No. 22 Xavier Hosts No. 2 UConn In BIG EAST Showdown On Saturday

Saturday, December 31

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

UConn

Tickets

No. 22 Xavier Hosts No. 2 UConn In BIG EAST Showdown On Saturday

12.29.22 | Men's Basketball

NOTES: GAME 15 VS. UCONN.pdf

UConn comes into the game undefeated and XU is gunning for its eighth-straight win.

By: Tom Eiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI --- The No. 22 Xavier University Musketeers, 11-3 overall and 3-0 in the BIG EAST Conference, host the undefeated No. 2 University of Connecticut Huskies, 14-0 overall and 3-0 in the BIG EAST, on Saturday at noon at sold-out Cintas Center. XU is shooting for its eighth-straight win.

UConn is the highest ranked team to visit the Cintas Center since the 2016-17 season.

THE MATCHUP

NO. 22/25 XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (11-3, 3-0 BIG EAST)
NO. 2/2 UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (14-0, 3-0 BIG EAST)
SATURDAY, DEC. 31, 2022 AT 12:00 P.M. ET
AT CINTAS CENTER IN CINCINNATI, OHIO

TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS

Television: FOX National, including FOX19 in Cincinnati, with play by-play from Brandon Gaudin and analysis from Donny Marshall.
Radio: 700 WLW 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 also available on Sirius XM channel 380 and 970 on the SXM App.
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

• Xavier, 11-3 overall, won its seventh-straight game, 84-79 at St. John's on Wednesday. XU is tied for No. 22 in this week's AP Poll and is No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Xavier, 3-0 in the BIG EAST Conference, has equaled its best starts ever in BIG EAST play. XU has started 3-0 three times previously: 2013-14, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
• Xavier leads the nation in assists per game at 21.1 apg. In addition, XU leads the BIG EAST and is ninth in the nation in overall field goal percentage (.506) and is first in the BIG EAST and fifth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.408). XU leads the BIG EAST in scoring at 83.9 ppg., which ranks 15th in the nation.
• Xavier graduate student Souley Boum, who has scored in double figures in each of the last 12 games, leads XU in scoring (third in BIG EAST at 17.3 ppg.). He is second on the team in assists (eighth in BIG EAST at 4.7 apg.).
• Xavier junior Colby Jones, who was named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team, leads XU in assists at 5.7 apg. (third in the BIG EAST and 19th in the nation) to go with 14.2 ppg.
• Xavier graduate student Jack Nunge, who was named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team, is third on the team in scoring at 15.2 ppg. (10th in the BIG EAST) and leads the team in rebounding at 7.9 rpg. (fifth in the BIG EAST) following his double-double with game highs of 23 points (10-14 shooting) and 12 rebounds at St. John's.
• Xavier senior Zach Freemantle was named to the BIG EAST Conference Honor Roll for his efforts in the Seton Hall win on Dec. 20, scoring a season-high 23 points to go with nine rebounds and three assists. This is his third time this season on the BE Honor Roll. XU has had a player honored in each of the first seven weeks of the league awards.
• Xavier's balanced scoring attack boasts five players in double figures in scoring (four in the top 20 in the BIG EAST): Souley Boum (third at 17.3 ppg.), Jack Nunge (10th at 15.2 ppg.), Zach Freemantle (17th at 14.3 ppg.), Colby Jones (19th at 14.2 ppg.) and Adam Kunkel (10.3 ppg.).

MILLER PRESSER