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XU Edges Spiders in 2OT Show
By
Jay Skeldon,
2/28/2010
 | Jordan Crawford defends the inbounds pass against Richmond.
Photo by J. Skeldon |  | Jason Love posts up against the Spiders.
Photo by J. Skeldon |
Going into Sunday afternoon's matinee between Richmond and Xavier, the game had all the billings to be a thriller. The match-up would breakup a three-way tie atop the Atlantic 10 conference standings as both teams were knotted with Temple at 11-2. From the Xavier fans' performance to the pregame introductions to the on-court performance, the show did not disappoint. The Musketeers edged Richmond, 78-76, in double overtime before a sold-out, rocking crowd of 10,250 at Cintas Center. Terrell Holloway, who led all scorers with 24 points, single-handedly took over the game down the stretch, recording 11 points in the two overtime periods.
With the victory, Xavier enhances its record to 21-7 (12-2 A-10) and remains in first place in the A-10 with the Owls, who beat La Salle on Sunday afternoon. The X-Men have now won 23 straight games at home, which is currently the third best in NCAA D-1. Richmond, meanwhile, drops to 22-7 (11-3) as its eight game winning streak is snapped.
The game was brimming with intensity and excitement right from the start. After D'Artagnan entered the arena on a red motorcycle during player introductions revving his engine, the two teams wasted no time putting the pedal to the metal on the court.Xavier jumped out to the lead on an opening basket off the break by Jordan Crawford.
After a bucket by Richmond senior guard David Gonzalvez, Xavier got to straight scores including a slam from Jason Love and a Crawford fade-away along the left baseline. Dan Geriot provided the field goal in the lane to give the Spiders their first lead of the game, 15-13, with 11:25 left to play.
In the next series of action, the two teams went on offensive spurts with Xavier rattling off a 9-0 run that included two baskets by guard Mark Lyons and a three-pointer and pair of free throws from Holloway. Xavier jumped ahead 22-15 with 8:46 left in the half, marking the largest lead of the game. UR shot back with six straight of its own on back-to-back triples by Gonzalvez and Kevin Smith. The teams went back and forth for the balance of the half as Xavier held the slight advantage at intermission, 38-34.
In the second half, the battle for first place continued. Junior guard Kevin Anderson, a preseason first team All A-10 selection, came into the game averaging 17.5 points per game. But, the Musketeers' tough defense held him scoreless in the first half. But, Anderson made his presence known in the second half as he opened the action with a jumper to pull Richmond within two, 38-36. He finished with 17 points on the game. Eight minutes later, Xavier went ahead 54-48 with 11:25 to go, marking its largest lead of the second half.
It wouldn't last as the Spiders fought their way back into the game. Fast forward to the last two minutes of the game, Richmond pulled within one point, 62-61, on two straight baskets by Geriot and Justin Harper. Crawford then found Love in the lane on the next possession for a hoop and a foul. Love missed the free throw, leaving Xavier with a 64-61 lead. Gonzalvez, who finished with a team-high 18 points including 4-of-7 from 3-point land, drilled a triple with 0:24 left. After an XU timeout, Crawford missed an off balance and deep 3-pointer to send the game to overtime.
In the first overtime, there were three ties and two lead changes and the margin was not larger than two points by either team. Again, Jason Love made the final basket for the Musketeers in overtime. This one tied the game at 70 with 1:42 to play. Crawford again had a chance to win it, but his jumper near the right baseline was errant which sent the game to a second overtime.
The teams gave the fans their money's worth in the second OT period as well. Holloway made his presence felt even more, opening with a triple atop the 3-point arch to give Xavier a 73-70 lead. After an Anderson bucket, Holloway charged hard through the lane on the next two offensive possessions, which translated into a lay-up and two free throws. The foul shots provided X with a 77-72 lead with 2:30 left. Butler narrowed the gap to two points, 78-76, and had the opportunity to tie, but Harper missed a reverse lay-in attempt.
The double-overtime game, XU's third of the season, featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes. One of the keys to the contest for the Musketeers was their control of the paint. Xavier's interior players outscored Richmond, 25 to 8. In addition, the larger, stronger Muskies owned the boards, boasting a 47-35 advantage including 14-10 on the offensive glass. Another key to the game for XU was free throw shooting. Xavier got to the line 21 times and converting 15 for 75 percent. Contrast that with the Spiders, which got to the line just six times and went 4-of-6.
Besides Holloway's 24 points, Xavier received a strong performance from guard Jordan Crawford, who was named the Atlantic 10 player of the week prior to the game for the third time this season. Crawford dropped 19 points -- 14 of which came in the first half -- on 8-of-19 shooting including 3-of-9 from long range. Jason Love added 16 points and nine rebounds while Jamel McLean provided a nine point and 13 rebound showing.
Xavier returns to action on Wednesday, March 3 as it travels to the Bronx, NY to face-off against Fordham in its final road game of the regular season. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at Rose Hill Gym.
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