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11-29-2008, 09:48 PM
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj89/xhoops/cf6bab96-5929-4b38-a551-62d5ae56ffa.jpgBrown leads #16 Xavier’s survival tour over Miami, 60-53
By Mike Damone
There will be no easy victories for Xavier this season. At least not until they have a true point guard, hit consistently from the line, or establish some long-range scoring ability that keeps opposing defenses from packing it in. But all things considered, the Musketeers (6-0) will settle for wins, not style points. Xavier is still playing without a true point guard and, thanks to a rash of injuries, had to gut out a win Saturday night with Xavier’s “10th option at point guard” – as Sean Miller affectionately calls the senior – as BJ Raymond (13 pts, 6 reb) ran the offense for the final eight minutes after sophomore Dante Jackson left the game with cramps.
Freshman Terrell Holloway continues to sit out for at least another couple weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot, junior Jason Love (6 pts, 8 reb) is fighting through the chicken pox and senior Derrick Brown (23 pts, 6 reb) continues to nurse a sprained ankle. But each victory the Musketeers are able to grab along the way, through the tribulation of injuries and inexperience, has been a testament to the mental toughness of a team doing whatever it takes to win.
The Miami Redhawks (2-3) threatened to run away fairly early on, building a 22-11 lead off a pair of Michael Bramos (15 pts, 6 reb) free throws. Miami had already sprinted to an early 10-2 lead four minutes into the game while Xavier missed four of its first five shots and its first two free throws. A long two from Kenny Hayes (19 pts, 3 reb) got the scoring started, and he also added a three to key Miami’s early run.
But Xavier would score the next six points, capped by a three from the wing from Brown to bring the Musketeers to within five, 22-17. Brown capped a 13-2 run, which tied the game at 24, with a free throw with 1:11 remaining in the half. The Musketeers had several chances to take the lead going in to intermission, but Brown missed a long jumper allowing Miami to corral the defensive rebound and find Bramos up the floor for a long three just before the buzzer sounded, giving the Redhawks a 27-24 lead at the half.
Out of the break, both teams traded buckets, before Miami took a six-point lead, 36-30, off an Eric Pollitz (5 pts, 3 reb) lay-up with 14:29 left in the game. But a Jamel McLean (4 pts, 5 reb) put-back in traffic knotted the game back up at 38 with just under nine minutes to go.
Almost a minute-and-a-half later, Raymond gave the Musketeers their first lead of the ballgame with a three at the 7:38 mark – a lead they would not relinquish. And a pair of CJ Anderson (11 pts, 3 reb) free throws pushed Xavier’s lead to 45-40 with just over six minutes left.
But a mini 5-0 run from Miami – all from Bramos – coupled with a short Xavier scoring drought cut the Musketeers’ lead to just one, 48-47. On the ensuing Xavier possession, Raymond penetrated and put up a short jumper that rimmed out, but McLean followed the rebound and slammed it home to put Xavier’s lead back to three with under three minutes remaining. Miami would get no closer.
Bramos attempted a game-tying three, but it was too strong off the rim. Bramos would foul Brown seconds later, where he would connect on both to push Xavier’s lead back out to five, 52-47, with just over two minutes left.
After another missed Miami three, Anderson drove inside and scored amongst two Miami defenders, giving Xavier its biggest lead of the night 54-47. Anderson would score seven of Xavier’s final eight points, as Anderson helped put the game away from the free throw line.
Hayes led the Hawks with 19 points, but Brown provided a game- and career-high of 23 points on the night, including 10-for-13 from the line. Miami led for most of the contest, with Xavier having multiple opportunities to either chip into the lead or take the game from the line, but the Musketeers shot a less-than-mediocre 57.9 percent from the stripe.
With the Musketeers boasting superior size and athleticism in the front court, the Redhawks aspired to keep Xavier perimeter-oriented, which was a wise move, considering Xavier’s futility from beyond the arc, going just 2-for-12 from distance for a 16.7 percent clip. But typical of Xavier’s victories this year has been suspect long-range shooting and average results at the line. And yet, despite the injuries and maladies of the team...they find ways to win.
The Musketeers remain in Cincinnati to take on the Auburn Tigers (3-3) on Wednesday. Xavier won last year’s meeting in Auburn, 80-57. The Tigers are coming off a 67-61 loss to Northern Iowa on Saturday.
By Mike Damone
There will be no easy victories for Xavier this season. At least not until they have a true point guard, hit consistently from the line, or establish some long-range scoring ability that keeps opposing defenses from packing it in. But all things considered, the Musketeers (6-0) will settle for wins, not style points. Xavier is still playing without a true point guard and, thanks to a rash of injuries, had to gut out a win Saturday night with Xavier’s “10th option at point guard” – as Sean Miller affectionately calls the senior – as BJ Raymond (13 pts, 6 reb) ran the offense for the final eight minutes after sophomore Dante Jackson left the game with cramps.
Freshman Terrell Holloway continues to sit out for at least another couple weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot, junior Jason Love (6 pts, 8 reb) is fighting through the chicken pox and senior Derrick Brown (23 pts, 6 reb) continues to nurse a sprained ankle. But each victory the Musketeers are able to grab along the way, through the tribulation of injuries and inexperience, has been a testament to the mental toughness of a team doing whatever it takes to win.
The Miami Redhawks (2-3) threatened to run away fairly early on, building a 22-11 lead off a pair of Michael Bramos (15 pts, 6 reb) free throws. Miami had already sprinted to an early 10-2 lead four minutes into the game while Xavier missed four of its first five shots and its first two free throws. A long two from Kenny Hayes (19 pts, 3 reb) got the scoring started, and he also added a three to key Miami’s early run.
But Xavier would score the next six points, capped by a three from the wing from Brown to bring the Musketeers to within five, 22-17. Brown capped a 13-2 run, which tied the game at 24, with a free throw with 1:11 remaining in the half. The Musketeers had several chances to take the lead going in to intermission, but Brown missed a long jumper allowing Miami to corral the defensive rebound and find Bramos up the floor for a long three just before the buzzer sounded, giving the Redhawks a 27-24 lead at the half.
Out of the break, both teams traded buckets, before Miami took a six-point lead, 36-30, off an Eric Pollitz (5 pts, 3 reb) lay-up with 14:29 left in the game. But a Jamel McLean (4 pts, 5 reb) put-back in traffic knotted the game back up at 38 with just under nine minutes to go.
Almost a minute-and-a-half later, Raymond gave the Musketeers their first lead of the ballgame with a three at the 7:38 mark – a lead they would not relinquish. And a pair of CJ Anderson (11 pts, 3 reb) free throws pushed Xavier’s lead to 45-40 with just over six minutes left.
But a mini 5-0 run from Miami – all from Bramos – coupled with a short Xavier scoring drought cut the Musketeers’ lead to just one, 48-47. On the ensuing Xavier possession, Raymond penetrated and put up a short jumper that rimmed out, but McLean followed the rebound and slammed it home to put Xavier’s lead back to three with under three minutes remaining. Miami would get no closer.
Bramos attempted a game-tying three, but it was too strong off the rim. Bramos would foul Brown seconds later, where he would connect on both to push Xavier’s lead back out to five, 52-47, with just over two minutes left.
After another missed Miami three, Anderson drove inside and scored amongst two Miami defenders, giving Xavier its biggest lead of the night 54-47. Anderson would score seven of Xavier’s final eight points, as Anderson helped put the game away from the free throw line.
Hayes led the Hawks with 19 points, but Brown provided a game- and career-high of 23 points on the night, including 10-for-13 from the line. Miami led for most of the contest, with Xavier having multiple opportunities to either chip into the lead or take the game from the line, but the Musketeers shot a less-than-mediocre 57.9 percent from the stripe.
With the Musketeers boasting superior size and athleticism in the front court, the Redhawks aspired to keep Xavier perimeter-oriented, which was a wise move, considering Xavier’s futility from beyond the arc, going just 2-for-12 from distance for a 16.7 percent clip. But typical of Xavier’s victories this year has been suspect long-range shooting and average results at the line. And yet, despite the injuries and maladies of the team...they find ways to win.
The Musketeers remain in Cincinnati to take on the Auburn Tigers (3-3) on Wednesday. Xavier won last year’s meeting in Auburn, 80-57. The Tigers are coming off a 67-61 loss to Northern Iowa on Saturday.