Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Pulls Out 80-72 Win in Final Exhibition Game
11.12.02 | Men's Basketball
CINCINNATI - In a matchup between two of the best players to wear the Xavier uniform in recent history, Xavier defeated the One World All-Stars 80-72 in their final exhibition game in front of 6,535 fans at the Cintas Center on Tuesday.
Senior forward and preseason First Team All-American David West (Garner, N.C./Garner) led the way for XU with a double-double by recording a game-high 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and pulling down 10 rebounds.
The One World All-Stars countered with 2000 Xavier graduate Darnell Williams, who scored 19 points while shooting 7-of-11 from the field including 4-for-6 from behind the arc.
The Musketeers could manage only a 36-34 halftime lead as the One World defense held XU to 39.5 percent shooting from the field (19 for 35) and held them scoreless from three point range as Xavier did not connect from behind the arc until the 17:59 mark in the second half.
"The big thing tonight was when our shots didn't go in early, we tied our offense to our defense," said second-year head coach Thad Matta. "We're going to have nights like that. When we're not shooting well, we have to be mentally tough and fight our way through that."
A three-point basket by Williams gave One World a 15-8 lead with 12:56 remaining in the first half but Xavier would pull to within one in just 75 seconds as West would score the next six points of the game.
XU and One World would trade baskets for the next 8:19 until a jumper by Williams would give One World a four-point edge at 32-28. The Musketeers would respond again with an 8-2 run to end the half as junior guard Romain Sato (Central African Republic/Dayton Christian) and senior point guard Lionel Chalmers (Albany, N.Y./Albany H.S.) would each tally four points to give XU a 36-34 lead at halftime.
Xavier took control of the game in the second half as they would extend their lead by six points in as many minutes when at 14:02 remaining a layup by West gave the Musketeers a 55-45 advantage. They would stretch the lead to as many as 21 when junior forward Anthony Myles (Chicago, Ill./Olney (Ill.) College) scored a layup off a fast break and One World could not get within single digits of the homestanding Musketeers until two minutes left in the game.
Each team had three players reach double figures in scoring. Xavier had 21 points from Sato and 14 by Chalmers to go along with West’s 23 while One World was led by 20 points from Kareem Reid as well as 19 from Williams and 14 by Raphael Edwards.
Chalmers finished the evening just one assist and one rebound shy of the second ever triple-double in Cintas Center and Xavier history. West recorded the first ever triple-double in Xavier history last season with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 108-57 win over Long Island on December 6.
XU won the game on the boards as they held a 48 to 38 rebounding advantage, although One World's Brian Lewin led all players with 15 rebounds. Sato led the Musketeers with 12 rebounds on the night in recording a double-double.
The Musketeers will open the 2002-03 regular season in the Owens Corning Preseason NIT as they host St. Peter's on Monday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and will be broadcast on 700 WLW radio.
