Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Creighton
No. 22 Xavier Visits No. 13 Creighton On Wednesday Afternoon
12.21.20 | Men's Basketball
Musketeers opened BIG EAST play with a win over Marquette.
CINCINNATI --- The No. 22 Xavier University Musketeers, 8-0 overall and 1-0 in the BIG EAST Conference, visit the No. 13 Creighton University Bluejays, 6-2 overall and 2-1 in the BIG EAST, on Wednesday afternoon in Omaha, Neb.
Xavier will be playing its first game outside of the City of Cincinnati this season and its first game since entering both of the two major polls. XU has played seven games at Cintas Center and one game across town at Cincinnati.
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THE MATCHUP |
NO. 22/22 XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (8-0, 1-0 BIG EAST)
NO. 13/13 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY BLUEJAYS (6-2, 2-1 BIG EAST)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 2020 AT 3 P.M. ET / 2 P.M. CT
CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA IN OMAHA, NEB.
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TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS |
Television: FS1 with pbp from Adam Alexander and analysis from Bill Raftery.
Radio: 700 WLW-AM with play-by-play from XU Hall of Famer and former XU standout Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU Hall of Famer and all-time leading scorer Byron Larkin ('88); broadcast also available on Sirius XM 384 and Internet 974.
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.
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X FACTORS |
• Xavier is 22nd in this week's Associated Press Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Xavier's 8-0 start is its best since starting the 2015-16 season at 12-0.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in scoring margin (+15.4 ppg.), assists (20.8 apg.), overall field goal percentage (.512), 3-point percentage (.415) and field goal percentage
defense (.385). XU is second in scoring (84.1 ppg.) and assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.73.
• Xavier is ranked 10th in the nation in assists at 20.8 apg. and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.73. XU's KenPom adjusted offensive ranking is 13th.
• Xavier has hit 32 3-pointers over its last two games, including a school record 19 3-pointers in the Oklahoma win on Dec. 9 and 13 in the Marquette win on Dec. 20.
• Xavier senior Paul Scruggs was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after scoring a game-high 29 points in the Marquette win. Soph. Zach Freemantle earned that honor on Dec. 7. Both have also earned spots on the BIG EAST Honor Roll this year.
• Xavier's Paul Scruggs leads the BIG EAST and is 15th in the nation in assists at 7.0 apg. He is second on the team (10th in BIG EAST) in scoring (16.4 ppg.) after three straight 20-point games and is third in the BIG EAST in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.8.
• Xavier sophomore Zach Freemantle leads the team in scoring at 17.5 ppg. (eighth in the BIG EAST) and is tied for the team lead in rebounding at 7.9 rpg. (tied for third in the BIG EAST with senior teammate Jason Carter). He is fifth in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (.596) and 10th in the BIG EAST in 3-point percentage (.429).
• Xavier senior Nate Johnson, who leads the BIG EAST and is eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage (.591), is second in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goals at 3.3 per game. He hit 7 3-pointers vs. Oklahoma and scored an XU career-high 25 points.
• Xavier junior Adam Kunkel, playing in just his third game as a Musketeer, scored 22 points in 17 minutes, hitting 7-9 from the field including the game-winning 3-pointer vs. Marquette that earned him the top play on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10.
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STEELE PRESSER |
