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X Slips Past Miami for Pre-Christmas Win
By
Jay Skeldon,
12/23/2009
 | Jordan Crawford goes high on his way to slamming in two of his team leading 19 points.
[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | Freshman Mark Lyons goes by the defense and under the basket for a reverse layup and two of his 13 points.
[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | In addition to his stellar offensive performance, Mark Lyons played tenacious defense all night.
[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | Jamel McLean hits a very high percentage shot.
[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | Kenny Frease attempts to muscle a rebound away.
[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |  | Senior Jason Love goes up to get one of Xavier’s season high nine blocks.
[enlarge] Photo by Bob Stevens |
For a change, the Musketeers will have a Merry Christmas. After losing the last game going into Christmas break each of the last three seasons, Xavier broke that streak on Wednesday night at Cintas Center. Jordan Crawford scored a team-high 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting as the Muskies held off the RedHawks, 70-67. Xavier, which moves its record to 7-4, has now won a record 15 straight games at Cintas Center. Miami, meanwhile, drops to a paltry 3-9 on the season.
"It's a really good feeling to go into Christmas with a win," said Xavier center Jason Love.
For the first 10 minutes of the first half, the game was evenly matched. Although Xavier jumped out to a 5-0 lead on a Crawford basket and 3-pointer by Dante Jackson, Miami quickly pulled even. For the first 12:08, no team lead by more than three points, and there were six lead changes and five ties.
The last tie of the half occurred when Antonio Ballard drilled a 3-pointer to tie the game at 21 with 6:34 remaining. Then Xavier flexed its offensive firepower, spouting off an impressive 17-0 run. The streak included baskets by five different Musketeers including Crawford, Mark Lyons -- who scored six points during the stretch, Dante Jackson, Jamel McLean, and Kenny Frease.
In what seemed to be an instant, the Musketeers turned a back-and-forth, close match into a comfortable double-digit buffer, leading 38-21 with 1:51 left to play.
But, MU had other thoughts about going into half quietly as it responded with a 10-0 counterpunch. That pulled the RedHawks right back in the basketball game with the score standing at 38-31 at intermission.
After the break, Xavier saw its seven point lead evaporate. Miami charged out of the locker room in the second half with a 12-4 run, continuing its offensive surge from the first half. MU's Julian Mvunga was fouled on a 3-point attempt at the top of the arc and he converted each of his three free throws to catapult Miami into the lead, 43-42, with 16:49 to play.
"In the second half, it really became a war," said Xavier head coach Chris Mack.
The game would remain within a 1-2 point margin for the next six minutes. Xavier put together an 8-2 run on a Jackson 3-pointer, Jason Love layup, and Crawford triple, to give Xavier a five point lead, 57-52, with 7:04 remaining.
Xavier extended its lead to eight, 64-56, on a Crawford field goal with 3:08 left. It appeared the game was relatively in control. But, a pair of Miami 3-pointers by Rodney Haddix and Princeton High School graduate, Orlando Williams, erased the comfortable eight point XU buffer and brought Miami right back into the thick of it at 64-62 with 1:31 to go.
After two made foul shots by Love, Xavier was up by four points. That is until Kenny Hayes drained a 3-pointer to once again give Miami life, pulling the RedHawks within one, 66-65, with 0:38. XU leading scorer Crawford was fouled on the next two possessions and came through large with four made free throws to give the X-Men a 70-65 lead.
After Hayes dropped in a layup with 0:09 seconds to go to pull MU within three, 70-67. Xavier turned the ball over and Miami was set to inbound with six seconds left.
After the official handed the basketball to Miami and the ball was passed in bounds to the right corner on Miami's end of the court, Dante Jackson made an athletic steal only to be fouled. It appeared Xavier would be at the foul line to clinch any opportunity for a Miami comeback.
But, the officials called a conference with the coaches at the scorers table to explain that once again, there had been a clock malfunction. Official Mike Roberts deemed that the ball was given to a Miami player too early, while the officials were still working out the correct time at the scorers table. Therefore, the steal by Jackson was erased and Miami was given the ball again.
Xavier coaches, players, and fans were in sheer and utter disbelief that a clock malfunction and official's ruling was impacting its second straight game.
"I was standing there wondering if I was on candid camera," said Mack.
Luckily for Xavier, the ending turned out better than the Butler gameclock controversy that occurred last Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Hayes heaved a desperation 3-point attempt that fell well short at the buzzer, as Xavier hung on for the three point victory.
“The officials got it right," said Chris Mack. "It was just a tough thing to go through as a head coach."
In addition to Crawford's 19 points, point guard Mark Lyons had a career-high 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go along with four assists and just one turnover. Love added 11 points and three rebounds to round out the double-digit scorers for the X-Men.
Frease set a personal best of 11 rebounds to go with his four points in 25 minutes of action.
"[It's been] a lot of hard work in the weight room," said Frease. "I feel like I'm starting to learn some of the tricks of the trade to get myself close to the basket to get in position to get the rebound."
Miami was led by senior point guard Kenny Hayes who recorded game-highs of 24 points and six assists. Power forward Julian Mvunga matched his career-best of 18 points while pulling in a game-high 12 rebounds.
"Jason Love has really gotten better," said Miami's Charlie Coles after the game. "I really like him... But, tonight I through Mvunga carried the day."
"Being 3-9 isn't fun," said Coles. "I thought our guys played their hearts out. We just made a few key mistakes down the stretch."
This year there is no Christmas grinch this year at Xavier. The coaches and players can now take a few days off on a winning note going into the holidays.
"It's nice to get a win. It beats losing," said Mack. "I want our guys to go home, enjoy their families, and have a great Christmas."
After the holiday break, Xavier will return to action on Tuesday, December 29 when it hosts LSU at Cintas Center. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. The contest is scheduled to be televised on ESPNU.
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