It may feel like it's been longer, but it's only been 448 days since Xavier University's men's basketball team played the University of Connecticut in a double-overtime thriller last season in the second round of the Charleston Classic. It was a memorable meeting that the Musketeers somehow managed to win, 75-74, despite foul trouble and a never-to-be-seen-again lineup.
When they meet Saturday afternoon (12 p.m., Fox) at Cintas Center it will be the first meeting between the two since the Huskies (8-5, 5-5) made their return to the Big East Conference last July.
Saturday will be Xavier's second game in the last 33 days, and the third time since Big East play began that the Musketeers (11-2, 4-2) have had to restart play following a COVID-19 pause.
More:Waiting game: Xavier head coach Travis Steele discusses adding more games
"Feels like we're starting a whole new season here, yet again," Xavier head coach Travis Steele began his pre-game press conference on Thursday afternoon, minutes before his team took the floor for its first full practice since the last time the Musketeers were on the floor in a Jan. 30 win over Butler.
However, it wasn't the entire team that returned to action. Steele said his team will still have at least one player in COVID-19 protocol, unavailable for Saturday's game.
For some reason, the Musketeers have kept it together quite nicely after their two previous program pauses – a buzzer-beating win over Marquette after a 10-day break and a thorough win over Butler following a 20-day layoff.
More:'The most beautiful thing I've ever seen': Love, loss and a magical moment for Xavier's Jones
Steele credited it to the leadership of his three captains, and the combined effort to stay engaged and connected despite not being allowed in the same room for weeks on end. Whatever the case may be, Xavier needs to find 40 minutes of intensity because UConn's lost four of its last five games, meaning there will be two teams on the floor Saturday that are very much in need of a win.
UConn's had its own COVID-19 issues this season – the Huskies have had nine postponements and, like Xavier, have played only 13 games – and UConn will also have question marks regarding player availability.
Steele dubbed it, "The elephant in the room ... is James Bouknight playing or not playing?"
Bouknight, a 6-foot-5 guard who's widely regarded as one of the top players in the country and a potential NBA Draft lottery pick, has missed seven consecutive games with an elbow injury that required surgery on Jan. 12.
"We don't know," Steele said. "We're going to prepare like he is. I know he's day-to-day."
Bouknight averages 20.3 points. Xavier fans know him well after he dropped 19 points in that battle against the Musketeers last season.
Steele wouldn't be surprised if he plays, but he added, "They've got a lot of talented guys on their team."
UConn's big, athletic and deep. The Huskies rebound it well, defend well and they protect the rim.
"They're one of the better defensive teams in the entire country," said Steele. "I know they're the No. 1-ranked defense in the Big East. ... They're one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country as well. I think they're top-5 in the country in offensive rebounding percentage so we've got our hands full. We've gotta be able to keep those guys off the glass. We've gotta be able to handle ball pressure."
More:Crosstown tip-off: UC and Xavier fans find a common ground in supporting local businesses
Xavier's offense will need to move the ball and work for open shots, and the Musketeers can't take the day off on the glass because that's where UConn thrives, making it hard for opponents to score and cleaning up on the boards.
"It's great having them back in the league. They're a great brand. They've won national titles," said Steele. "They've had several guys go to the NBA. They've got a terrific coach in coach (Dan) Hurley. It's gonna be a great game on Saturday. I keep telling our guys, we better be ready from the tip. UConn is definitely gonna be ready."
The Game
- Tipoff: 12 p.m. on Saturday, at Cintas Center
- TV/Radio: Fox national, including Fox 19 in Cincinnati, with play-by-play from Brandon Gaudin and analysis from Donny Marshall. Byron Larkin and Joe Sunderman will have the radio call on WLW-AM (700). Broadcast also available on Sirius XM channel 388 and internet 978.
- Series info: The series is tied 1-1. Xavier's win came last season in Charleston, South Carolina. UConn's win came in the second round of the 1991 NCAA Tournament.
Scouting Report
Xavier Musketeers (11-2, 4-2)
Coach: Travis Steele, third season (49-31 overall)
Offense: 77.9 ppg
Defense: 68.5 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Paul Scruggs (G, 6'4", 14.6 ppg)
Zach Freemantle (F, 6'9", 15.0 ppg)
Adam Kunkel (G, 6'4", 7.5 ppg)
Jason Carter (F, 6'8", 7.8 rpg)
Nate Johnson (G, 6'4", 11.5 ppg)
Connecticut Huskies (8-5, 5-5)
Coach: Dan Hurley, 11th season, third at UConn (194-139 overall)
Offense: 70.5 ppg
Defense: 64.8 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Tyrese Martin (G, 6'5", 11.8 ppg)
R.J. Cole (G, 6'1", 11.2 ppg)
Isaiah Whaley (F, 6'9", 8.0 ppg)
Adama Sanogo (F, 6'9", 6.6 ppg)
Tyler Polley (F, 6'9", 8.2 ppg)
Players to watch
Tyrese Martin
Martin's a 46% 3-point shooter and he averages 7.3 rebounds with his 11.8 points per game. But, the Huskies have depth and a lot of different scoring options.
Zach Freemantle
Freemantle's been in a shooting slump recently, missing his last eight 3-point attempts, and he's been held in single digits scoring in four of Xavier's six Big East games. If the sophomore can find a way to get his shot going on Saturday, it will go a long way towards the Musketeers bagging their 12th win of the season.
Key to the game
Toughness
Between the breaks, the stops and starts, and the postponements, it may have been glossed over that the Big East Tournament is scheduled to start in 25 days. The Musketeers no longer have the luxury of time. Each time Xavier gets to take the floor, it better bring urgency, and it better bring toughness. Because, ultimately, the coronavirus will decide how many more games Xavier will get to play this season. It would be smart to seize each opportunity.
Rankings
KenPom.com: Xavier (46); UConn (42).
NET: Xavier (32); UConn (62).
Source link
