GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) will be building a habit of attaining the actual circular involving 16.
Senior heart Kenny Frease obtained a new career-high 25 things to go with 12 rebounds, and the Musketeers pulled out of upset-minded Lehigh 70-58 Sunday nights for you to improve to the local semifinals belonging to the NCAA match with regard to the fourth time period within several years.
Xavier was graded seeing that substantial as eighth in the united kingdom prior this kind of season, but a midseason bench-clearing brawl which led to battler suspensions seemed to convert the season using a sour note. They lost their side as well as were required to battle to create the actual tournament.
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But they seem to have rekindled their momentum.
We eventually knew we all have talent, nonetheless regarding no matter what reason stuff only weren big t clicking, Frease said. We re forthcoming collectively on the appropriate time. It seems real great to get returning to your Sweet 16.
Lehigh, that stunned No. 2 seed on Friday, had been wanting to become the initial 15 seed to create this towards competition verts subsequent weekend.
But the particular 7-foot Frease stood inside the way.
He completely outclassed in the paint, hitting 11 associated with 13 shots, along with Tu Holloway ended up being his typical productive self applied along with twenty one points when 10th-seeded Xavier (22-12) improved to learn No. 3 seedling Baylor with Friday in the South Regional from Atlanta.
Lehigh is a very fine team, but they will lso are small, mentioned Xavier guru Chris Mack. I m sure they will don capital t experience the species of size of which Kenny presents. We simply just needed to be able to have the basketball to be able to Kenny, as well as fortunately this individual ended up being capable of finish.
Frease was easy to turn that honor to be able to their teammates right after what Mack called his very best sport like a Musketeer.
My protects put me personally in wonderful position, Frease said. I wouldn t happen to be capable of credit score in the event it wasn t regarding those people individuals putting me around excellent situations and getting me with the right time. It created my occupation really easy. All I had to do was move in addition to finish.
Lehigh centre Gabe Knutson, who lost the fight a few in . in addition to fityfive weight to be able to Frease, stated they attempted the top they may possibly for you to maintain Xavier verts burly big man.
I didn t complete while excellent of a career as I might have defending him, but he vertisements a significant person and also he or she had some sort of tremendous night, Knutson said.
Lehigh utes shooting, around the other hand, wasn big t hence huge particularly in the 2nd 50 % together with two distinguish exercises within that the team didn t produce a basket for more as compared to some minutes.
The Mountain Hawks opportunity some with 34 (14.7 percent) with the field inside second half.
The Musketeers presented C.J. McCollum, your region s fifth-leading scorer, to fourteen points on 5-of-22 filming along with changed your 15-point first-half deficit. He came throughout averaging 21.9 points for each activity plus have scored thirty inside acquire about Duke.
I simply just wasn big t creating shots, McCollum said. I merely missed a number of images tonight, and also the offense will are available plus go. We still really need to get can stop on defense, as well as most of us didn t do that tonight.
Mackey McKnight have 20 points with regard to Lehigh (27-7), that tied a Patriot League track record regarding victories within a season.
The Musketeers received despite actively playing a lot of the video game without having their third-leading scorer, Dezmine Wells. He wounded his proper toe within the first fifty percent plus failed to return.
Mack said when called he'll be reevaluated that 7 days but is optimistic he is able to enjoy next to Baylor.
The Mountain Hawks began strong, beginning a 35-20 cause at the rear of 53 per cent taking pictures and 14 first-half items from McKnight. But once McCollum grabbed his minute foul Xavier clawed back to minimize that produce 37-33 from halftime behind a 3-point buzzer-beater by Holloway.
The Mountain Hawks went in excess of 7 seconds and not using a domain purpose to start out the 2nd 50 % absent their particular first 10 shots in the industry as well as the Musketeers procured benefit simply by going on a new 14-3 spurt to consider some sort of 47-40 lead.
The Mountain Hawks fought again again, however, tying the sport at 52. That s while Xavier went on about to get good, concluding by using a great 18-6 run.
Holloway, exactly who had to switch his jacket number inside the minute one half from 52 to be able to twenty-four soon after obtaining continue about it, led the charge.
He hit a new 3-pointer with 6:58 left over to give this Musketeers a 55-52 lead they will certainly not relinquished.
He obtained 15 connected with his twenty one things inside the second half. That came not one but two night time immediately after your dog scored 17 associated with their 25 after halftime within a conquer Notre Dame .
Holloway said obtaining returning to the spherical involving 16 demonstrated Xavier verts resolve.
Coach Mack appeared to be dealing with people about how all people s consuming photographs at people about the country, Holloway said. After finding your way through and so much, most people re also still ranking nowadays from the very last 16 teams. And it showed. It merely exhibits that character.
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