02.24.22

Musketeers are looking to avenge a two-point loss on Feb. 9

CINCINNATI — The Xavier University Musketeers, 17-10 overall and 7-9 in the BIG EAST Conference, host the Seton Hall University Pirates, 17-9 overall and 8-8 in the BIG EAST, on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at Cintas Center. XU is looking to bounce back from a 99-92 triple overtime loss at No. 11 Providence on Wednesday, while SHU is gunning for its third straight win.

Seton Hall won the first meeting earlier this month in Newark, N.J., 73-71, on Feb. 9. Junior Jack Nunge led Xavier with 22 points that night while senior Paul Scruggs scored 21 to go with seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (17-10, 7-9 BIG EAST)
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY PIRATES (17-9, 8-8 BIG EAST)
SATURDAY, FEB. 26, 2022 AT 3:30 P.M. ET
CINTAS CENTER (10,224) IN CINCINNATI, OHIO

TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS

Television: FOX National, including FOX 19 in Cincinnati, with play-by-play from Brandon Gaudin and analysis from Nick Bahe.
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 on Sirius XM (382) and the Sirius XM App. (972).
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

 Xavier, 17-10 overall and 7-9 in the BIG EAST Conference, is coming off a 99-92 triple overtime loss at No. 11 Providence on Wednesday.
• Xavier tied the school record with the three overtimes at Providence, the fifth time that XU has played three extra periods. It was XU’s first overtime game this season.
• Xavier is 26th in the NCAA NET and 35th in KenPom. Seton Hall is 37th in the NCAA NET and 37th in KenPom.
• Xavier has four players averaging in double figures in scoring from 10.0 ppg. to 13.3 ppg. and a fifth player at 9.8 ppg. XU has had eight different players lead the team in scoring this season.
• Xavier junior Jack Nunge, who has averaged 16.7 ppg. over the last six games while recording double-figure scoring in each game, leads the team in scoring at 13.3 ppg. and in blocks at 1.4 bpg. He is second in rebounding at 7.3 rpg. He had 22 points and five rebounds in the first meeting with Seton Hall.
• Xavier’s Jack Nunge has been named to the 2021-22 Academic All-District® First Team. Nunge currently holds a 3.94 G.P.A. in the M.B.A. program.
• Xavier senior Paul Scruggs, who is eighth in the BIG EAST in assists at 4.1 apg., is
second on the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg. He contributed 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the first meeting with Seton Hall.
• Xavier sophomore Colby Jones, who is seventh in the BIG EAST in overall rebounding (7.6 rpg.) and sixth in offensive rebounding (2.7 rpg.), is third on the team in scoring (10.4 ppg.) and second in assists (2.8 apg.).

COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS