No. 22 Xavier Hosts Morehead State In Final Non-Conference Tilt

Wednesday, December 15

Cincinnati, Ohio

8:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Morehead State

No. 22 Xavier Hosts Morehead State In Final Non-Conference Tilt

12.14.21 | Men's Basketball

Xavier vs. Morehead State Notes

Musketeers are looking to extend winning streak to six games.

By: Tom Eiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI --- The Xavier University Musketeers, 9-1 and ranked No. 22 in this week's Associated Press Poll, host the Morehead State University Eagles, 6-4, on Wednesday night at Cintas Center. XU, which is looking for its sixth straight victory, is playing its final non-conference game of the season. Xavier opens BIG EAST Conference play on Saturday vs. Marquette to close the four-game homestand.

Xavier and Morehead State have some unique NCAA Tournament history. Xavier played Morehead State in XU's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1961 at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville, Ky. (3-14-61). MSU won 71-66. XU did not return to the NCAA Tournament until 1983. Xavier has made 27 NCAA Tournaments since 1983.

THE MATCHUP

No. 22/25 XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (9-1, 0-0 BIG EAST)
MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY EAGLES (6-4, 0-0 OVC)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15, 2021 AT 8:30 P.M. ET
CINTAS CENTER (10,224) IN CINCINNATI, OHIO

TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS

Television: FS1 with play by-play from Matt Schumacker and analysis from Donny Marshall.
Radio: 700 WLW-AM with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin ('88). XU broadcast is also available on Sirius XM (381) and the SXM App. (971).
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

• Xavier, 9-1, is ranked No. 22 in this week's Associated Press Poll and No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. XU is 16th in the NCAA NET and 24th in KenPom (12-14-21).
• Xavier is coming off its fifth straight win, an 83-63 blowout victory over Cincinnati.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST and is 12th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.372) and leads the BIG EAST and is 15th nationally in rebound margin (+9.9 rpg.).
• Xavier junior Jack Nunge was named BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week. He had collegiate career highs in scoring (31) and rebounding (15) vs. UC on Saturday.
• Xavier's Jack Nunge is second on the team in scoring at 13.0 ppg. and is second on the team in rebounding at 7.5 rpg. (eighth in the BIG EAST), including three games with at least 14 rebounds this season (Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati).
• Xavier's balanced lineup has four players averaging in double figures in scoring ranging from 13.4 ppg. to 11.7 ppg. Senior Nate Johnson, who leads the team in scoring, leads the BIG EAST and is 17th in the nation in 3-point percentage (.475).
• Xavier senior Paul Scruggs is in the top 25 on Xavier's all-time scoring list with 1,363 points and the top 10 on Xavier's all-time assist leaders chart with 415.
• Xavier sophomore Colby Jones leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.9 rpg.) and leads the team in steals (tied for fourth in the BIG EAST at 1.8 spg.). He leads the BIG EAST and is sixth in the nation in offensive rebounding (3.8 rpg.).
• Xavier junior Zach Freemantle, who led XU in scoring at 16.1 ppg. and rebounding at 8.9 rpg. last season, played his first action of the season the last four games. He scored 24 points on 9-11 shooting vs. Ball State last Wednesday.

STEELE PRESSER