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Muskies Squeeze by Spiders!!!
By
Andy Mac Williams,
3/1/2010
Richmond was as good as advertised!! Xavier needed maximum grit to close-out the Spiders in double OT at Cintas Sunday, 78-76. The Muskies led most of the game but could never figure out a way to get double digit seperation and break the Spiders' considerable will. XU misfired on final shots in regulation and the first OT before surviving a Richmond missed driving lay-up near the second OT buzzer to win it.
UR's senior guard David Gonzalvez was magnificent! He scored 18 with 9 rebounds and 5 steals. His defense against Jordan Crawford after halftime and through the OTs was sticky and physical.
Crawford scored 19 and kept XU in it early. UR knocked him around like a rag doll though and it took a toll. Crawford still summoned enough energy to pull off the defensive play of the day and maybe the slickest steal of the season. First OT-Spiders up 2! Gonzalvez strips Crawford and heads for what looks like a sure lay-up. JC pursues and steals the ball back with a flick from the side. He drives-misses a finger roll but Jason Love follows with a stick back!! 4 point swing! Tie ball game instead of Xavier down 4!
Terrell Holloway played hero again in OT2 scoring 7-of-8 Muskie points and absorbing a charge. Holloway also was battered around by the Richmond "D". TuTu scored 24 (11 after regulation). He had dropped 26 in that December double OT win over UC.
Pregame featured the arrival of Jerry Springer, D'Artagnan circling the UR huddle riding a huge motor cycle (courtesy of Pat Kelsey) and distribution of free white thunder sticks.
X led uneasily at the half 38-34. Richmond had drilled 8 3 pointers but they were good shots off multiple passes. Dante Jackson was in foul trouble. Brian Walsh again played solid minutes absorbing some Dante time and filling in for injured Brad Redford. X had pitched a shutout at Spider star Kevin Anderson.
Second half - Xavier forged 6 point leads a few times but UR bounced right back. Anderson started to score off the dribble as their 3-point shooting came back to earth. XU did damage inside with Love and Jamel McLean. Mark Lyons converted two steals for lay-ups. X had the last shot and Crawford missed.
First OT - Crawford missed again. Second OT - Holloway took over despite playing big minutes (47) and taking a poke in the eye. Justin Harper missed a driving reverse baseline lay-up that would have forced a third OT. Xavier wins!!
The Muskies now almost control their A-10 destiny. 2 wins this week at Fordham (Wednesday-7PM-Fox Sports Ohio) and home Saturday vs St Bonnies (4PM-Fox Sports Ohio) puts them at 14-2 in the league and assured of at least a co-championship.
Temple is 12-2 also. The Owls own the tie breaker over XU with one head to head win. TU has a tough one Wednesday night at St Louis then plays an improved GW team in Philly Saturday. Two Temple wins give the Owls the first seed in the A-10 Tourney at Atlantic City.
That means an early noon Quarterfinal game Friday March 12th. It also places Temple in the bracket opposite second seed Xavier and probable third seed Richmond. X needs two wins plus a Temple loss to grab the #1 seed. If not - the Muskies are looking at a 6:30PM Quarterfinal Friday night followed by a 3:30 Semi Saturday.
Richmond (11-3) isn't assurred of 3rd seed. They host Dayton and play at Charlotte. St Louis sits 4th at the moment (10-4) but they play Temple at home and close-out at Dayton. Charlotte is 5th (9-5). They're at Rhode Island and home to Richmond.
The Top 4 teams get first round byes to the Quarterfinals Friday March 12 in Atlantic City. Teams 5 thru 8 host First Round games Tuesday March 9th at their home arenas. Teams 9 thru 12 travel to those Tuesday games. Teams 13 and 14 are done for the year.
Fordham is mathematically eliminated. The Rams are 0-14 in the conference and 2-24 overall with 19 straight losses dating back almost 3 months to December 8th. Coach Derek Whittenberg is long gone. Star PG Jio Fontan has transferred to USC.
XU destroyed Fordham 108-60 Jan 31st at Cintas. X can't mail this one in Wednesday nite at antique Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx but it's tempting. Hopefully, Chris Mack can use the game to get Brian Walsh more minutes and maybe ease back Brad Redford.
Holloway and Crawford might be able to scale back the minutes also after a physical Richmond game. Kenny Frease needs some extended time. The bench needs to re post for XU to maximize the A-10 tourney. The Muskies could be playing 3 games in about 40 hours.
St Bonnies will be more of a hurdle Saturday at Cintas but we'll preview that later. Big ???s heading into the final week of the regular season are: Will X win the conference title outright or share it? Will the Muskies get that top seed? Who gets the 4 byes? Who gets the 4 Tuesday home games? and Who will X play Friday March 12 in AC? Stay tuned!!!
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