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Second Half Struggles Mean Second Straight Loss
12/24/2012
Tough losses are piling up quickly for the Musketeers. So are the lack of go-to scorers and clutch plays down the stretch.
The latest setback, a soul-crushing 56-55 loss to the Wofford Terriers, leaves Chris Mack's squad reeling -- not unlike his squad from last year. The difference for Xavier (7-4) this time around, however, is that this team often looks lost on the court, while lacking superior talent. That combo is a recipe for disaster.
After jumping out to a 34-22 halftime lead, Mack watched the wheels fall off for his offense. In the second half, Xavier managed just 21 points -- six of which came in the waning seconds on a pair of Brad Redford free throws.
Travis Taylor dominated the first half, dropping 15 points and showing off a variety of low-post moves that has made him (arguably) the Musketeers' most consistent player in the 2012-13 season. But Xavier failed to feed him the ball in the second half, as opportunities were few and far between. Xavier's best player in the first half didn't get a good look until around the first media timeout. Taylor would finish the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Probably his best performance in a Xavier uniform.
At one point trailing 30-16, the Terriers ripped off an impressive 18-6 run to open the second half and tie the game at 40. Wofford, however, would not take the lead until Spencer Collins drilled a three with 3:10 to go. That made the game 49-47, but the madness was only beginning.
Wofford stretched the lead to 53-49, when Redford attempted to play hero. After failing to make a shot all game, Xavier's best deep threat hit his stride. A three pointer with 14 second to go brought Xavier within one. Then, after a foul and two made free throws from Lee Skinner, Redford drilled the game-tying three with 8 seconds to go. New ball game, 55 all.
And then the much maligned Jeff Robinson made his most dubious mistake as a Musketeer. Often described as apathetic and lazy on the court, Robinson inexplicably fouled on the in-bounds play, presumably because he thought Xavier was down a point. The expression on Semaj Christon's face described everything, as he asked Robinson what he was doing.
Skinner buried the first free throw, but watched the other one rim out. Taylor rebounded and dished it to Christon, who drove hard to the basket, but was called for a charge with 1.5 seconds to go. Ball game. And the Musketeers' second non-conference home loss this season.
While Robinson's play stuck in the minds of most fans, he was far from the only player to blame. Christon, despite scoring 10 points and dishing eight assists, left a lot out on the court. Wofford played off of him all afternoon, daring him to make a jump shot. He couldn't. Meanwhile, his free throw issues continued to plague him, finishing a dreadful 0-5 from the line. After his fourth and fifth misses, Christon began hearing the boo birds from the Cintas crowd.
But he wasn't alone in the poor afternoon. The team was a miserable 8 of 16 from the line, and 3 of 11 from three. Dee Davis (5 points, 2 assists, 3 turnovers), Justin Martin (4 points), and Isaiah Philmore (2 points, 4 rebounds) failed to impact the game in any fashion. Disappointing considering they were three of the four starters.
Davis continues to look over-matched running point. His quickness and shooting ability are desirable, but he often fails with pressure in his face. At this point, Mack might consider switching Christon and Davis. Let Christon, who is clearly the better passer, distribute the ball and let Davis, who is clearly the better shooter, find his stroke a little more (he shot the ball all of four times Saturday).
Martin continued his struggles coming off his concussion against Vanderbilt, and it may take some time for him to get all of the way back. Right now, he has become a liability on the court, often lapsing into the Martin from last year, who lagged in his defensive assignments. Xavier fans can live with his defensive inefficiencies if he's scoring. Right now, he's not.
Philmore continued his disappointing season, failing to establish himself against Wofford's smaller bodies down low. While not the tallest guy, Philmore is much more solid than Robinson or Taylor. He needs to have more of an impact on the boards. But, right now, Erik Stenger is pushing for more playing time, scoring 4 points and grabbing 3 rebounds (two offensive). He scraps and fights for every loose ball. And right now, Xavier needs every possession it can get.
Despite an offense that inexplicably disappeared in the second half, Xavier looked like a much better team than it did against Cincinnati. That's not saying much, especially against Wofford, but the Musketeers did shoot 47.8% for the game -- much closer to their season average. Their defense also came to play, holding the Terriers to 36.2% shooting. Unfortunately, it was the three pointer that killed Xavier. Wofford hit on 41.2% and tossed up 17 shots from long range. They also hit the easiest points of all -- 15 of 17 on free throws.
Until Xavier can fix some of their most glaring woes -- defending the three, establishing Taylor, and making some free throws -- there's not much of a chance they can beat even mediocre teams this year. Even at Cintas. Even against Wofford.
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