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12-23-2009, 10:07 PM
Xavier avoids holiday gloom, survives Redhawks, 70-67
by Mike Damone
As of late, Christmas time has been a veritable scrooge for Xavier, sending the Musketeers into the holiday break with losses in each of the past three seasons. On Wednesday night at the Cintas Center, Xavier (7-4) held off the charging Miami Redhawks (3-9) in the final minutes to claim a white-knuckled 70-67 victory, finally allowing the Musketeers to enjoy their time away without the bitter memories of a recent loss dancing in their heads.
Xavier appeared to be well on its way with just over three minutes to go in the game when a tip-in by Jordon Crawford (19 pts, 5 reb) gave the Musketeers an 8-point advantage, 64-56. But the Redhawks – like they did during much of the night’s match-up – made the most of the great equalizing three-point shot when Rodney Haddix (6 pts, 3 reb) quickly buried a triple to cut into Xavier’s lead, 64-59.
Xavier led on a fastbreak with just 1:38, looking to extend its lead when Mark Lyons (13 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast) fed Crawford for what appeared to be an easy jam, but Haddix stripped Crawford to send the ball the other way where Orlando Williams (3 points) buried another three for Miami to cut Xavier’s lead to two, 64-62.
Miami would have a chance to tie or take the lead with a minute to go, but Jason Love (11 pts, 3 reb, 4 blk) blocked Williams’ attempt, corralled the miss and drew the foul. Love made good on both attempts to give the Musketeers the necessary breathing room – further aided by Crawford’s 4-for-4 from the stripe in the game’s final moments – to finally pull away from Miami to claim the victory.
With less seven minutes to play in the first half, it appeared Xavier was ready to take out its aggression on the hapless Redhawks for the controversial loss the Musketeers suffered at Butler just four days prior. The Musketeers went on a 17-0 run spanning four minutes in the first half to build a 38-21 lead with just 1:49 to go.
Crawford book-ended the run with a pair of lay-ups in traffic, along with six from Lyons. The Redhawks wouldn’t go away, finishing the half on a 10-0 run, finished by a three from Julian Mavunga (18 pts, 12 reb, 3 blk) just before the intermission. A 9-0 run early in the second-half gave Miami back the lead. Miami reclaimed the advantage when Lyons fouled Mavunga on a three-point attempt, where Mavunga drained all three.
The lead would change hands seven more times, before Dante Jackson (9 pts, 2 reb) knocked down a triple from the corner to give the Musketeers the lead for good, 52-50, with 10:25 to go. Back-to-back three’s from Crawford and Brad Redford (3 points) helped the Musketeers to a 60-54 lead, and a runner from Terrell Holloway put Xavier up seven, 62-55, with 5:31 to play, before Miami clamped down on defense to make a final charge.
Kenny Hayes (24 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast) kept the Xavier guards off-balance much of the night, often finding clear lanes to the bucket and sometimes shaking loose under Xavier’s defense to hit a three. Hayes scored a game-high 24 to go with six assists. Crawford notched a team-high 19 followed by a career-high of 13 from Lyons. Love added 11 to go with his four blocks. Though the Musketeers shot a solid 44 and 46 percent from the field and from long distance, respectively, they helped to keep Miami in the game in shooting just 62 percent from the charity stripe.
Xavier will stay home to face the LSU Tigers on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Tigers (8-3) are coming off a 72-70 loss to the Washington State Cougars. Xavier took down the Tigers, 80-70, last season in Baton Rouge.
by Mike Damone
As of late, Christmas time has been a veritable scrooge for Xavier, sending the Musketeers into the holiday break with losses in each of the past three seasons. On Wednesday night at the Cintas Center, Xavier (7-4) held off the charging Miami Redhawks (3-9) in the final minutes to claim a white-knuckled 70-67 victory, finally allowing the Musketeers to enjoy their time away without the bitter memories of a recent loss dancing in their heads.
Xavier appeared to be well on its way with just over three minutes to go in the game when a tip-in by Jordon Crawford (19 pts, 5 reb) gave the Musketeers an 8-point advantage, 64-56. But the Redhawks – like they did during much of the night’s match-up – made the most of the great equalizing three-point shot when Rodney Haddix (6 pts, 3 reb) quickly buried a triple to cut into Xavier’s lead, 64-59.
Xavier led on a fastbreak with just 1:38, looking to extend its lead when Mark Lyons (13 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast) fed Crawford for what appeared to be an easy jam, but Haddix stripped Crawford to send the ball the other way where Orlando Williams (3 points) buried another three for Miami to cut Xavier’s lead to two, 64-62.
Miami would have a chance to tie or take the lead with a minute to go, but Jason Love (11 pts, 3 reb, 4 blk) blocked Williams’ attempt, corralled the miss and drew the foul. Love made good on both attempts to give the Musketeers the necessary breathing room – further aided by Crawford’s 4-for-4 from the stripe in the game’s final moments – to finally pull away from Miami to claim the victory.
With less seven minutes to play in the first half, it appeared Xavier was ready to take out its aggression on the hapless Redhawks for the controversial loss the Musketeers suffered at Butler just four days prior. The Musketeers went on a 17-0 run spanning four minutes in the first half to build a 38-21 lead with just 1:49 to go.
Crawford book-ended the run with a pair of lay-ups in traffic, along with six from Lyons. The Redhawks wouldn’t go away, finishing the half on a 10-0 run, finished by a three from Julian Mavunga (18 pts, 12 reb, 3 blk) just before the intermission. A 9-0 run early in the second-half gave Miami back the lead. Miami reclaimed the advantage when Lyons fouled Mavunga on a three-point attempt, where Mavunga drained all three.
The lead would change hands seven more times, before Dante Jackson (9 pts, 2 reb) knocked down a triple from the corner to give the Musketeers the lead for good, 52-50, with 10:25 to go. Back-to-back three’s from Crawford and Brad Redford (3 points) helped the Musketeers to a 60-54 lead, and a runner from Terrell Holloway put Xavier up seven, 62-55, with 5:31 to play, before Miami clamped down on defense to make a final charge.
Kenny Hayes (24 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast) kept the Xavier guards off-balance much of the night, often finding clear lanes to the bucket and sometimes shaking loose under Xavier’s defense to hit a three. Hayes scored a game-high 24 to go with six assists. Crawford notched a team-high 19 followed by a career-high of 13 from Lyons. Love added 11 to go with his four blocks. Though the Musketeers shot a solid 44 and 46 percent from the field and from long distance, respectively, they helped to keep Miami in the game in shooting just 62 percent from the charity stripe.
Xavier will stay home to face the LSU Tigers on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Tigers (8-3) are coming off a 72-70 loss to the Washington State Cougars. Xavier took down the Tigers, 80-70, last season in Baton Rouge.