After a momentous, confidence-building trip to South Carolina in the Charleston Classic, Xavier men’s basketball returned to Cintas Center Nov. 28 and opened up a five-game homestand with an 88-67 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
After a 1-3 stretch that included a pair of blowout losses, Xavier has now won three of its last four to improve to 5-3 overall.
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Xavier continued its hot shooting from the perimeter, nailing double-digit 3-pointers for the fourth straight game. Xavier got contributions all around with four players in double figures and eight with at least six points.
More: Takeaways from Xavier’s win over West Virginia in Charleston Classic
More: ‘It’s happening.’ Xavier takes step forward despite loss to Georgia
Jovan Milicevic ran into foul trouble early but knocked down three second-half triples to lead Xavier with 14 points. Tre Carroll added 11 and Filip Borovicanin tallied his second double-double of the season (10 points, 15 rebounds).
Xavier guard Roddie Anderson guards a driving Texas A&M-Corpus Christi guard D’Avian Houston in the first half at Cintas Center Nov. 28.
Xavier passes test in step down in competition
Xavier impressed in Charleston against two high-major opponents, but it was interesting to see how this young team would follow that success as a big favorite in a buy game. After a lethargic start, Xavier opened up a double-digit lead at the intermission.
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In the second half, Xavier used its defense to set the tone against a Texas A&M Corpus-Christi offense that ranks No. 361 in KenPom in effective field goal percentage. The underdog Islanders started the second half 0-for-7 from the field while Xavier pushed its lead to 17.
Xavier’s defense held the Islanders to 35.3% shooting in the second half and won the rebounding battle, 42-40.
Xavier’s offense still letting it fly
Three is still bigger than two. No one knows that better than the Xavier offense. Xavier’s red-hot long-range attack was the story in the Charleston Classic after the Musketeers buried 16 3-pointers in its win over West Virginia.
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Xavier, which had hit 43 triples over its last three contests, started 0-for-4 from beyond the arc but finished the first half by going 8-of-12 from deep.
Xavier’s sizzling perimeter shooting started with a string of three straight triples that turned into an 11-0 run.
Xavier finished 12-of-28 from deep, marking its fourth consecutive game with double-digit 3-pointers. The school record is six games, set during the 1998-1999 season.
Xavier’s bench provides big minutes vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Early foul trouble limited Milicevic to just six minutes in the first half. Xavier had to turn to the rest of its struggling backcourt but backups Anthony Robinson and Pape N’Diaye each contributed.
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Robinson made his first field goal since the Nov. 10 loss to Santa Clara and N’Diaye hit a crucial 3-pointer to stop an 8-0 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi run with 6:03 left in the first half. On the ensuing possession, N’Diaye’s block set up a Carroll fastbreak layup to give the Musketeers a 30-22 lead.
Robinson set season-highs in points (12) and rebounds (8).
Wyoming product Isaiah Walker connected on Xavier’s first 3-pointer of the night at the 12:53 mark in the first half. Walker finished with six points and Xavier’s bench had 35 overall with local walk-ons Ian Sabourin (Badin) and Henry Thole (Walton-Verona) connecting late.
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Blame it on the turkey?
It could’ve been the tryptophan from Thanksgiving turkey or a light Cintas Center crowd during the holiday break, but the lack of energy at Cintas Center was evident early on as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Xavier slogged away in the early minutes.
The visiting Islanders led 8-6 at the first media timeout as Xavier drifted into foul trouble. The Musketeers woke up quickly, scoring 37 points in the final 14 minutes.
What’s next for Xavier Musketeers basketball?
After an off weekend, Xavier continues its homestand on Monday, Dec. 1 against Saint Francis at Cintas Center ahead of the Crosstown Shootout Dec. 5.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Analysis of Xavier Musketeers win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
