Game Thread: NCAA Xavier University v University of Illinois (3/21/2025)

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MILWAUKEE, WIS. --- The No. 11 seed Xavier University Musketeers, 22-11 overall and 13-7 in the BIG EAST Conference, take on the No. 6 seed University of Illinois Fighting Illini, 21-12 overall and 12-8 in the Big Ten Conference, in the final game on Friday night at Fiserv Forum. The estimated tip time is 9:45 p.m. ET.

Xavier is coming off an 86-80 win over Texas in the NCAA First Four on Wednesday.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (22-11, 13-7 BIG EAST)
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (21-12, 12-8 BIG 10)
FRIDAY, MARCH 21, MARCH 19, 2025 AT @ 9:45 P.M. ET
FISERV FORUM, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

TV, RADIO AND LIVE STATS

TV: CBS, including Local 12 in Cincinnati, with Kevin Harlan (pbp), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Dan Bonner (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (reporter).
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW-AM with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin ('88). XU broadcast is also available on the Varsity Network and on Sirius XM.
National Radio: Westwood One with Noah Eagle (pbp) and Tom Crean (analyst).

Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com

Win please.

Think we have a good shot and hopefully some momentum from the play-in game, think that last game for us was a growth game to show we can get it done in tough circumstances, hopefully no foul trouble for Free/Conwell this time around though.

Bit of a free roll from here on.

Couple key stats. Illinois is one of the worst teams in the country at forcing turnovers. That’s a good thing for X. Illinois is 17th in offensive board rate. They really attack the offensive glass, but X is 14th in defensive rebounding rate. Strength vs strength.

But it sure feels like it really comes down to: are they hitting the 3 or not.

6'6 point guard Kasparas Jakucionis is a frosh and uber talentd but he turns they ball over a lot. Most recent 3 games stretch he had 14 tunovers.
They might crush our big on boards.

X might keep ther TOs between 4-8.

Back to back games with uber 2 frosh vs our senior upperclasmen

Well, I guess the boys are going to have to fight like the warrior poets they are tomorrow. :)

Let’s. Go. X!

Back to back playing against an nba lottery pick. They rebound the hell out of the ball. If we play great d out on the perimeter, and limit second chance points, x wins

I'm sensing big moments from Swain and Big John in this one. Do it boys!!

I am not sure that Xavier wins, but I really think they'll can cover, so I'll take X and the points.

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