, with 9:49 left in the first half. Fontan cut Fordham’s deficit back to two, but the Xavier veterans then took over. Brown scored off a jam, Love scored inside off an assist from Brown, and Raymond stroked a three to put Xavier up, 31-22, with 4:33 left in the half.
Herb Tanner (10 points) broke up the Xavier run with a bucket, but Brown answered with a three, followed by a short jumper from McLean to put Xavier up by 12, 36-24. Four-consecutive free throws from Raymond and Love provided the halftime margin.
A victory over a team struggling as much as Fordham hardly provides the proper measuring stick of Xavier’s improvement since their Wednesday loss at Dayton, but getting a win in such flawless fashion could help the Musketeers get their confidence back.
Two players struggling with such issues – Jackson and McLean – posted their first double-digit scoring games since January and November, respectively. Both players used strong defensive performances to key their offensive improvements. Jackson’s solid play also allowed Holloway the lessened pressure of coming off the bench and still contribute.
Moore scored a game-high 24 points for the Rams. Redford led six Musketeers in double-figures, the first time that many Musketeers had scored in double-figures since the teams’ last meeting over a month ago in the Bronx. Xavier also shot a season-best 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the foul line.
The Musketeers now go back on the road to take on the Charlotte 49ers at Halton Arena in Charlotte at 7 p.m. on Thursday. In the schools’ most recent meeting last month, Raymond led the Musketeers with 23 points in a 69-47 win over Charlotte in Cincinnati. The 49ers (9-15, 3-7) are coming off a 69-51 win over George Washington.