Xavier thumps No. 19 Butler, 76-53
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/xavier/2015/02/21/xavier-thumps-no-19-butler-76-53/23706667/
Shannon Russell, srussell@enquirer.com 9:54 p.m. EST February 21, 2015
Myles Davis felt it. So did Jalen Reynolds. Not to mention James Farr.
The first time Xavier's men's basketball team faced Butler this season, a Jan. 10 loss at Hinkle Fieldhouse, those Musketeers players were disappointed with their play. So Saturday's rematch at Cintas Center was personal.
"I feel like Butler didn't get Myles Davis when we were there," Davis said. "I felt like I owed it to my team and my teammates to play hard and play aggressive and everybody brought it today."
Led by Davis' 18 points, the Musketeers handed the No. 19 Bulldogs a 73-56 loss before a crowd of 10,492. Trevon Bluiett added 11 points, Farr had eight points and 11 rebounds in just 11 minutes and Reynolds finished just short of a double-double with nine points and 11 boards.
It was a big win for the Musketeers (18-10, 8-7 Big East). Besides avenging the Game One loss, they set a program record by beating a fourth Top 25 foe this season. They also secured another major resume boost against a quality team, as Butler (19-8, 9-5) was ranked 23rd in the NCAA Daily RPI.
And they did it in blistering fashion. The 17-point defeat was Butler's most lopsided this season.
"We've got some guys from Indiana. We've got some guys that didn't play well that were out-toughed at Hinkle," Xavier coach Chris Mack said. "And today I thought our team responded in a very positive way, and you always worry about that as a coach coming off the game that we played on Wednesday night (at UC)."
By attacking the glass, holding the Bulldogs to 22 first-half points and eventually amassing a 29-point lead, Xavier made a statement against its short-handed foe. The Musketeers excelled in an energized environment that included first-half technical fouls on Mack and Butler's Chris Holtmann.
Butler entered the clash without the services of sophomore forward Andrew Chrabascz, who underwent surgery Monday to repair a broken bone in his right hand. The forward dropped at team-high 19 points on Xavier in Game One and left a massive absence in Game Two.
Add to the mix three first-half fouls on Austin Etherington and season scoring leader Kellen Dunham, and Butler was quickly on the ropes.
"The game really turned when Kellen Dunham got his third. I chose to play three of our (players) with two fouls. Jalen had two, Matt (Stainbrook) had two and Dee (Davis) had two, and those guys were able to ride out the half," Mack said.
Mack normally sits a player with two fouls for the rest of the first half. But with Dunham on the bench, Butler's shooting wasn't as strong, and keeping Stainbrook and Reynolds in while employing a 1-3-1 zone allowed Xavier to stay big around the basket. Mack said he trusted Davis not to foul.
The plan worked. The Musketeers outscored Butler 8-2 in the last few minutes and led 33-22 at halftime.
For Holtmann, the outing was frustrating because Butler's strengths "weren't our strengths tonight."
"I don't remember a 50-50 ball we got tonight, and that's not us," Holtmann said.
Xavier's ability to track down the balls was a victory within the victory. Mack was so disgusted with the team's effort in that regard and on the glass in Game One that he mixed up the starting five in ensuing games, pledging to play the hardest-working players.
The rebounding disparity at Butler remained in the minds of Reynolds and Farr.
"(Rebounding is) something that me and Jalen pride ourselves on," Farr said. "Last time we played I think Kameron Woods had a double-double on us and…we don't like that. We don't like when people just drop double-doubles on us. We're competitors at the end of the day. We made sure that we kept an eye on (Woods)."
Woods finished with seven points and nine rebounds. Roosevelt Jones scored a team-best 14 points for the Bulldogs.
Three early second-half 3-pointers - two courtesy of Myles Davis and one from Dee Davis - helped Xavier pull away for good. The Musketeers outscored Butler 14-6 in the first four minutes and slammed the door on any Bulldogs comeback plans.
Xavier has little time to dwell on the win, though, as it plays St. John's at 8 p.m. Monday in Madison Square Garden.
Shannon Russell, srussell@enquirer.com 9:54 p.m. EST February 21, 2015
Myles Davis felt it. So did Jalen Reynolds. Not to mention James Farr.
The first time Xavier's men's basketball team faced Butler this season, a Jan. 10 loss at Hinkle Fieldhouse, those Musketeers players were disappointed with their play. So Saturday's rematch at Cintas Center was personal.
"I feel like Butler didn't get Myles Davis when we were there," Davis said. "I felt like I owed it to my team and my teammates to play hard and play aggressive and everybody brought it today."
Led by Davis' 18 points, the Musketeers handed the No. 19 Bulldogs a 73-56 loss before a crowd of 10,492. Trevon Bluiett added 11 points, Farr had eight points and 11 rebounds in just 11 minutes and Reynolds finished just short of a double-double with nine points and 11 boards.
It was a big win for the Musketeers (18-10, 8-7 Big East). Besides avenging the Game One loss, they set a program record by beating a fourth Top 25 foe this season. They also secured another major resume boost against a quality team, as Butler (19-8, 9-5) was ranked 23rd in the NCAA Daily RPI.
And they did it in blistering fashion. The 17-point defeat was Butler's most lopsided this season.
"We've got some guys from Indiana. We've got some guys that didn't play well that were out-toughed at Hinkle," Xavier coach Chris Mack said. "And today I thought our team responded in a very positive way, and you always worry about that as a coach coming off the game that we played on Wednesday night (at UC)."
By attacking the glass, holding the Bulldogs to 22 first-half points and eventually amassing a 29-point lead, Xavier made a statement against its short-handed foe. The Musketeers excelled in an energized environment that included first-half technical fouls on Mack and Butler's Chris Holtmann.
Butler entered the clash without the services of sophomore forward Andrew Chrabascz, who underwent surgery Monday to repair a broken bone in his right hand. The forward dropped at team-high 19 points on Xavier in Game One and left a massive absence in Game Two.
Add to the mix three first-half fouls on Austin Etherington and season scoring leader Kellen Dunham, and Butler was quickly on the ropes.
"The game really turned when Kellen Dunham got his third. I chose to play three of our (players) with two fouls. Jalen had two, Matt (Stainbrook) had two and Dee (Davis) had two, and those guys were able to ride out the half," Mack said.
Mack normally sits a player with two fouls for the rest of the first half. But with Dunham on the bench, Butler's shooting wasn't as strong, and keeping Stainbrook and Reynolds in while employing a 1-3-1 zone allowed Xavier to stay big around the basket. Mack said he trusted Davis not to foul.
The plan worked. The Musketeers outscored Butler 8-2 in the last few minutes and led 33-22 at halftime.
For Holtmann, the outing was frustrating because Butler's strengths "weren't our strengths tonight."
"I don't remember a 50-50 ball we got tonight, and that's not us," Holtmann said.
Xavier's ability to track down the balls was a victory within the victory. Mack was so disgusted with the team's effort in that regard and on the glass in Game One that he mixed up the starting five in ensuing games, pledging to play the hardest-working players.
The rebounding disparity at Butler remained in the minds of Reynolds and Farr.
"(Rebounding is) something that me and Jalen pride ourselves on," Farr said. "Last time we played I think Kameron Woods had a double-double on us and…we don't like that. We don't like when people just drop double-doubles on us. We're competitors at the end of the day. We made sure that we kept an eye on (Woods)."
Woods finished with seven points and nine rebounds. Roosevelt Jones scored a team-best 14 points for the Bulldogs.
Three early second-half 3-pointers - two courtesy of Myles Davis and one from Dee Davis - helped Xavier pull away for good. The Musketeers outscored Butler 14-6 in the first four minutes and slammed the door on any Bulldogs comeback plans.
Xavier has little time to dwell on the win, though, as it plays St. John's at 8 p.m. Monday in Madison Square Garden.
Commenti
Posta un commento