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Xavier Buries Butler with Defense
12/7/2011
 | | Freshman Dez Wells slams in two of his 13 points in Xavier’s victory over Butler. [enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | | Mark Lyons drives to the basket past Butler’s Kameron Woods (31) and Jason Aldridge (11).[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | | Dee Davis plays tight defense against Butler’s Jason Aldridge.[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |
Are things ever going to be easy for Xavier? Even with an early, commanding lead over the Butler Bulldogs, the Musketeers had to fend off a furious second half rally for a 73-61 victory. Xavier (7-0) found themselves in a defensive struggle with Butler once again. It wasn't quite as brutal offensively as it was in last year's 51-49 victory at the Cintas Center, but it was a poor display of offense nonetheless. For the first half, Butler couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. They went 9:50 at one point between field goals. For the game, they tossed up 21 threes, making just two. Shooting 30.6% in a game won't win you many contests. Tonight, it killed Butler, as Xavier flashed its athleticism all night long.
Despite being outrebounded for the game, and watching as Tu Holloway made just one bucket (a layup), Xavier was clearly the better team on the court. A sloppy 5 minute stretch allowed Butler to get back in the game, but Xavier squashed the rally. The key? Xavier did something they had struggled with all year long: make their free throws. The Muskies went to the line 37 times, and made 29 of them (78.4%). Granted, Holloway and Lyons were a combined 22 of 24, but Xavier still put this game away with points from the charity stripe.
And, for all the depth Xavier does have, the Muskies struggled for balance, again. It was the Holloway, Lyons, and Dez Wells show, as it has been for the majority of the season. They combined for around 75% of the team's offense. That can't continue to happen all year long. Travis Taylor had another solid game with 9 points and 8 rebounds, which is becoming fairly regular for him. Yet Kenny Frease and Jeff Robinson have been no-shows for the majority of the season. They need guys like them.
At the end of the day, Xavier was the more athletic team on the court. Dez slammed home a pair of one handed dunks. Lyons and Holloway were running the court for fastbreaks. Xavier even had one fastbreak off of a made free throw. The Muskies pushed the Bulldogs every chance they got and finished their opportunities.
Combine Xavier's strong quick strike performance with the defensive clinic they put on Butler, and it was clear who had control of the game. Xavier played man to man all game, and never needed to double team anyone. What made the defense even stronger was that same athleticism and quickness that allowed each defender to stay with their man. Holloway chipped in 6 steals and attacked the ball seemingly every time down the court. Their defensive effort and Butler's lack of athleticism led to the huge deficits that the Bulldogs faced all game.
Nonetheless, this is the kind of physical game that Xavier should expect from better teams. Butler is having a down year, but Brad Stevens knows how to coach, and he did a good job of making someone other than Holloway or Lyons beat them. It took a lot of fouls for Tu to get his points. The physicality that Xavier faced against Butler is the same they will see come Saturday against UC. This was the kind of game, however, that Muskie fans have grown used to seeing - hard fought, scrappy, defensive effort. Xavier games seem to rarely be pretty, but that's their style. Expect a knock down, drag out fight in the Crosstown Shootout.
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