By Cord Rankin
GAME NOTES FOR MICHIGAN GAME
https://goxavier.com/documents/2024/11/26/202425NOTESMichigan.pdf
Musketeers are shooting to start the season 7-0.
FORT MYERS, FLA. — The No. 22 Xavier University Musketeers, 6-0, take on the University of Michigan Wolverines, 5-1, on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. in the championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Xavier advanced with a win on Monday over South Carolina, while Michigan defeated Virginia Tech.
Xavier returns home on Sunday afternoon to host South Carolina State at 4:30 p.m. at Cintas Center.
BROADCAST AND LIVE STATS INFORMATION
TV/Stream: FS1 with Jeff Levering and Donny Marshall on the call.
Xavier Radio: 55KRC 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 the Varsity Network and on Sirius XM.
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.
X FACTORS
• Xavier, 6-0, is coming off a 75-66 win over South Carolina on Monday. XU trailed 34-29 at halftime after a slow first half but outscored USC 46-32 after the break.
• Xavier is off to its best start since going 8-0 to start the 2020-21 season. This is XU’s second-best start in eight seasons under head coach Sean Miller, trailing only the 9-0 start in the 2008-09 season.
• Xavier is ranked No. 22 in this week’s Associated Press Poll and USA Today Sports Coaches Poll, XU’s first Top 25 ranking in either of the top two major polls since the 2022-23 season.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in assist-to-turnover ratio (seventh in the nation at 2.05) and fastbreak points (sixth in the nation in at 21.5 ppg.). XU is second in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (14th in the nation at .808), assists per game (12th in the nation at 19.8 apg.) and turnover margin at +4.0. XU is third in the BIG EAST and 18th in the nation in 3-point percentage at .407.
• Xavier has had nine different players score in double figures in at least one game this season.
• Xavier graduate student Zach Freemantle, a preseason Second Team All-BIG EAST selection, is second on the team in scoring (11th in the BIG EAST at 15.7 ppg.) and leads the team in rebounding (fifth in BIG EAST at 7.5 rpg.), including his game-high 16 points and nine rebounds vs. South Carolina. He is tied for the league lead in defensive rebounding at 6.0 drpg.
• Xavier junior newcomer Ryan Conwell, a preseason Third Team All-BIG EAST selection, leads the team in scoring at 17.3 ppg. (fourth in the BIG EAST), while being tied for the BIG EAST lead and 16th in the nation at 3.7 3-point field goals made per game.
• Xavier graduate student Dayvion McKnight, a preseason Second Team All-BIG EAST selection, has averaged 12.3 ppg. and a team-high 4.8 apg. (sixth in the BIG EAST). McKnight leads the BIG EAST and ranks 24th in the nation with a 4.14 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Xavier sophomore Dailyn Swain contributed 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high five steals in a career-high 31 minutes of action in the South Carolina win. Swain is seventh in the BIG EAST in defensive rebounding at 5.3 drpg.
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