By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Basketball Writer
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The criticism dogged Gonzaga wherever it went, no matter how much it won.
The Zags run up their record by beating up on teams in a weak conference, then always seemed to come up short as the calendar went deep into March. Few outside of Spokane believed the program Mark Few helped build from scratch belonged in the national powerhouse conversation.
Overrated no more, Gonzaga is finally headed to the Final Four.
The Zags took the pressure of history head on with a performance worthy of their No. 1 seed, rolling to a dominating 83-59 win over Xavier in the West Region final on Saturday that should silence those critics.
"Just an incredible feeling of elation and satisfaction," Few said. "It's been a long, hard journey to get this program here."
Few and the Zags have won the West Coast Conference Tournament 16 times, been regulars in the NCAA Tournament since 1999, reached the Sweet 16 eight times.
The Final Four was the only missing piece to their resume.
The Zags (36-1) claimed their spot in Arizona and history with a superb all-around game, showing off their usual offensive efficiency while flexing the smothering type of defense that had previously been the chink in their armor.
Gonzaga made 12 of 24 shots from 3-point range after struggling the first three NCAA Tournament games. The Zags were No. 1 in defensive efficiency during the regular season and shut down the underdog and 11th-seeded Musketeers (24-14) to become the first WCC team to reach the Final Four in 60 years.
Nigel Williams-Goss scored 23 points while orchestrating Gonzaga's efficient offense after struggling against West Virginia. Johnathan Williams added 19 points and center Przemek Karnowski, who was still recovering from back surgery a year ago, created open perimeter looks with his deft passing out of the post.
Now the Zags are headed to the desert, where they'll play the winner between South Carolina and Florida in next week's Final Four.
"The Final Four doesn't validate or discredit a season. It's not an end-all, be-all," Williams said. "Gonzaga has been a great program and we're just happy to keep carrying the torch."
The Musketeers brought their turn-the-page jar of ashes to the NCAA Tournament, where they burned through a string of upsets to reach their third Elite Eight and first since 2008.
Their bid for the program's first Final Four ran into a buzz saw.
Xavier played well offensively early to hang with the Zags, giving super fan Bill Murray and the rest of their supporters a glimmer of hope. Once Gonzaga got rolling, the Musketeers had no answer.
"They're really good. Sometimes you just lose to a better team," Xavier coach Chris Mack said. "They've proven it all year long."
The Zags struggled to find an offensive rhythm against West Virginia in the regional semifinals- who doesn't? - but had it flowing against Xavier.
After hitting 29 percent of its 3-point shots its first three NCAA games, Gonzaga found the range against Xavier, hitting 8 of 13 from the arc in the first half, mostly against the Musketeers' zone or on kick-outs from Karnowski .
Xavier had a good offensive start, only to hit a dry spell as Gonzaga stretched to lead to 49-39 by halftime.
Halftime did little to slow the Zags, who pushed the lead to 59-42 on 3-pointers by Williams-Goss and Jordan Mathews. Gonzaga kept the machine rolling in the second half, continuing to make shots while its defense prevented the Musketeers from making any kind of run.
"They were just locked in," said Xavier's Trevon Bluiett, who had 10 points. "They were a discipline type of team and we just didn't execute well enough."
BIG PICTURE
Xavier should have a good foundation next season from its Elite Eight, losing only senior guard Malcolm Bernard from its starting lineup.
Gonzaga played like a No. 1 seed and can erase all those overrated calls now that it is finally in the Final Four.
WEST IS WON
Gonzaga is the first WCC team since San Francisco in 1957 to reach the Final Four and first from the West since UCLA did it three straight years from 2006-08.
WILD SEQUENCE
The first half ended with a strange sequence that started with Gonzaga accidentally knocking the ball into its own basket while fighting for a rebound. RaShid Gaston was credited with the basket after the ball bounced off the floor and the backboard into the basket.
Williams-Goss then hit a floater in the lane and J.P. Macura followed with an 80-foot shot that banked in, but was ruled too late after an officials' review.
UP NEXT
Gonzaga faces the winner between South Carolina and Florida in the Final Four next Saturday.
Showing posts with label Xavier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Xavier. Show all posts
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Gonzaga, Xavier both aim for first Final Four
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SAN JOSE, Calif. -- One team will make history in the NCAA Tournament's West Regional final Saturday.
Either top-seed Gonzaga or 11th-seeded Xavier will make its first Final Four.
A one-time Cinderella, Gonzaga (35-1) ranked among the top tier of title contenders all season, as the Bulldogs were No. 1 in the AP poll for nearly two months while winning their first 29 games. They are big, quick, deep and talented.
Arguably a 2017 Cinderella, Xavier (24-13) went through a six-game losing streak after star point guard Edmond Sumner sustained a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 29, with only two of the losses to ranked teams. The Musketeers, however, regained their stride.
Xavier, the lowest seed remaining in the NCAA field, advanced through the West by handling No. 6 seed Maryland, No. 3 seed Florida State and No. 2 seed Arizona.
"Losing Ed was tough because he was a key part to our team," said guard Trevon Bluiett, who scored 25 points and had an assist on the winning basket when Xavier beat Arizona 73-71 Thursday.
"You know, I feel like the 'click' was always there. We just had to learn how to play a full 40 minutes."
Musketeers forward J.P. Macura had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists against the Wildcats.
"We're all tough guys," Macura said. "We stuck together, and we're not really backing down from anybody. If you have that mentality, you can beat an awful lot of teams."
Gonzaga, whose only loss came to BYU on Feb. 25, got a go-ahead 3-pointer from Jordan Mathews in the final minute to beat West Virginia 61-58 in the West's other Sweet 16 match.
The Bulldogs' 7-foot, 300-pound center, Przemek Karnowski, will be the biggest man on the floor Saturday and will be the toughest matchup for smaller Xavier. Both he and athletic 6-9 forward Johnathan Williams had 13 points against West Virginia.
Point guard Nigel Williams-Goss leads Gonzaga with a 16.7 scoring average, one of four players in double figures. He was held to 10 points on 2-of-10 shooting and committed five turnovers against West Virginia.
"Karnowski is a problem inside," said Arizona coach Sean Miller, whose team lost to Gonzaga 69-62 on Dec. 3. "He can do it rebounding. He can do it in the post. He can do it by passing. And Gonzaga is very underrated defensively."
The Bulldogs held the Mountaineers to 26.7 percent shooting (16 of 60).
Gonzaga, long removed from being a college-basketball upstart, is playing in its 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have made only two other appearances in the Elite Eight, losing to eventual champion Connecticut in 1999 and falling to eventual champion Duke in 2015.
"All year we've been banking on our defense, our defense, our defense," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "We're 40 minutes away from a Final Four, which was something we set our sights on at the start of the year."
Xavier has made two previous Elite Eight appearances, the last coming in 2008, when Miller was the head coach and Chris Mack was one of his assistants. The Musketeers lost to a UCLA team led by Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook.
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- One team will make history in the NCAA Tournament's West Regional final Saturday.
Either top-seed Gonzaga or 11th-seeded Xavier will make its first Final Four.
A one-time Cinderella, Gonzaga (35-1) ranked among the top tier of title contenders all season, as the Bulldogs were No. 1 in the AP poll for nearly two months while winning their first 29 games. They are big, quick, deep and talented.
Arguably a 2017 Cinderella, Xavier (24-13) went through a six-game losing streak after star point guard Edmond Sumner sustained a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 29, with only two of the losses to ranked teams. The Musketeers, however, regained their stride.
Xavier, the lowest seed remaining in the NCAA field, advanced through the West by handling No. 6 seed Maryland, No. 3 seed Florida State and No. 2 seed Arizona.
"Losing Ed was tough because he was a key part to our team," said guard Trevon Bluiett, who scored 25 points and had an assist on the winning basket when Xavier beat Arizona 73-71 Thursday.
"You know, I feel like the 'click' was always there. We just had to learn how to play a full 40 minutes."
Musketeers forward J.P. Macura had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists against the Wildcats.
"We're all tough guys," Macura said. "We stuck together, and we're not really backing down from anybody. If you have that mentality, you can beat an awful lot of teams."
Gonzaga, whose only loss came to BYU on Feb. 25, got a go-ahead 3-pointer from Jordan Mathews in the final minute to beat West Virginia 61-58 in the West's other Sweet 16 match.
The Bulldogs' 7-foot, 300-pound center, Przemek Karnowski, will be the biggest man on the floor Saturday and will be the toughest matchup for smaller Xavier. Both he and athletic 6-9 forward Johnathan Williams had 13 points against West Virginia.
Point guard Nigel Williams-Goss leads Gonzaga with a 16.7 scoring average, one of four players in double figures. He was held to 10 points on 2-of-10 shooting and committed five turnovers against West Virginia.
"Karnowski is a problem inside," said Arizona coach Sean Miller, whose team lost to Gonzaga 69-62 on Dec. 3. "He can do it rebounding. He can do it in the post. He can do it by passing. And Gonzaga is very underrated defensively."
The Bulldogs held the Mountaineers to 26.7 percent shooting (16 of 60).
Gonzaga, long removed from being a college-basketball upstart, is playing in its 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have made only two other appearances in the Elite Eight, losing to eventual champion Connecticut in 1999 and falling to eventual champion Duke in 2015.
"All year we've been banking on our defense, our defense, our defense," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "We're 40 minutes away from a Final Four, which was something we set our sights on at the start of the year."
Xavier has made two previous Elite Eight appearances, the last coming in 2008, when Miller was the head coach and Chris Mack was one of his assistants. The Musketeers lost to a UCLA team led by Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Xavier knocks off Arizona 73-71 in West Region
By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Basketball Writer
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Not long after losing to Arizona's Sean Miller at the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Xavier coach Chris Mack jokingly said his friend should let him win the next one.
This was no gift between former colleagues.
The Musketeers earned this one and now they're headed to the Elite Eight for the first time in a decade.
Trevon Bluiett kept Xavier close with a big first half and the Musketeers made the clutch plays down the stretch against the West Region's No. 2 seed, upsetting Arizona 73-71 on Thursday night.
"I personally have so much respect for Sean and his staff," Mack said. "I know it's heartbreaking for them because they had a special year, a special season and I know it's tough. But today is a Xavier day."
Xavier (30-13) fought through a string of injuries and a late losing streak to reach the NCAA Tournament, then opened with a pair of upsets. The Musketeers passed their biggest test to date with confident performance against one of college basketball's storied programs.
Bluiett scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half to help Xavier keep up with the athletic Wildcats. The Musketeers tracked Arizona after it tried to pull away in the second half, getting a late basket inside by Sean O'Mara while shutting down one of the nation's best offensive teams down the stretch.
Next up is their first Elite Eight since 2008 and third overall, a showdown with No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Saturday.
"We're all tough guys. We stuck together," said Xavier's J.P Macura, who had 14 points. "We're not really backing down from anyone."
Arizona (32-5) appeared to be in control after Allonzo Trier scored 15 straight points to push the Wildcats' lead to six. Arizona stalled out on offense, though, failing to score over the final 2:52 as Xavier closed with a 9-0 run.
Trier had a final shot, but missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left and the Wildcats were unable to track down Malcolm Bernard as he dribbled out the clock .
Trier scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and Dusan Ristic had 17 for Arizona.
"We weren't able to get good looks down the stretch and that's on me," Miller said.
Xavier made an improbable run to its fourth Sweet 16 in eight years under Mack, overcoming a late six-game losing streak and the loss of point guard Edmond Sumner to a torn left ACL.
The Musketeers were the lone double-digit seed left in the bracket after knocking off Maryland and Florida State in the first two rounds, setting up their second Sweet 16 game against Arizona in three years.
Arizona won the previous meeting to reach the Elite Eight, putting Miller one up on Mack.
Arizona led 37-35 at halftime of the rematch despite Bluiett's hot start, after turning 11 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points.
Xavier made 6 of its 8 first shots to take the second-half lead and Arizona answered with a run of its own, building a 67-61 lead behind Trier's outburst.
With super fan Bill Murray cheering them on - his son is an assistant coach - the Musketeers battled their way back with a 7-0 run, tying the game at 71-all with just under 2 minutes left, setting up the tense finish that left Arizona short.
"We didn't do a good enough job of defending them for the last four minutes of the game," Trier said. "Tough way to go out, especially knowing we had a lot of momentum. Just not an easy end to swallow.
BIG PICTURE
Xavier was one of the hottest teams in the country despite its injuries and has a chance to reach the Final Four for the first time.
Arizona struggled down the stretch in a close game, leaving Miller short in his latest bid to reach the Final Four.
OFF THE MARKKANEN
Lauri Markkanen was Arizona's leading scorer through the first two games of the tournament, but did not have much of an impact against Xavier. He finished with 9 points on 3-of-9 shooting, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range. He did grab eight rebounds, including five on the offensive glass.
The Finnish forward is expected to leave for the NBA, but said after the game that he has yet to make a decision.
MURRAY IN THE HOUSE
Murray's son, Luke, is an assistant coach under Mack and has become a huge Xavier fan, attending games whenever he gets the chance. Sitting across from Xavier's bench, he was a vocal supporter for the Musketeers and was a big part of the celebration after Xavier clinched it.
UP NEXT
Xavier will face No. 1 seed Gonzaga Saturday in the Elite Eight.
AP Basketball Writer
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Not long after losing to Arizona's Sean Miller at the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Xavier coach Chris Mack jokingly said his friend should let him win the next one.
This was no gift between former colleagues.
The Musketeers earned this one and now they're headed to the Elite Eight for the first time in a decade.
Trevon Bluiett kept Xavier close with a big first half and the Musketeers made the clutch plays down the stretch against the West Region's No. 2 seed, upsetting Arizona 73-71 on Thursday night.
"I personally have so much respect for Sean and his staff," Mack said. "I know it's heartbreaking for them because they had a special year, a special season and I know it's tough. But today is a Xavier day."
Xavier (30-13) fought through a string of injuries and a late losing streak to reach the NCAA Tournament, then opened with a pair of upsets. The Musketeers passed their biggest test to date with confident performance against one of college basketball's storied programs.
Bluiett scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half to help Xavier keep up with the athletic Wildcats. The Musketeers tracked Arizona after it tried to pull away in the second half, getting a late basket inside by Sean O'Mara while shutting down one of the nation's best offensive teams down the stretch.
Next up is their first Elite Eight since 2008 and third overall, a showdown with No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Saturday.
"We're all tough guys. We stuck together," said Xavier's J.P Macura, who had 14 points. "We're not really backing down from anyone."
Arizona (32-5) appeared to be in control after Allonzo Trier scored 15 straight points to push the Wildcats' lead to six. Arizona stalled out on offense, though, failing to score over the final 2:52 as Xavier closed with a 9-0 run.
Trier had a final shot, but missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left and the Wildcats were unable to track down Malcolm Bernard as he dribbled out the clock .
Trier scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and Dusan Ristic had 17 for Arizona.
"We weren't able to get good looks down the stretch and that's on me," Miller said.
Xavier made an improbable run to its fourth Sweet 16 in eight years under Mack, overcoming a late six-game losing streak and the loss of point guard Edmond Sumner to a torn left ACL.
The Musketeers were the lone double-digit seed left in the bracket after knocking off Maryland and Florida State in the first two rounds, setting up their second Sweet 16 game against Arizona in three years.
Arizona won the previous meeting to reach the Elite Eight, putting Miller one up on Mack.
Arizona led 37-35 at halftime of the rematch despite Bluiett's hot start, after turning 11 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points.
Xavier made 6 of its 8 first shots to take the second-half lead and Arizona answered with a run of its own, building a 67-61 lead behind Trier's outburst.
With super fan Bill Murray cheering them on - his son is an assistant coach - the Musketeers battled their way back with a 7-0 run, tying the game at 71-all with just under 2 minutes left, setting up the tense finish that left Arizona short.
"We didn't do a good enough job of defending them for the last four minutes of the game," Trier said. "Tough way to go out, especially knowing we had a lot of momentum. Just not an easy end to swallow.
BIG PICTURE
Xavier was one of the hottest teams in the country despite its injuries and has a chance to reach the Final Four for the first time.
Arizona struggled down the stretch in a close game, leaving Miller short in his latest bid to reach the Final Four.
OFF THE MARKKANEN
Lauri Markkanen was Arizona's leading scorer through the first two games of the tournament, but did not have much of an impact against Xavier. He finished with 9 points on 3-of-9 shooting, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range. He did grab eight rebounds, including five on the offensive glass.
The Finnish forward is expected to leave for the NBA, but said after the game that he has yet to make a decision.
MURRAY IN THE HOUSE
Murray's son, Luke, is an assistant coach under Mack and has become a huge Xavier fan, attending games whenever he gets the chance. Sitting across from Xavier's bench, he was a vocal supporter for the Musketeers and was a big part of the celebration after Xavier clinched it.
UP NEXT
Xavier will face No. 1 seed Gonzaga Saturday in the Elite Eight.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Arizona, Miller meet Xavier again in NCAA Tournament
Stats, LLC
Arizona coach Sean Miller is taking on his former employer in the Sweet 16, which might be a big storyline … if it hadn’t already happened two years ago.
The Wildcats, seeded second in the West, have a Thursday date against No. 11 Xavier, the only double-digit seed left in the NCAA Tournament. The game is scheduled to tip off at about 10:09 p.m. ET after the Gonzaga-West Virginia game in San Jose, Calif.
Arizona and Xavier met in the 2015 Sweet 16, with the Wildcats winning 68-60 in a hard-fought game in Los Angeles.
There is not much to take from that, as only two current Arizona players — point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright and center Dusan Ristic — appeared in that game for a total of nine minutes. Musketeers star guard Trevon Bluiett, then a freshman, scored two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
This time around, the Wildcats (32-4) have superior size and two big-time scorers in sophomore guard Allonzo Trier and freshman 7-foot forward Lauri Markkanen.
Xavier (22-13) has Bluiett, who is averaging 17.7 points per game, and a resiliency that led to opening-weekend upsets of No. 6 Maryland and No. 3 Florida State.
Many counted out the Musketeers after guard Edmond Sumner sustained a season-ending knee injury in late January. That came on the heels of guard Myles Davis leaving the team after a brief return from a 15-game, season-opening suspension.
Sumner averaged 15.0 points this season. Davis, who appeared in three games in January, averaged 10.8 points and 4.1 assists per game last season.
“I told them out in the real world, life is going to hand you lemons, and you can pout about it and figure out how to make lemonade,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said of his message to his players.
“Our guys, despite all the adversity they’ve been hit with and the social media that tells them how bad they are and how poor they are, they stayed with it, and they believed in themselves and our coaching staff. It’s a credit to them, and I’m just really proud of them.”
Miller, who was the head coach at Xavier for five seasons before joining Arizona in 2009, often cites his team’s own resiliency as a key to this season’s success.
The Wildcats lost redshirt freshman forward Ray Smith in the preseason to a career-ending third torn ACL, was without Trier for 19 games (suspension), missed Jackson-Cartwright for a month (ankle) and had other assorted injuries.
The team’s only senior — guard Kadeem Allen — has been the leader. And as Arizona’s top defender, Allen likely will be tasked with stopping Bluiett.
“He’s as hard a playing guy as I’ve seen,” Miller said. “And he won’t let his team lose to some degree.”
Xavier effectively played some zone against Florida State, which has been most opponents’ strategy against Arizona.
Arizona does have answers. Trier is averaging 17.1 points, scoring 14 in the second half of a second-round win over Saint Mary’s. Markkanen, averaging 15.8 points, has 36 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field in two tournament games.
Markkanen is shooting 43.3 percent from 3-point range (68 of 157) but has taken his game more to the paint offensively and defensively late in the season.
“I don’t know if there’s a freshman that’s playing in the NCAA Tournament that’s had a bigger impact on his team than Lauri has had on our team,” Miller said. “And as good of a basketball player is, he’s an even better kid.”
Sunday, March 19, 2017
No. 11 Xavier upsets No. 3 FSU, 91-66, in second round
By TERRANCE HARRIS
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Xavier Musketeers didn't have the regular season they hoped to have. They are making up for it now.
The 11th-seeded Musketeers dominated third-seeded Florida State 91-66 during Saturday's second round of the NCAA Tournament. Their second upset in the West Region put them back into the regional semifinal round for the second time in two years and eighth time in program history.
"I'm so excited for the guys next to me and the guys in the locker room. They earned it," Xavier coach Chris Mack said from the post-game podium. "Our team's gone through a lot of adversity this year, and we stayed the course."
But the Musketeers (23-13) found little adversity Saturday as they dominated the bigger and more athletic Seminoles throughout the game. Trevon Bluiett led Xavier with 29 points while Kaiser Gates came off the bench to add 14.
Xavier, which knocked off No. 6 Maryland in the first round, hit big shots on perimeter and then forced FSU to try to shoot long range by sitting in a 2-3 zone much of the game. Led by Gates' four 3-pointers, the Musketeers converted 11 of 17 from beyond the arc, nearly 65 percent shooting.
The Seminoles, meanwhile, hit just 4 of 21 3-point attempts as they struggled to make up ground.
"We've been a very inconsistent 3-point shooting team this year, and obviously they knew that, and they packed it in," said FSU coach Leonard Hamilton, whose team finished second in the ACC this season. "We determined that if we were going to win the game we were going to have to hit from the perimeter, and they did a good job of denying."
Xavier knew the Seminoles like to slash to the basket and get out on fast breaks in transition. The Musketeers made it difficult for FSU to get into its comfort zone by playing zone and also by limiting their turnovers to just nine to force the Seminoles to have to play half-court offense.
Dwayne Bacon led FSU with 20 points but he was 0 for 5 from 3-point range. Xavier Rathan-Mayes was the only Seminoles starter to convert a 3-pointer.
The Musketeers, meanwhile, got production on the perimeter from several different areas with Bluiett also knocking down three 3s. But Xavier also dominated inside, outscoring the Florida State 27-17 in the paint with Sean O'Mara coming off the bench to contribute 11 points.
Xavier's bench outscored the Seminoles' 27-17.
"That's the great thing about his team is we've got a lot of guys who can play," said J.P. Macura, who had 10 points and five assists. "If somebody is not stepping up, another person is."
DOMINANT FIRST HALF
After leading by as many as 15 points in the first half, Xavier went into halftime with a 44-34 lead over the Seminoles.
The Musketeers knocked down five 3-pointers during the first half compared to just one by FSU, but the biggest difference was their success inside against a much taller opponent.
SLOW START
The Seminoles didn't get the production they expected from their bigs during the first half. Michael Ojo didn't take a shot and had two rebounds and no blocks for the game and Christ Koumadje had no points and no blocks for the game.
UP NEXT
Xavier will take on the winner of Saint Mary's-Arizona game in the regional semifinals in the West.
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Xavier Musketeers didn't have the regular season they hoped to have. They are making up for it now.
The 11th-seeded Musketeers dominated third-seeded Florida State 91-66 during Saturday's second round of the NCAA Tournament. Their second upset in the West Region put them back into the regional semifinal round for the second time in two years and eighth time in program history.
"I'm so excited for the guys next to me and the guys in the locker room. They earned it," Xavier coach Chris Mack said from the post-game podium. "Our team's gone through a lot of adversity this year, and we stayed the course."
But the Musketeers (23-13) found little adversity Saturday as they dominated the bigger and more athletic Seminoles throughout the game. Trevon Bluiett led Xavier with 29 points while Kaiser Gates came off the bench to add 14.
Xavier, which knocked off No. 6 Maryland in the first round, hit big shots on perimeter and then forced FSU to try to shoot long range by sitting in a 2-3 zone much of the game. Led by Gates' four 3-pointers, the Musketeers converted 11 of 17 from beyond the arc, nearly 65 percent shooting.
The Seminoles, meanwhile, hit just 4 of 21 3-point attempts as they struggled to make up ground.
"We've been a very inconsistent 3-point shooting team this year, and obviously they knew that, and they packed it in," said FSU coach Leonard Hamilton, whose team finished second in the ACC this season. "We determined that if we were going to win the game we were going to have to hit from the perimeter, and they did a good job of denying."
Xavier knew the Seminoles like to slash to the basket and get out on fast breaks in transition. The Musketeers made it difficult for FSU to get into its comfort zone by playing zone and also by limiting their turnovers to just nine to force the Seminoles to have to play half-court offense.
Dwayne Bacon led FSU with 20 points but he was 0 for 5 from 3-point range. Xavier Rathan-Mayes was the only Seminoles starter to convert a 3-pointer.
The Musketeers, meanwhile, got production on the perimeter from several different areas with Bluiett also knocking down three 3s. But Xavier also dominated inside, outscoring the Florida State 27-17 in the paint with Sean O'Mara coming off the bench to contribute 11 points.
Xavier's bench outscored the Seminoles' 27-17.
"That's the great thing about his team is we've got a lot of guys who can play," said J.P. Macura, who had 10 points and five assists. "If somebody is not stepping up, another person is."
DOMINANT FIRST HALF
After leading by as many as 15 points in the first half, Xavier went into halftime with a 44-34 lead over the Seminoles.
The Musketeers knocked down five 3-pointers during the first half compared to just one by FSU, but the biggest difference was their success inside against a much taller opponent.
SLOW START
The Seminoles didn't get the production they expected from their bigs during the first half. Michael Ojo didn't take a shot and had two rebounds and no blocks for the game and Christ Koumadje had no points and no blocks for the game.
UP NEXT
Xavier will take on the winner of Saint Mary's-Arizona game in the regional semifinals in the West.
Friday, March 17, 2017
11-seed Xavier upends 6-seed Maryland 76-65 in NCAA tourney
By TERRANCE HARRIS
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Trevon Bluiett doesn't spend a lot of time worrying about missed shots because he knows the makes will eventually come.
After missing his first seven shots and contributing just 3 points in the first half, Bluiett found his rhythm Thursday night to lead No.11 seed Xavier to a 76-65 upset of sixth-seeded Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bluiett shot 6 of 7 during the final 20 minutes to finish with 21 points.
"Once I get a couple to go in and get a rhythm going then everything starts to fall," said Bluiett, the Musketeers' leading scorer. "Everything you shoot just feels good."
Bluiett made four 3s in the second half to help Xavier come back from a 6-point deficit.
The Musketeers move on in the West region , marking the third straight year they have advanced to the second round. They will play third-seeded Florida State, which beat FGCU 86-80, in the second round on Saturday.
Maryland, which started three freshmen for much the season, lost in the first round for the first time since 1997.
Maryland came in favored after finishing second in the Big Ten during the regular season but the Terps seemed to be one of the more vulnerable No. 6 seeds in the tournament, primarily because of their youth. Maryland's young players struggled at times as Xavier shifted from zone to man-to-man. Kevin Huerter finished with 19 points but was just five of 13 from the field and star junior Melo Trimble couldn't find a rhythm against the Musketeers zone, going 1 for 9 from 3-point range to finish with 13 points, three assists and three turnovers.
"I just believe in my players," said Xavier coach Chris Mack. "Maryland is really good against man-to-man offensively. We don't want Quentin Goodin to be chasing Melo Trimble all over the floor so zone is fairly effective at times."
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said his players had difficulty trying to beat Xavier's defense. The Terps went long stretches without making baskets and shot just 26 percent from 3-point range, worse in the second half as Xavier played mostly zone.
"The changing defenses gave us more problems than anything tonight," Turgeon said. "I think they got hot and we kind of got rushed a little bit."
The Terps also had no answer for Xavier big man Sean O'Mara, who had a career night off the bench, forcing his way in the paint. O'Mara, who finished with 18 points on 5 of 6 shooting from the field and 8 of 9 from the free throw line, dominated as Bluiett struggled and kept the pressure on the Terps' two big men.
"My teammates got me the ball in great positions and pretty much all I had to do was throw up five foot hook shots and make a couple of back-to-the-basket moves to score," O'Mara said.
The Musketeers also got a huge contribution from Kaiser Gates off bench with 11 points. Xavier's bench outscored the Terps 30-13 and outrebounded them 11-4 in a game that was fairly close throughout.
"When you get production like that with those two it just makes us that much tougher to defend," Mack said.
TRIPLE DEFENSE
Xavier flipped between man-to-man and zone throughout most of the game, but Turgeon believes they played more variations than that.
"They were playing 3 different defenses and everybody has to recognize it. We didn't and that really hurt us."
GODD LUCK ORLANDO
Xavier has won seven straight games in Orlando, which also include two neutral site tournament wins in the Advocare Invitational and Tire Pros Invitational.
BILL MURRAY SIGHTING
Actor Bill Murray was in attendance in support of Xavier. Murray's son, Luke Murray, is a second-year assistant coach for the Musketeers.
UP NEXT
Xavier will play Florida State on Saturday at Amway Center.
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Trevon Bluiett doesn't spend a lot of time worrying about missed shots because he knows the makes will eventually come.
After missing his first seven shots and contributing just 3 points in the first half, Bluiett found his rhythm Thursday night to lead No.11 seed Xavier to a 76-65 upset of sixth-seeded Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bluiett shot 6 of 7 during the final 20 minutes to finish with 21 points.
"Once I get a couple to go in and get a rhythm going then everything starts to fall," said Bluiett, the Musketeers' leading scorer. "Everything you shoot just feels good."
Bluiett made four 3s in the second half to help Xavier come back from a 6-point deficit.
The Musketeers move on in the West region , marking the third straight year they have advanced to the second round. They will play third-seeded Florida State, which beat FGCU 86-80, in the second round on Saturday.
Maryland, which started three freshmen for much the season, lost in the first round for the first time since 1997.
Maryland came in favored after finishing second in the Big Ten during the regular season but the Terps seemed to be one of the more vulnerable No. 6 seeds in the tournament, primarily because of their youth. Maryland's young players struggled at times as Xavier shifted from zone to man-to-man. Kevin Huerter finished with 19 points but was just five of 13 from the field and star junior Melo Trimble couldn't find a rhythm against the Musketeers zone, going 1 for 9 from 3-point range to finish with 13 points, three assists and three turnovers.
"I just believe in my players," said Xavier coach Chris Mack. "Maryland is really good against man-to-man offensively. We don't want Quentin Goodin to be chasing Melo Trimble all over the floor so zone is fairly effective at times."
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said his players had difficulty trying to beat Xavier's defense. The Terps went long stretches without making baskets and shot just 26 percent from 3-point range, worse in the second half as Xavier played mostly zone.
"The changing defenses gave us more problems than anything tonight," Turgeon said. "I think they got hot and we kind of got rushed a little bit."
The Terps also had no answer for Xavier big man Sean O'Mara, who had a career night off the bench, forcing his way in the paint. O'Mara, who finished with 18 points on 5 of 6 shooting from the field and 8 of 9 from the free throw line, dominated as Bluiett struggled and kept the pressure on the Terps' two big men.
"My teammates got me the ball in great positions and pretty much all I had to do was throw up five foot hook shots and make a couple of back-to-the-basket moves to score," O'Mara said.
The Musketeers also got a huge contribution from Kaiser Gates off bench with 11 points. Xavier's bench outscored the Terps 30-13 and outrebounded them 11-4 in a game that was fairly close throughout.
"When you get production like that with those two it just makes us that much tougher to defend," Mack said.
TRIPLE DEFENSE
Xavier flipped between man-to-man and zone throughout most of the game, but Turgeon believes they played more variations than that.
"They were playing 3 different defenses and everybody has to recognize it. We didn't and that really hurt us."
GODD LUCK ORLANDO
Xavier has won seven straight games in Orlando, which also include two neutral site tournament wins in the Advocare Invitational and Tire Pros Invitational.
BILL MURRAY SIGHTING
Actor Bill Murray was in attendance in support of Xavier. Murray's son, Luke Murray, is a second-year assistant coach for the Musketeers.
UP NEXT
Xavier will play Florida State on Saturday at Amway Center.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Xavier-Maryland Preview
Stats, LLC
As team after team was announced during Sunday evening’s NCAA Tournament selection show, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon could barely contain his anticipation.
A few hundred miles away, Xavier coach Chris Mack and his team were stressing through several exasperating minutes just the same because a late-season skid chipped away at their chance of earning a bid.
In a fitting showdown between two teams that are ready to hit the reset button after stumbling late in the season and sweating through the selection show, the No. 6 seed Terrapins will take on the No. 11 seed Musketeers in a West Region first-round game Thursday at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
“The West (Region) comes up and all those teams start showing up, and I got a little nervous because you’re not guaranteed anything, especially when you’re not a high seed,” Mack said.
“My heart was coming through my sweater,” Turgeon said. “We had quite the celebration in my basement when our name popped up. I didn’t even know we were playing Xavier until probably a minute because we were going crazy.”
The Terrapins (24-8) undoubtedly are aware of the Musketeers (21-13) Big East by now and will be prepared for a matchup that immediately began drawing attention as a possible upset opportunity.
The winner of Thursday’s game will face either Florida State or Florida Gulf Coast.Led by junior guard Melo Trimble, who averages 17 points per game, Maryland played like one of the elite teams in the country for more than two months of the season before going into a tailspin. The Terrapins won 20 of their first 22 games before dropping six of their last 10, including three straight at one point.
After a 72-64 loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten quarterfinals Friday, Turgeon couldn’t contain his frustration any longer and let his team feel his displeasure.
“I don’t usually get on my guys right after a game, but I was upset Friday night,” Turgeon said. “I let them know it.”
The Musketeers have also dealt with adversity since losing sophomore guard Edmond Sumner to a torn ACL while playing against St. John’s on Jan. 29.
Xavier was 18-6 after beating DePaul on Feb. 8. It then dropped six straight games to close out February and begin March and likely needed wins over DePaul and Butler in the Big East conference tournament just to sneak into the NCAA Tournament.
Without Sumner, the Musketeers have asked more of junior guards Trevon Bluiett, who leads the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game, and J.P. Macura, who adds 14.5 points per game.
Trimble, who was a player of the year candidate when his team was rolling most of the season, is the main star for Maryland. The Terrapins have also gotten steady contributions from freshmen Anthony Cowan (10.5 points per game) and Justin Jackson (10.4).
“I’m going to view this as a great thing,” Turgeon said of his team’s youth. “When they never played a home game, they were great. When they never played on the road, they were great.”
As team after team was announced during Sunday evening’s NCAA Tournament selection show, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon could barely contain his anticipation.
A few hundred miles away, Xavier coach Chris Mack and his team were stressing through several exasperating minutes just the same because a late-season skid chipped away at their chance of earning a bid.
In a fitting showdown between two teams that are ready to hit the reset button after stumbling late in the season and sweating through the selection show, the No. 6 seed Terrapins will take on the No. 11 seed Musketeers in a West Region first-round game Thursday at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
“The West (Region) comes up and all those teams start showing up, and I got a little nervous because you’re not guaranteed anything, especially when you’re not a high seed,” Mack said.
“My heart was coming through my sweater,” Turgeon said. “We had quite the celebration in my basement when our name popped up. I didn’t even know we were playing Xavier until probably a minute because we were going crazy.”
The Terrapins (24-8) undoubtedly are aware of the Musketeers (21-13) Big East by now and will be prepared for a matchup that immediately began drawing attention as a possible upset opportunity.
The winner of Thursday’s game will face either Florida State or Florida Gulf Coast.Led by junior guard Melo Trimble, who averages 17 points per game, Maryland played like one of the elite teams in the country for more than two months of the season before going into a tailspin. The Terrapins won 20 of their first 22 games before dropping six of their last 10, including three straight at one point.
After a 72-64 loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten quarterfinals Friday, Turgeon couldn’t contain his frustration any longer and let his team feel his displeasure.
“I don’t usually get on my guys right after a game, but I was upset Friday night,” Turgeon said. “I let them know it.”
The Musketeers have also dealt with adversity since losing sophomore guard Edmond Sumner to a torn ACL while playing against St. John’s on Jan. 29.
Xavier was 18-6 after beating DePaul on Feb. 8. It then dropped six straight games to close out February and begin March and likely needed wins over DePaul and Butler in the Big East conference tournament just to sneak into the NCAA Tournament.
Without Sumner, the Musketeers have asked more of junior guards Trevon Bluiett, who leads the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game, and J.P. Macura, who adds 14.5 points per game.
Trimble, who was a player of the year candidate when his team was rolling most of the season, is the main star for Maryland. The Terrapins have also gotten steady contributions from freshmen Anthony Cowan (10.5 points per game) and Justin Jackson (10.4).
“I’m going to view this as a great thing,” Turgeon said of his team’s youth. “When they never played a home game, they were great. When they never played on the road, they were great.”
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Bluiett's 17 pts in 2nd half leads Xavier past DePaul 75-64
By TOM CANAVAN
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Even when his shots were clanging off the rim in the first half, Trevon Bluiett never lost confidence, and that's a major reason Xavier still has a shot at the NCAA Tournament.
Bluiett scored all 17 of his points in the second half and Xavier posted its fourth straight 20-win season with a 75-64 victory over DePaul in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Wednesday night.
The win was the seventh-seeded Musketeers' second in five days over DePaul, and it set up a second-round game on Thursday against No. 18 Butler, the second seed.
"They want to play in the dance," Xavier coach Chris Mack said of the crucial upcoming game. "They want to continue their season. So there's a lot of pressure."
The Musketeers (20-12) seemed headed to the NCAAs a couple of weeks ago, but they went on a late six-game losing streak that put a bid in jeopardy.
Bluiett kept it alive despite missing his first eight shots.
"When that happens, still be aggressive but find better shots, easier shots," said Bluiett, who finished 5 of 17 from the field. "Maybe start inside and work my way out and kind of get lost into the game. Just take what the defense gives me."
Bluiett, who missed all seven of his first-half shots and his first of the second half, finally got going with a 3-pointer with 17:35 to play. It gave Xavier a 38-36 lead that it never lost and ignited a 17-7 run that opened a 52-43 lead with 12:58 to play.
"The coaches voted him first team all-Big East for a reason, because he has the ability to score the basketball," DePaul coach Dave Leitao said of Bluiett. "What he is is a really good shooter and today he was a really good player. He only made one 3, but it was his ability to drive, his ability to rebound and his ability to pass, he had four assists, played a bigger part in the game than the ball going in the basket."
JP Macura had 13 points and six assists and Quentin Goodin added 13 points for Xavier.
Billy Garrett Jr. had 16 points to lead No. 10 seed DePaul (9-23), losers of 11 of their last 12. Eli Cain added 15 and Tre'Darius McCallum had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The game was Garrett's last at DePaul, and he said from a wins and losses standpoint his four years have not been ideal.
"I met a lot of great people and I learned a lot of lessons," Garrett said. "I come away a lot stronger person. It was a positive experience."
Xavier, which was playing in the opening round for the first time in its four seasons in the Big East, led by as many as 14 points and was never threatened.
BIG PICTURE
DePaul: The Blue Demons now have been eliminated in the first round in seven of the last eight Big East Tournaments.
Xavier: The Musketeers needed a big second half to beat the Blue Demons.
UP NEXT
DePaul: The season is over.
Xavier: Will face No. 2 seed Butler in second round game on Thursday night.
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Even when his shots were clanging off the rim in the first half, Trevon Bluiett never lost confidence, and that's a major reason Xavier still has a shot at the NCAA Tournament.
Bluiett scored all 17 of his points in the second half and Xavier posted its fourth straight 20-win season with a 75-64 victory over DePaul in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Wednesday night.
The win was the seventh-seeded Musketeers' second in five days over DePaul, and it set up a second-round game on Thursday against No. 18 Butler, the second seed.
"They want to play in the dance," Xavier coach Chris Mack said of the crucial upcoming game. "They want to continue their season. So there's a lot of pressure."
The Musketeers (20-12) seemed headed to the NCAAs a couple of weeks ago, but they went on a late six-game losing streak that put a bid in jeopardy.
Bluiett kept it alive despite missing his first eight shots.
"When that happens, still be aggressive but find better shots, easier shots," said Bluiett, who finished 5 of 17 from the field. "Maybe start inside and work my way out and kind of get lost into the game. Just take what the defense gives me."
Bluiett, who missed all seven of his first-half shots and his first of the second half, finally got going with a 3-pointer with 17:35 to play. It gave Xavier a 38-36 lead that it never lost and ignited a 17-7 run that opened a 52-43 lead with 12:58 to play.
"The coaches voted him first team all-Big East for a reason, because he has the ability to score the basketball," DePaul coach Dave Leitao said of Bluiett. "What he is is a really good shooter and today he was a really good player. He only made one 3, but it was his ability to drive, his ability to rebound and his ability to pass, he had four assists, played a bigger part in the game than the ball going in the basket."
JP Macura had 13 points and six assists and Quentin Goodin added 13 points for Xavier.
Billy Garrett Jr. had 16 points to lead No. 10 seed DePaul (9-23), losers of 11 of their last 12. Eli Cain added 15 and Tre'Darius McCallum had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The game was Garrett's last at DePaul, and he said from a wins and losses standpoint his four years have not been ideal.
"I met a lot of great people and I learned a lot of lessons," Garrett said. "I come away a lot stronger person. It was a positive experience."
Xavier, which was playing in the opening round for the first time in its four seasons in the Big East, led by as many as 14 points and was never threatened.
BIG PICTURE
DePaul: The Blue Demons now have been eliminated in the first round in seven of the last eight Big East Tournaments.
Xavier: The Musketeers needed a big second half to beat the Blue Demons.
UP NEXT
DePaul: The season is over.
Xavier: Will face No. 2 seed Butler in second round game on Thursday night.
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