Being unhappy after a win is an odd place to be, but that's where No. 21 Xavier was on Wednesday night after a 68-66 win over Butler.
The unhappiness stemmed from how it ended, not how it started. Butler outscored the Musketeers 13-4 over the final two minutes and muddied the water on what should have been a more convincing win at Cintas Center.
Xavier head coach Travis Steele was frustrated after the game and understandably so. His team put together nearly 38 minutes of solid defense and then lost focus in the final minutes.
Steele, who shouldered the blame for the finish, said, "We're not gonna finish that way ever again."
For a veteran team, Xavier should know how to close out a game. After putting so much effort and energy into building a 15-point second-half lead despite not shooting well at all from the outside, Xavier's late stumbles against Butler were a loud reminder that the Musketeers still haven't figured out how to put a complete game together.
More:Zach Freemantle leads Xavier, Musketeers survive late collapse to beat Butler
As concerning as that is, Xavier's 16-5 overall and 6-4 in the Big East Conference, which is good for fifth place at the moment and only one game back of Connecticut, a team the Musketeers still have to play twice this month.
Even with the poor shooting performance and a confounding end to the game, there were some promising developments for Xavier.
Zach Freemantle took over
It was fitting that in the hours before a major winter storm brought a wall of ice and snow into the Greater Cincinnati region, a player nicknamed "Big Frosty" made his presence known.
Xavier fans have been waiting not so patiently to see the Freemantle who showed up against Butler.
Since an offseason foot injury, one that required surgery two weeks before the start of the season, Freemantle's form has been inconsistent and hard to predict.
More:Four more: Analyzing games 17-20 for Xavier men's basketball
There were plenty of games where Freemantle wasn't just a non-factor but at times, a liability.
That wasn't the case on Wednesday. Freemantle defended, demanded the ball in the low post, and when he got the ball, he made Butler pay.
Freemantle was 9-of-10 from the floor on two-point field goals and 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. His game-high 23 points were the most he's scored in a Big East game this season.
He looked like the player he was last season, and much better defensively.
"Honestly, I don't feel different," Freemantle said. "I can tell I've been playing at a high level but I don't really feel any different. I guess I'm getting more acclimated into the system and stuff."
Freemantle's averaging 17.0 points over Xavier's last three games, which is right around his scoring average last season. It's unlikely he'll stay around that number because Xavier's not nearly as reliant on him as it was last season, but it's good to see him produce against Big East competition.
Not shooting well, not a problem
Going 3-for-17 from beyond the arc is usually a recipe for trouble. It wasn't on Wednesday. Yes, if Xavier gets a few more deep balls to fall it likely would have taken some pressure off the end of the game, but even with the perimeter attack absent, Xavier was able to get good shots and finish inside the arc.
That's important for this team. There have been a number of games where Xavier couldn't really rely on its 3-point shooting. When the 3-point shot wasn't working against Butler, Xavier seemed content to work the ball inside and attack the paint, which is how they want to play anyway.
More:Xavier University modifies COVID-19 policy at home games: Proof of vaccination no longer required
The Musketeers shot 59% (23-of-39) from inside the arc against Butler.
Ultimately, Xavier wants and needs balance offensively. Hitting shots on the outside extends the defense of its opponents and that opens up more opportunities inside. Ideally, when the offense is working at its most efficient, Xavier's making 3-pointers and using that space to attack off the dribble or feeding the ball into the low post.
'We're still gonna be the harder playing team'
Adam Kunkel had a quiet game offensively against Butler, but he embodied many of the reasons why Xavier won. His effort was notable. Whether on the glass – he had a career-high seven rebounds to go with seven points – or diving into the stands to save a steal that he created.
Kunkel didn't shoot it well (0-for-3 from beyond the arc) but he had a monster game from an effort standpoint.
"We just gotta keep playing hard, we keep preaching if we're the harder playing team then we'll live with the result," said Kunkel. "If we're not hitting shots, we're still gonna be the harder playing team. We're still gonna be the ones diving on the floor."
Even though Xavier's been stuck in a cycle of inconsistency since conference play started, the Musketeers have found ways to win games. The ceiling of this team is entirely dependent upon whether they can put complete games together down the stretch.
Source link
