Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
5-2
Long Beach State
4-4
Xavier Falls in Rematch with LBSU in DirecTV Wooden Legacy
11.30.14 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2014
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Xavier struggled from outside the arc as LBSU hit 10 of its last 13 attempts from three to help the 49ers take the rematch, 73-70, Sunday in the DirecTV Wooden Legacy third place game. Xavier moves to 5-2 on the season. Xavier won the first matchup against LBSU (4-4), 97-74 on Nov. 18 at Cintas Center.
Senior Matt Stainbrook was named to the Wooden Legacy All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.7 ppg. and 9.0 rpg. for XU's three games, including 19 points and 12 rebounds on Sunday.
After trading blows to in a defensive struggle to open the game, the Musketeers opened up a four-point first half lead, 10-6, with 10:08 remaining in the first. Xavier pushed the lead out to eight, 18-10, with help from four quick points from freshman Trevon Bluiett.
The Musketeers maintained a six to eight point cushion, pushing the lead out to as many as 10, 26-16, at the 2:51 mark after back-to-back baskets from sophomore Jalen Reynolds when Long Beach State began to heat up from outside.
After missing its first nine attempts, Long Beach State hit back-to-back threes to start a 9-0 run that cut the Musketeers' lead to one with less than 30 seconds remaining. A Bluiett layup just before the buzzer gave Xavier the 28-25 lead going into the half.
Reynolds led the Musketeers with eight first half points, while Bluiett added six for Xavier. James Farr heled the Musketeers win the rebounding battle, grabbing 10 of the team's 28 to double up Long Beach State's 14. The Musketeers went 0-for-6 from outside during the first half.
In the second half, Long Beach State's hot shooting from behind the arc continued. The 49ers tied the game on a three from Tyler Lamb, and then threes on consecutive possessions from LBSU's Mike Caffey put Xavier in the hole, 38-34, with less than four minutes gone from the half. LBSU pushed the lead out to as many as six when the Musketeers put together a 7-0 run to retake the lead, 46-45, with 12:24 remaining. Long Beach State answered with its seventh three of the game to retake the two-point lead with just over 12 minutes to play.
After retaking the lead, Long Beach State looked to be in control of the game, extending the lead to six with 5:33 remaining when Xavier turned the momentum back in its favor. Four points from Matt Stainbrook and a three pointer from Myles Davis, Xavier's first of the night, equaled a 7-0 run that gave the Musketeers the 61-60 lead with 4:31 remaining.
Long Beach State answered with its 10th three pointer of the night to retake the lead, the first time Xavier has allowed its opponent to hit 10 or more shots from outside the arc since Creighton hit 11 as it knocked the Musketeers out of the BIG EAST Tournament, 86-78, on Mar. 14, 2014.
Over the next two minutes, LBSU went on a 7-0 run to take a comfortable eight point lead into the final minute. With 15 seconds remaining, Myles Davis nailed his second three of day to cut the lead to five. A LBSU turnover and Stainbrook layup made it a one possession game, 73-70, with five seconds to play.
Two missed free throws by LBSU's David Samuels left the door open for the Musketeers to tie the game up, but Myles Davis missed just wide of the rim on a last-second three to end the game, 73-70, in LBSU's favor.
Stainbrook led the Musketeers with 19 points and 12 rebounds, his first double-double since going for 14 points and 11 rebounds at Villanova on Feb. 3, 2014. Myles Davis was the second Musketeer in double figures, scoring 10, including Xavier's only two shots from outside. Farr finished with 11 rebounds and Dee Davis dished out six assists for the Musketeers.
LBSU's Caffey led all scorers with 24 points and hitting 5-of-8 from three. The 49ers finished 10 of 22 on three pointers to Xavier's 2-of-16. The Musketeers won the battle of the boards, 45 to 38.
Xavier returns to action on Saturday Dec. 6 at 8:00 p.m., when the Musketeers host Alabama at Cintas Center. The game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
