The Musketeers squandered their last real regular-season opportunity to improve their NCAA Tournament profile, losing 70-59 at Saint Louis on Tuesday.
Now, Xavier (18-11, 9-6 Atlantic 10) will work to end the regular season on a positive note in its home finale against Charlotte, a club it has already beaten once this season. For three Xavier seniors -- point guard Tu Holloway, center Kenny Frease and forward Andre Walker -- it could be their last-ever game at the Cintas Center, depending upon whether the Musketeers host an Atlantic 10 tourney game or any other postseason-tourney contest.
The 49ers (13-14, 5-9) outrebounded Xavier in the first meeting, a 74-70 Musketeers victory. Moreover, Charlotte senior swingman Javarris Barnett drilled seven of eight 3-pointers against the Musketeers in a 27-point effort.
Xavier must close out on Barnett behind the arc, and it could also use a strong defensive effort against versatile 49ers junior forward Chris Braswell (15.1 points, 7.4 rebounds per game) to notch the season sweep of Charlotte.
For one half Tuesday night, Xavier looked like a solid NCAA Tournament team, taking a 39-29 lead against the Billikens after 20 minutes. However, the Musketeers fell apart thereafter. Xavier could neither score enough nor get the stops necessary to slow Saint Louis (23-6, 11-4). The win gave the Billikens, who are also competing for an NCAA Tournament bid, an all-important season sweep of Xavier.
The season hasn't gone anything close to plan for Xavier. The Musketeers' hopes of making the NCAA tourney for the seventh consecutive season are alive but flickering. How they fare in the Atlantic 10 tournament next week figures to be decisive.
STAR WATCH: Can senior point guard Tu Holloway get on track as the calendar turns to March? Holloway has not played well in Xavier's last two losses, and he was just 1-for-6 from the floor in 36 minutes during Tuesday's loss at Saint Louis. Make no mistake -- Holloway can positively affect the game if he is not scoring much, but the Musketeers' best chance at making the NCAA Tournament will be if Holloway is filling up the assist and point categories on the score sheet. Against Saint Louis, Holloway took the fewest shots of the Musketeers' starters.
NOTES, QUOTES
Frease looks to recapture his form from last season
--Kenny Frease's much-maligned career at Xavier is nearing its end. The 7-foot senior center would prefer it conclude in the NCAA Tournament and not sooner.
On Feb. 25, Frease played to his enormous potential in a 65-57 victory over Richmond that helped keep the Musketeers on the precarious NCAA Tournament bubble. Frease had a season-high 19 points and 14 rebounds, seven of which were offensive boards.
"This was probably the best game of his senior year," Xavier coach Chris Mack said. "He did a great job of demanding the basketball. I thought our guards were looking for Kenny, and that was great to see. It was great to see him man the middle and be the guy we need."
It's a gross understatement to say that Frease's senior year has been a disappointment. Like many players at this level, Frease appeared to figure it out as a junior. He entered last season in the best shape of his career, got his off-court activities in order, then went on to average 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds while earning All-Atlantic 10 Conference honorable mention. That came after he averaged around five points and four rebounds his first two seasons.
But Frease inexplicably regressed this year. He was suspended on the first day of preseason practice for, as Mack put it, "Not handling his daily responsibilities on and off the playing floor." Frease was reinstated nine days later.
The reaction of the 10,250 fans at Cintas Center on Feb. 25 when Frease exited the game was in stark contrast to the gasps and boos directed toward him for much of this season. Mack offered a fist pump from the bench, and Frease's teammates praised his effort following the game.
Frease was averaging nine points and six rebounds but also had 56 turnovers through Feb. 26, an astounding number for a big man. There are times when the speed of the game eludes him, and he's been accused of playing much smaller than his 7-foot, 275-pound frame. However, more performances similar to the one against Richmond could be what Xavier needs to ensure itself of a seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
"I want to go out with my team on top," Frease said. "There's a lot more we can do this season. I have to keep being aggressive as I was today. I have to figure out, whatever it is, that makes me play like this."
--Junior F Jeff Robinson has plenty to keep him occupied this season: classes, helping lead the Musketeers back to the NCAA Tournament, plus fatherhood and a recent engagement. Robinson, who averages 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game this season, celebrated the birth of his son, Levin, in September, according to a Cincinnati Enquirer report. He and his girlfriend got engaged last month.
--Xavier had a 41-22 rebounding advantage in the Feb. 25 win over Richmond, the second-highest total of the season for the Musketeers. Xavier had 20 offensive rebounds against the Spiders.
--Senior G Tu Holloway has moved into 11th place on Xavier's all-time career scoring list. He entered the final week of the regular season with 1,668 points, just 22 behind Nick Daniels (1975-79) for 10th place all-time.
BY THE NUMBERS: .399 -- Although it hasn't seemed like it at times this season, Xavier ranked second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in field-goal percentage defense at .399 through Feb. 26. The Musketeers ranked third in 3-point defense at .311.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It felt good watching Kenny do what I know he can do every night. I was proud of him." -- Xavier F Andre Walker, on C Kenny Frease's season-best performance Feb. 25.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
THIS WEEK'S GAMES:
--vs. Charlotte, March 3
KEY MATCHUPS: Xavier edged Charlotte 74-70 on Jan. 28. The game wouldn't have been that close had the 49ers' Javarris Barnett not had the game of his life, scoring 27 points and going 7-for-8 from 3-point range. The Musketeers cannot allow a similar performance from Barnett in the regular-season finale at Cintas Center.
FUTURES MARKET: Dezmine Well's alley-oop dunk on Nov. 11 against Morgan State has been nominated for Dunk of the Year, an award sponsored by sports and entertainment marketing firm Intersport. While the freshman forward has gained notoriety for his high-flying dunks, Wells is quickly evolving into a complete player, providing Xavier a glimpse into its future. Wells, who averages 10.1 points, equaled his season-high with 19 points when he shot 4-for-5 from 3-point range in a Feb. 21 loss at UMass.
PLAYER NOTES
--Junior G Mark Lyons played all 40 minutes Tuesday and led the Musketeers with 19 points in his best game since the overtime victory vs. Dayton on Feb. 18. Lyons drilled three of five 3-point attempts, a positive sign, as he's recently had his struggles behind the arc.
--Senior C Kenny Frease was effective in limited minutes at Saint Louis, scoring 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 18 minutes. He's reached double figures in three consecutive games.
--The Musketeers' bench scored just seven points against Saint Louis, with junior F Jeff Robinson the only reserve to play double-digit minutes.
