Xavier University
Villanova
No. 17 Xavier Set To Host No. 14 Villanova In Top 20 BIG EAST Action
01.10.22 | Men's Basketball
Xavier is coming off a 15-point win at Butler.
CINCINNATI --- The No. 17/21 Xavier University Musketeers, 12-2 overall and 2-1 in the BIG EAST Conference, host the No. 14/14 Villanova University Wildcats, 11-4 overall and 4-1 in the BIG EAST, on Wednesday night at Cintas Center. Xavier is coming off an 87-72 win at Butler on Friday in XU's first game in 17 days. It was actually XU's first game since playing Dec. 21 at Villanova.
Xavier boasts a balanced scoring attack. XU has four players averaging in double figures in scoring and two others over 8.5 ppg. Senior Adam Kunkel, who earned a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll this week after scoring a game-high 25 points in the win at Butler on Friday, is one of seven different players to lead XU in scoring this season.
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THE MATCHUP |
NO. 17/21 XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (12-2, 2-1 BIG EAST)
NO. 14/14 VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY WILDCATS (11-4, 4-1 BIG EAST)
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12, 2022 AT 6:30 P.M. ET
CINTAS CENTER (10,224) IN CINCINNATI, OHIO
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TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS |
Television: FS1 with play-by-play from Kevin Kugler and analysis from Bill Raftery.
Radio: 55KRC-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 (137), XM (202) and the SXM App. (965).
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.
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X FACTORS |
• Xavier, 12-2 overall and 2-1 in the BIG EAST Conference, is ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. XU is 18th in the NCAA NET and 20th in KenPom.
• Xavier is coming off an 87-72 win at Butler on Friday in XU's first game in 17 days.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST and is 18th in the nation in rebound margin (+8.5 rpg.). XU is first in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage defense (.394).
• Xavier junior Jack Nunge, second on the team in scoring at 12.1 ppg. and rebounding at 7.1 rpg. (11th in the BIG EAST), posted his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds vs. Marquette on Dec. 18.
• Xavier senior Nate Johnson, who leads the team in scoring at 12.7 ppg., is third in the BIG EAST and 12th in the nation in 3-point percentage (.464).
• Xavier senior Paul Scruggs is in the top 25 on Xavier's all-time scoring list with 1,397 points and the top 10 on Xavier's all-time assist leaders chart with 436.
• Xavier sophomore Colby Jones is third in the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.1 rpg.). He is fourth in the BIG EAST in offensive rebounding at 2.8 rpg.
• Xavier junior Zach Freemantle, preseason First Team All-BIG EAST selection who led XU in scoring and rebounding last season, started the last four games and has played in eight. He missed the first six games while recovering from foot surgery.
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STEELE PRESSER |
