Adam Kunkel Leads Musketeers with 26 Points in 88-48 Win Over Norfolk State

Sunday, November 21

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

4-0,0-0Big East

Norfolk State

5-1,0-0MEAC

Norfolk St.

Xavier

Adam Kunkel Leads Musketeers with 26 Points in 88-48 Win Over Norfolk State

11.21.21 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Photos

Kunkel connects on a career-high eight threes; Nate Johnson adds 20 for the Musketeers

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Adam Kunkel connected on a career-best eight threes to lead Xavier with 26 points as the Musketeers topped Norfolk State, 88-48, on Sunday afternoon at Cintas Center.

Kunkel was one of three Musketeers who scored in double figures, with Nate Johnson adding 20 and Colby Jones finishing with a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds to help the Musketeers move to 4-0 on the season. Norfolk State moves to 5-1.

FIRST HALF

Xavier opened the game going 5-for-5 from the floor, including a pair of threes, and held the Spartans with out a field goal for the first four minutes to take a 13-1 lead.
Back-to-back Norfolk State baskets would make it an eight point game 13-5, before a 13-2 run by the Musketeers put Xavier in control.
The Musketeers continued to build out its advantage, shooting over 56 percent from the floor, to go into half time up 29, 45-16, the largest lead of the game to that point.
Xavier connected on six threes while holding the Spartans to 0-for-12 from outside in the first 20 minutes.
Adam Kunkel went 4-of-5 from the floor, including a 3-of-4 from three, to lead all scorers with 11 in the first half.
Colby Jones went into the halftime break with a double-double, scoring 10 and grabbing 10 rebounds before halftime. Xavier out-rebounded Norfolk State 30-18.
Xavier had a 17-4 advantage on fast-break points.

SECOND HALF

The Spartans outscored Xavier 10-6 over the first seven minutes of the second half to get within 25, 51-26, before a 7-0 Musketeer run pushed the advantage past 30 points.
From there the Musketeers continued to build out its lead, continuing to shoot over 50 percent from the floor and connecting on eight second-half threes while holding Norfolk State to 36.1 percent shooting from the floor and 3-11 shooting from three for the second half.
Xavier led by as many as 43, 82-39, in the second half before winning by a final score of 88-48.
Adam Kunkel led the Musketeers with 15 second half points, making five of six outside shots.
Nate Johnson had 12 in the second half, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor.
Ben Stanley grabbed four boards to lead Xavier in the second half as the Musketeers had a 21-19 advantage on rebounds in the second half.

NOTABLES

Adam Kunkel finished with a team-high 26 point, connecting on a career-high eight threes to finish 8-of-10 from outside.
Kunkel's eight made three are the most by a Musketeer since Trevon Bluiett made eight against Seton Hall at Cintas Center on February 14, 2018.
Nate Johnson scored 20 for the Musketeers, shooting 8-of-13 from the floor with four three pointers.
Colby Jones chipped in a double double with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Xavier finished with a 51-37 advantage on rebounds.
Xavier shot over 54 percent from the floor, dishing out 25 assists on 33 made field goals.
Norfolk State's 16 points at the half is the lowest first half point total for an opponent since holding DePaul to 16 in 2019-20.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers head to Brooklyn to take part in the Preseason NIT Tip-Off at the Barclays Center. Xavier opens up play on Wednesday, November 24 against Iowa State, set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPNU.

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