|
Tu In, Two Still Out, As Xavier Falls Again
12/23/2011
For a little while late Thursday night, Xavier looked like they were going to be fine against the Long Beach State 49ers. That was the first few minutes, however. In the middle of the first half, Xavier failed to score for almost 8 minutes, as the 49ers took the lead and ran away with an easy 68-58 victory. Xavier (8-2) looked lethargic and lost on the offensive end for the second straight game, even with senior leader Tu Holloway back on the floor. Long Beach State (6-5), meanwhile, notched their 2nd victory against a top 25 team this year (they beat Pittsburgh at Pitt on November 16).
Even with Holloway back, and providing his usual 17 points, it was clear the Muskies still desperately miss Mark Lyons and the athletic Dez Wells. As good as Tu is, those guys are every bit as important at making the offense go. Not to mention, it was an extra 27 points that was not there for the Muskies.
Xavier shot a respectable 45.1%, but their usual, reliable defense struggled mightily, surrendering a 46.9% clip. The 49ers also hit 7 three pointers, compared to just 3 by Xavier. The Muskies also turned the ball over 15 times, with just 9 assists. LBSU turned the ball over 11 times, but had 13 assists by comparison. While Xavier struggled to get their half court offense going, the 49ers pushed the ball and found Xavier out of position a number of times throughout the game. Good ball movement left the Musketeers unable to cover their men, and provided a number of open shots. And LBSU didn't miss.
The 49ers also spread their scoring across the board, as they had 5 players with at least 11 points. For Xavier, Tu Holloway scored 17, while Kenny Frease had 10 with just a single rebound - for the game. Justin Martin hit a pair of big threes, scoring 10 in the first half, and just 2 in the second. Brad Redford, meanwhile, struggled again, failing to hit a 3 pointer for the 4th straight game. He's shooting just 24% for the season from beyond the arc now.
There wasn't much else to focus on for the offense. Jeff Robinson got a start tonight, and finished a miserable 1 of 7 from the field. He and Walker combined for a total of 6 points in 60 combined minutes on the court. Xavier also was out-rebounded 28-24, as they seemed more interested in tipping the ball back in, rather than rebounding.
It looked like the Muskies were poised for a late run in the game, as they cut the lead to 46-38 with 11:19 to go. A quick basket and then a three by the 49ers quickly pushed the lead back to 13, and they never looked back. Xavier trailed by as many as 18 with just over 3 minutes to go. They cut it to 10 for the final deficit, one that was certainly more deceptive than telling.
The Muskies will take on tournament host Hawaii (5-5) tonight as they continue in the Diamond Head Classic. Mark Lyons, averaging 17.4 ppg and shooting 50.5%, makes his return to the court tonight for an offense that desperately needs his scoring and leadership. Dez Wells will return for the Gonzaga game on New Year's Eve at Cintas.
|
|
